Friday, 5 February 2010

Textual Analysis - Ashes

Click here to watch 'Ashes' via BBC Film Network. 

Ashes is a ten minute improvised drama about a man who travels to Anfield in order to scatter his father's ashes. It follows the two characters not only on their physical journey, but also the emotional journey as they become closer and closer as father and son. 

Being an improvised drama allows not only the actors to play around with dialogue, but also allows the camera shots and movement to be a bit experimental. It also means that some of the camera shots are filmed in a voyeuristic style as they couldn't give away that they were filming the two actors. It had to seem as though they were two ordinary people. This meant that when the father was asking for directions from the Taxi Driver, there were doors being opened in the way and people were walking across in front of the camera. 

As the short film progresses, the audience begins to feel attached to the two characters and almost as though they are actually father and son. You also feel quite sad for the Father after the son throws the Urn into the Mersey. However, despite this, you get a feeling that perhaps the Father doesn't mind that this has happened. The Father is a Liverpool supporter (the football shirt gives this away) and could suggest that his father was a Liverpool supporter. It suggests that it was agreed that his ashes would be scattered in the place he loves, but not quite in the sense that he was finally left bobbing up and down amongst leaves and various bits of rubbish in the water. 

I think this film is a really effective production, especially being improvised. It seems to have a more realistic flow as opposed to something that has been completely scripted. 

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