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Mean Creek Textual AnalysisMean Creek filmed in 2004 by director Jacob Aaron Estes is a thriller film which appeals to a teenage audience as the characters are all roughly in their teenage years, which helps the audience to relate to the characters.

Camera ShotsWe see many repetition shots of the river being filmed and also the filming of nature such as birds and there is also a shot of a deer crossing the water with its offspring. - This particular shot focuses on the deers vulnerability in the water, which later shows Georges vulnerability in the water as its discovered that when he is pushed overboard the boat, he cannot swim.

The river and the surrounding scenery also makes the characters look vulnerable as it shows how isolated they are. - This becomes more obvious when George is dead as there is a lot of silence in the scenes apart from the use of a soundtrack to show the change in mood SoundThe background music the director has used the sound of string instruments particularly the use of the Cello. - It shows sadness and emotions and reactions of the characters well after they discover their prank has gone horribly wrong and they have in fact just murdered George.

Music helps to create tensions in the film - It helps the emotions to build up in the characters, for example when Georges body is laying on the river side. - It shows the shock and reality of what has just happened, and it also helps to show the darker sides of the characters and their thoughts.

After the accident, there is silence in the background and they appear to become more hostile to nature.

ThemesA theme of loss of innocence and also a sense of isolation as from when the prank goes wrong. - they have to work out what they need to do next on their own, which takes away any sense of a child's innocence.

Theme of bullying, when George is pushed into the water it makes the characters roles seem to switch around. - originally George was the bully and Sam and the others had all been in some way a victim of him.

Marty is also bullied by his older brother and it is hinted that he may have also been bullied by his alcoholic father who committed suicide. - This bullying from his family is then reflected, as he is often very forceful to his friends, for example Marty often insults his friend Clyde by calling him a 'faggot' because he happens to have two gay dads which Marty knows offends him greatly however he continues to do it.

LightingThe use of lighting in 'Mean Creek' is used particularly well to depict the emotions of the characters and also to show what the current mood of the film is. - For example at the beginning of the film, the lighting is bright and sunny which shows the characters sense of happiness and that they are in good company of each other.

However, the lighting goes from a warm sunny day, to a dull dingy tone after George has died. - the change in lighting really helps to highlight the feelings of remorse and guilt to what has just happened and it makes the film also becomes more serious.