Social Realism in the British Context [2]

British Social Realism – From Documentary to Brit Grit by Samantha Lay

1 Social Realism in the British Context [cont’d]

 

Practice and Politics

How is “practice” defined and what does it mean in British Social Realism? [first paragraph]

• Practice is the way in which a film is produced and finished, and in British Social Realism, this has generally meant independent production, which is conducted via using traditional skills, using real locations, and non-professional actors.

 

How does politics influence practice? [first paragraph]

• The politics of the film maker will influence them to be different and distinct from the ordinary or the norm, leading them to demonstrate a commitment to a specific set of ideas about the social world.

 

What is Ken Loach’s point? [first paragraph]

• Ken Loach believes that the way a film is made will be an important factor in validating the ideas in the film.

 

In terms of the film text itself what does the phrase “practice and politics” refer to? [second paragraph]

• The phrase “practice and politics”, refer to aspects outside of the text that influence the  main elements. 'Form, structure, content, and style.'

 

What exactly are filmmakers who want to depict “life as it is” reacting to? [second paragraph]

• These types of filmmakers are reacting to the way the world is constructed, by the majority of mainstream films and the practices informing that studio and star systems, which are types of the construction, as they are commenting on aspects of contemporary social life.

 

What do social realist texts often comment on? [second paragraph]

• Social realist texts often comment on, correct, or break away from previous conventions and practices regarded as ‘realist’. (Codes and conventions from a previous era)

 

What does Samantha Lay tell us British Social Realism movements been informed by? [third paragraph]

• Reforms and revolutionary political spirits inform the moments and cycles in British Social Realism, in terms of politics and practice in film making. The filmmakers ideas might change do to the political movement at the time.

 

What does Andrew Higson mean by the phrase “moral realism”? [third paragraph]

• Andrew Higson means that moral realism is the way British social realist texts have been propelled to varying degrees by a mission, ideal or goal. They have been pushed my a mission or a goal.

 

How does Lay explain the inextricability of practice from politics? [fourth paragraph]

• In many of the movements, moments and cycles, practice and politics informed each other, which is the reason why it is difficult to separate them both from each other.

 

What was John Grierson’s mission and how did his productions stand in relation to the mainstream British film industry? [fourth paragraph]

• John Grierson’s mission was to educate and inform audiences through documentary, meaning he now had an uncomfortable patronage from government. A reason for this was because his documentaries had a conception of social purpose, meaning they stood outside of the mainstream film industry in Britain.

 

What affected documentary production styles in Britain in the 30s and 40s and what were the results of this? [fourth paragraph]

• In the 1930s and 1940s, there was a documentary movement in Britain, meaning a collaborative unit style of production was encouraged, because of the lack of funds and resources during this period of time.

 

What does Lay say about the filmmakers’ commitment to documentary truth? [fourth paragraph]

• Because of filmmakers usage of non-actors and location shooting, Samantha Lay questions the commitment being shown to documentary truth, by the filmmakers.

 

Quoting Lindsay Anderson, how does Stephen Lacey link practice to politics in the work of the British New Wave filmmakers? [fifth paragraph]

• British New Wave filmmakers decided to turn away from the traditional way of making films, in Britain. Stephan Lacy connects their practice with their political and critical stance, and quotes Lindsay Anderson to demonstrate. Lindsay Anderson believes that the rejection of the studio system was tied closely to a rejection of a particular view of the world, which was attacked by both the cinema, and the theatre. They attacked it by looking upon it as snobbish, anti-intelligent, and wilfully blind to the conditions and problems of the present.

 

Who formed the Free Cinema group, what was it and what were its principles and objectives? [fifth paragraph]

• The Free Cinema Group was formed by Tony Richardson, Lindsay Anderson, Karel Reisz, and Lorenza Mazzetti, which aimed to produce creative and visually exciting short films and documentaries. It was a group of people whose ideas differed from usual filmmakers.

 

What were British New Wave filmmakers’ ambitions and intentions and how did they operate? [fifth paragraph].

• They were interested in extending the range of cinematic representation, to include the working class beyond London to the North England. They also tried to help aspiring directors attain a foothold in the film industry, and were successful in doing so. One of there main goals was the explore out side of the mainstream locations.

 

On what were British New Wave directors’ claims to realism based? [fifth paragraph]

• They made their claims through social realist fictions what was only implicit in documentary realist texts. Authentic cast and location contributed massively.

 

What did New Wave directors establish about character and place? [fifth paragraph]

• They established that character and place were related well, and that environmental factors were largely unchangeable of a characters’ fates and fortunes.

 

Summarise the key points that Lay uses to affirm Ken Loach’s importance in social realism. [seventh paragraph]

• Lay describes Ken Loach as a committed socialist, who used his documentary realist strategies to explore conflicts and inequalities in societies. His practice also avoided the use of stars, and employs location shooting in representations of natural surroundings, because of his political beliefs and his intent as a filmmaker. Ken Loach was also one of the few filmmakers to voice attacks involving their own opinions, against the Thatcher government in the 1980s, which as a consequence, meant the majority of his documentaries at that time were never screened.

 

How has the collaborative, unit-style approach to filmmaking changed over time? [eighth paragraph]

• Over time, filmmaking became more collaborative as some films were now attributed to two or more directors, for example, some documentary units were so collaborative, that authorship of the film was all but impossible to pin to one person. Filmmakers involved in the Free Cinema now had a collective statement of principles, whilst the British New Wave society shared specific concerns and beliefs. The movement has been towards promoting films as the unique product of one artistic imagination of the director, or the screenwriter, in cases involving television dramas.

 

How does Samantha Lay define the term “content” and what does she say about the relevance of content issues? [ninth paragraph]

• The term “content” is made up of two conjoined and formed aspects, the first being the issues and themes that social realist texts seek to explore, and the second being the types of representations generally constructed. Because of the relevance of content issues, films and film text are tied to their specific moments of production and consumption, and different points of contrast are provided, including the different moments, movements and cycles of the film.

 

 

Issues and Themes

What is content usually linked to? [first paragraph]

• Content is usually allied to a filmmakers intent, in terms of themes and issues.

 

What does Lay say about intent and filmmakers’ choice of issues? [first paragraph]

• Lay says that intent is often wanting to change, educative, or socially purposive in some way. He also says that a filmmakers choice of issues is bound up with either a message, or a mission.

 

Understanding how and why specific issues come into prominence at different points in history can reveal what? [first paragraph]

• An understanding of this particular concept can reveal 'a great deal about social and cultural attitudes of the period studied.'

 

Why is looking at the way an issue is dealt with in different time periods important? [first paragraph]

• Looking at the way an issue is dealt with in different time periods can be proved fruitful if seeking to answer questions about why certain themes might have been central in different social realist texts, and why perhaps they were pushed to the background in later films.

 

What is implied by the phrase “slice of life”? [first paragraph]

• The phrase “slice of life” indicates that it takes a view on life as it was or is.

 

Why is an understanding of the socio-historical context important? [first paragraph]

• An understanding of the socio-historical context is important, because of social realist texts making a claim to provide a ‘slice of life’ as it was or is.

 

For Lay, what is significant about the idea that film texts are “constructs”? [first paragraph]

• Through the constructs of film texts, we can determine what reality is being constructed and from which specific point of view, through an analysis of themes and issues.

 

Explain fully how Lay differentiates between issues and themes? [second and third paragraphs]

• Issues relate to the different social problems portrayed in these films that were topical or ongoing around the time of the films production, which was a cause for national and social concern. These issues are subject to constant change, because of the elements occurring in the same period of time, due to the now-ness of films, and then-ness of films. An example of this is promiscuity, which was more of a concern in the 1950s, rather than the 1980s and 1990s. Notable issues nowadays include child sexual abuse, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse, which are portrayed in a numerous amount of films, television dramas, and soap operas, such as Eastenders. Social issues are more immediate and visual social fears and concerns, usually with a high media profile and consequently a short shelf-life. Issues are obvious and explicit, with a main storyline of a family spiralling out of control due to alcohol and drug abuse being a good example.
• By contrast, themes are often not as explicit as issues are, but they are moreover implied. Themes represent less obvious threats to social unity and stability, and work at a much deeper level. Themes are more descriptive of remarkable occurrences, whereas issues tend to work as labels. Films are described in thematic terms that give us a deeper meaning of what lays behind the addiction issue, for example, the changing role of the working class in British social life from production to consumption. Themes are broader, longer-lived sets of concerns, usually implied within a given text. For example, in British social realism, some of the prevalent and recurring themes include the demise of the traditional working class, national identity, and the changing of gender roles.