Conventions

It's important to recognise the basic conventions we've learnt from our form and genre research

Main Production - Visual Style

I think this mood board nicely summarises my direction for the visual style.

We don't intend to break convention here. It wouldn't mean much for our production, and may end up detracting from our narrative if we attempt to include really saturated colours. It would counter our mood. Instead, we're aiming for the more grey-scale, washed-out and overcast look shown above. Especially considering that we want to shoot in a low-light environment, a saturated pallet would not really fit. 

Main Production - Narrative Themes

It's always been the focus of British social realist films to make a point. 

Whether it be about race, class, or other social issues, social realism is all about bringing to light issues that the director or writer feels is ignored. As such, the narrative is geared to showing this message. Twists and turns ensue, throwing characters the audience often views as innocent and downtrodden (but not always completely above reproach) into the worst society can offer. Injustice, alienation, and anger are often core themes.

The end puts the point across in one neat bow to the audience. Whether positive, negative, or ironic in nature, there's always a point. I, Daniel Blake makes it's social message very clear at the end, were a tragic death encapsulates the sense of injustice people can feel within the benefits system. In This Is England, the main character rejects racist and nationalist views after seeing first-hand the destruction they can cause. 

Actors of the two main characters in I, Daniel Blake promoting a clear political message

As such, I think there really needs to be a point to our own production. I've gotten a lot of ideas for this after completing the topic research post. Issues of abuse, of not understanding what can go on behind closed doors. These are the kind of points I want to communicate. 

We need to look at the example films above as guide how to do this though; forcing a message in too strongly could really damage our overall narrative.