Leah is 18 years of age an pregnant, therefore conforming to the dominant ideology of 'teen mum'. It is through the camera language, editing and also the mise en scene that this stereotype is highlighted. At 0:18 to 0:20, Leah is trying to discard a letter (her pregnancy results) in the toilet. Through the close up used at 0:19, it's evident that the letter is of importance as she tries to get rid of it and is partly the cause of her trying to flee. Moreover even though there is not an obvious cliche sign of her being pregnant eg. Vomiting. It is the the fast paced cuts and her rushed actions, that connote that she is pregnant. However Leah subverts to the stereotypical view of young pregnant teenagers as the series of fast paced shots of Leah packing from 0:24 - 0:36, after she flushes the letter, signifies how Leah does not want to abort the child but instead run away and provide a better, stable life for he unborn child. Therefore, taking advice from previous feedback of a respondant that said ' don't make it to cliche', we portrayed teen mothers positively, connoting how they are responsible enough to take care of a child and also that they are not selfish since Leah puts her child's future/life before hers.
Leah is a school drop out, with minimal qualifications therefore unemployed. This representation is clearly highlighted through the mise en scene and camera language. During the smash mouth opening of Leah packing, there is a shot of her grabbing copper coins at 0:48. The use of coppers and also the quantity of them connotes how she is not working therefore every penny she saves counts. We chose to conform to the stereotype of 'young and jobless' as its conventional for British Social Realist films to highlight financial problems, since its a situation that many people (in particular working class) go through in the mundane world therefore it adds to the verisimilitude.
Leah lives in council flat - 0:50. It is the mise en scene that reinforces the stereotype of a ' poor person'. The location of flats is not exotic, instead it is an urban area that reflects Leah's lifestyle as gritty and boring. Furthermore it connotes poverty as society associates the working class with living in flats. In addition, this connotation is further highlighted when Leah packs using a rucksack at 0:33, signifying how she possess very little belongings. Furthermore, she grabs a packet of crisps at 0:30 from a nearly empty cupboard, connoting how she is not finically stable to afford essentials - this situation of poverty is something that Social Realist films tend to highlight a lot, for instance in the film Wasp, the mother feeds her children sugar grains as everything in her cupboard is out of date and she has no money in her purse, connoting her poverty. So we conformed to this representation as Leah, the poor individual lives in a flat and struggles to survive - barely any food.
Leah's boyfriend abuses her therefore representing her as a 'battered wife'. You see this stereotype through camera language from 0:27 to 0:46, because her face is hidden until the scene where she views we reflection in the mirror. This close up limits the audience to focus on the damage done on Leah (since its a restrictive narrative). Also, she touches her face at 0:42 and winces. This connotes the pain she is in and how how she is the less dominant one in the relationship, highlighting that she is vulnerable. This shot is also a long take and comes straight after the fast paced shots of the smash mouth opening. The long take slows down the action, allowing the audience to sympathise for her and also it reveals why she is such a rush to get away - also partly answering the audiences enigma codes, like why is she in such a rush to leave? Furthermore, as she examines her face, the non-diegetic music being played in the background reflects Leah's situation - ' you broke my hurt for the very last time', these lyrics anchors what the audience are seeing, as they can visually see she is fed up of being pushed around. The representation of battered wife is also highlighted through the mise en scene. Her clothing as well as the natural lighting, is dark, connoting how she has gone through a very dark experience, therefore showing to the audience the taboo subject of domestic abuse firsthand and connoting how it is atrocious. In addition, the make up - inspired by London to Brighton, help visually establish this representation of battered wife, as the bloody nose, bruises and black eye is a clear indication that she has experienced violence. Overall my partner and I conformed to this stereotype but at a certain extent we subverted as well, because the smash mouth opening of her packing hurriedly connotes how she has had enough of being treated as nothing, therefore battered wives are represented positively, since Leah finally gains the confidence to leave her abusive boyfriend.
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