Research Tasks: Modern Life Is Rubbish by Freya

Modern Life Is Rubbish-Directed by Daniel Jerome Gill, produced in 2009

• The genre is a bittersweet drama that places the audience amongst a couple who are in the process of splitting up their possesions.  In this short themes such as love and loss are explored within the narrative.  Two shot are used all the time, concentrating on these two main characters.

• The first shot is a closeup of a photo frame, introducing the characters as a couple and showing us how happy they were, him looking down at her lovingly, her smiling.  The title then replaces this photograph, suggesting that 'Modern Life is Rubbish' because of the lack of their relationship.  Soft, acoustic music is in the background, reflecting a sadness that becomes apparent later.  This same music is used at the end, rounding off the story.  During the film non-diegetic sound isn't used, only at the very beginning and end which I think helps convey social realism.

• This short uses so many things to convey this sadness besides music; it uses props, dialogue, facial expression(see left) and camera work.  Props are so important, because the narrative of the film is about this separation through objects.  At the beginning we see how she cleans away all her toiletries from the shelves, and later how she sorts through CDs.  

• Use of prop shots:
• She's framed in the centre; surrounded by belongings scattered in an almost war like fashion which connotes how hurtful break ups are.  The swirly patterned canvases really depict the break up, one's up-it's staying, and the other's down, Lent against the wall and ready to go.  Two things so similar being split up.

• In this second shot shallow depth of field is used, the books are sharp, while she's in the background out of focus.  I thought this could reflect that all though it's easy to sort and split up possesions it's not so easy to split up emotion; it's complicated and blurred, like the image shows.  

• This shot is the opposite, showing the piles of Cd's out of focus while she remains sharp.   The Cd's are almost a barrier between them, representing all their differences and arguments-again complicated and  blurred.

• I thought the best prop was the guitar, which the guy seems to use as a substitute for love, a substitute for her.  He's introduced through music, at the very beginning we here him softly playing the guitar before we see him.  Here a close up of the instrument being played is used which shows how much music means to him.  He treats his guitar like it's the only thing left, like music is the only thing he has now.  He almost cradles it and only puts it down when he leaves to follow her, and picks it back up after being defeated.

• The roles of femininity and masculinity in relationships seems to be a theme that is looked at in this narrative.  Dialogue is used here to show emotion and response to this situation from both genders.

• A lot of underlying feelings seem to be held in this film.  The way the two talk about their albums really expresses their differences.  All though most of the film seems to be objectively filmed at one point, after an argument, a higher angle shot is used looking down on the male character to show his immaturity. 
• Certain elements of the dialogue is very important.  At one point he says; "I like the past, the present's shit." They were together in the past, suggesting that he wishes they were still together.  She then asks why hes so reluctant to live in the present, which seems to be a metaphor for his inability to move on.

• On the bed a gentle track toward them makes it seem like they might kiss, but they don't.  They seem always on the edge of being back in love, occasional smiling, play fighting, laughing.  They're on the very edge of breaking up and seem to be clinging onto each other just for that last bit.  This is shown in the close up shot of their hands,  how important they are to each other, and this close up really shows this.
• I think the fact they remain nameless shows them as a microcosm of all break ups.  The high angle shot of him in the room alone, shows such vulnerability.  He's clinging to his guitar again, because she's gone and the music is all he has.
• The last shot shows is his reflection as he watches her go, showing his final sadness in her leaving, and the tragedy in their breakup.  

-Freya