The Ellington Kid

 The Ellington Kid

Narrative: This film is in chronological order, as the use of flashbacks all occur when the man is telling the story, so can it seen more as a visual representation of the story, rather than a flashback of what actually happened. 

Lighting and colour: A lot of this film is shot with low key lighting which creates a tense atmosphere and fits with the mood of the story being told. Colour is also key in creating this atmosphere, as even the shots taken in the day time appear gloomy, with washed out colours, even bright ones like red and yellow in the shot above look like they've had some of the colour drained out of them.

Setting: The tunnel is important in building tension, as it creates a sense of confinement, and that the Ellington kid is unable to escape. It also creates a sense of depth, which makes the tunnel appear quite daunting, as it feels as if he has a long way to go before he reaches safety, again building tension.

Cinematography: A key moment in the cinematography of this film is a low angle shot, showing the stabber. This makes the spectator feel inferior and threatened, especially since he appears to be directing his knife at the camera. This builds tension and helps the spectator empathise with the Ellington kid. Another key moment is at the end of the film, when the camera pans to a grinning shop owner, looking at the two boys. This leaves the spectator with the impression that the story is actually true, ending the film on a high tension, but also slightly comedic note, which fits with its genre as a black comedy.

Costume: Costume is used cleverly in the final scene to show opposition. The kebab workers are all dressed in red, whilst the stabbers are all dressed in black- this visually separates them into two different groups, and enhances the feeling of opposition, and that hints at the idea that the two groups are going to clash.