Setting“Billy Elliot”

Film Study

SettingTime: When?

Place: Where?

Atmosphere/Context: What?

Signifiers

A signifier is any item that signals (reflects) time, place or even character.

Lots of Signifiers = Mise en Scène

E.g. The kitchen in the opening scene. What do these details tell us about the people who live there?

• Yellow sliding doors, strongly patterned wallpaper.

• Clothes hanging inside to dry + peg bag• Formica-topped table with sauce bottle, teapot• Bottle of beer on the mantelpiece,• General clutter

Answer:

Items are instantly noticed without being outstanding. Items signify that this is a male-run house, not too well off, working class. Small, crowded, functional, dated.

The Village of Everington(County Durham)

Signifiers:Cemetery The Mining PitRed brick terraced housesParamilitary riot policeCoal minersUnionsPicket LinesPubsBoxing Club

Mise-en-SceneMostly poor. Only village

green is the cemetery which is dominated by the mining pit in the background. Terrace house are connected – no garden, limited privacy. Police presence is pervasive. Anger, alcohol and boxing = hard male-dominated community.

Signifiers and Mise-en-sceneBilly’s Home

Signifiers:• Narrow red-brick terrace

house • Outside toilet.• Billy sharing room with

Tony.• Nana lives in the front

room• Piano is in this room• Tired decorations• Radio• No TV

Mise-en-scene:Poor working class family all

living in cramped conditions.

No luxuries. (i.e. no TV) Were once comfortable

(piano)

Signifiers and Mise-en-SceneThe Mine

Signifiers:• Size of the mine in background

of cemetery.• Colour (or lack of it) used

when filming mine.• Cages• Huge chimneys• Tall wire fences• Locked gates• Puddles of water on ground

Mise-en-scene:Everington Village comprises of

vast areas of grey, damp and dreary slag heaps and machiney.

Cages (symbol of imprisonment) take the men underground (hell?)

Great chimneys loom over the town.

Tall wire fences, locked gates add to the idea of prison/containment/cages

Puddles of water suggest the retaliation of riot police against angry strikers.

Your turn …

1. GROUPS2. ROTATING AROUND TABLES

3. THE QUESTIONS YOU START ON IS THE ONE YOUR GROUP BECOMES

“THE EXPERT” ON!= YOUR GROUP MUST TEACH THIS

TOPIC TO THE REST OF THE CLASS … … WHO WILL TAKE NOTES!

How many signifiers can you identify that signal time and place?

1. Where is the movie set? How do you

know?

2. When is it set? How do you know?

3. Who are the main socio-economic group shown? How do you know?

4. What signifiers tell us that Mrs Wilkinson comes from a different social background?

5. What sort of mood is created at the start of the film? How is this mood created?

6. How is the mine setting first shown? What is the effect of this?

Where is the movie set?

Everington, a mining village in Country Durham, North East England.

It is an small community under extreme threat – the threat of the end of mining which will be the disintegration of their community.

How do we know?• Durham is specifically mentioned. • There is mention of mine closure, strike action,

police presence and news reports.• Billy tells the panel he is from Everington

When is it set?

During the miners’ strikes in 1984-1985.

How do we know?• The presence of the police, • The strike posters,• Shots of the mine,• Non-diegetic news reports• Occasional seasonal indicators (blue

skies/snow, Christmas etc) show passage of time.

What are the main Socio-Economic Group shown? (Describe)

Coal miners – Normally not padly paid – Billy’s mother has a piano, jewellery (which is later pawned)

The strike has meant no wages coming in and this has hit the family hard.

How do we know this?• Piano chopped up for firewood• Jewellery pawned to get Billy to London• Billy and his father intimidated by the grandness

of the Ballet school. (and the sense that they do not belong) “I’ve changed my mind”.

What signifiers tell us Mrs Wilkinson comes from a different social background?

She is distinctly middle class.

How do you know?• She has a car, driveway and garden• Debbie speaks with less of a Geordie accent• They live in a nice, detached family home.• Home is spacious – better furniture and decorations.• They don’t swear.• Mrs Wilkinson has been trained in a ballet which is

considered a cultured and artistic.

What sort of mood is created at the start? How is this mood created?

The mood is lively, exhilarated, bouncy and amusing.

How is this mood created?• Music• Billy’s bouncing• His lively and rhythmic breakfast making

technique.• Sudden change when he realises that Nana is

missing.

How is the mine setting first shown?

We see the picket lines, the buses and the police presence. The actual mine and slag heaps are only seen when Jackie goes to sign in.

What is the effect of this?It is ominous and threatening. The only

colour seen is grey (no green). Dreary and depressing mood.