Billy Elliot

Module C: Into the World – Billy Elliott Stephen Daldry
Textual Features, Language Techniques
Two pieces of Related Material: The Bread Winner – Leslie Halward (Short Story), The Call of the Wild – Jack London.

Things Explored in Billy Elliott
A need to adapt and a desire for Mastery arise and occurs in moving into a new world
Cost of moving into the world: Losing your family and friends, challenges and conflict,
The class divide in England, Coal miners and the Elite who do Ballet
Perceived Roles, ballet is not for boys
The world is harsh, change is difficult
Within our world are others, some have futures, others don’t.
Need to adapt to the new world
Need for strength and courage and independence to move into the world
Conformity to social groups
Moving into the world is scary for Billy and involves loss
Comfort becomes a casualty
Implications of moving into the world: Challenges, Disappointments, Opportunities, obstacles, perceived roles, dignity and courage,
Billys main obstacles is prejudice he is going against perceived roles fighting against the institution

Quotes:
“lads do football or boxin” “[ballet is] not for lads”

Techniques
Film Techniques
Dialogue (Helps appreciate moving into the world, character conflict)
Flashback
Music (Acts as exploration of Billy’s desire for freedom)
Setting (Shows the need for his freedom)
Narrative

Camera Shots and Angles
Aerial Shot
Close up/ Extreme close up (Of Billy’s Feet)
Camera Angles (For the enormity of the Royal Ballet School)
Camera Focus (Generally on Billy’s Feet, or on faces)
Panning Shot : Moving around a scene
POV Shot (From Billy when he is in the Royal Ballet School)
Facial Expressions (When father finds Billy doing Ballet)
Juxtaposition (Billy sitting next to and talk to the rich kid in the Ballet School, he is well dressed and well spoken Billy is in a singlet and is poorly spoken, shows class divide)

Metaphor
Visual Juxtaposition
Symbolism (Maybe the tutu, his...