Essex Boys

How are metaphorical spaces used to create meaning in the opening of Essex Boys?

This shot uses claustrophobic space with the reflection of the neon lights which look like prison bars which could be foreshadowing future events and the fate of the character in the shot, the bars create a feeling of entrapment and suggest that that the character is trapped in the surroundings and his fate. The darkness of the scene emphasises to the feeling of entrapment, and the bright bars in the shot. The darkness could suggest that the character has an inner darkness or that there is no hope for him left.

The large space of the seemingly never ending plain makes the character seem insignificant and powerless. In the shot we can see the horizon which emphasises the space and also the helplessness of the character and therefore his desperation, which is reinforced by the leading lines that lead to the vanishing point at the horizon. Also, the character is placed at the bottom of the shot which emphasises the space and the character's desperation. In addition, the vanishing point is off centre which could suggest uncertainty about the character, the character's destination or fate. The colour palette also emphasises the metaphorical space, as the colours are all very similar and there is little contrast in the shot, this makes the plain seem even larger and the character even more insignificant compared to the space.

This shot uses light and contrast to create space and meaning as the darkness surrounding the light tunnel creates and enclosed or entrapped space within the shot. The entrapment in a dark space could suggest danger or represent the immorality of the character, the tunnel could also represent his transition to a life of crime. The leading lines in the shot could reinforce the idea of a transition or journey to criminality, they lead to a vanishing point in the tunnel which is where the light is coming from, which could suggest that there is hope, alternatively, the light is surrounded by darkness which could suggest that there is no hope for the character or the future in this film.