Growing Pains

Growing Pains from MP Cunningham on Vimeo.

Mise en scene
Editing
Sound
Camera

Media Language 

The short film begins with a house (MS) central in the frame. There is off-screen diegetic sound of a dog barking. There is a cut and we are introduced to two male characters (OTS 2 shot). One of the male characters who is closer in the frame we can only see his shoulder and a small part of the side of his face, however we can see the further away character clearly (MS). There is a focus pull where the focus is on the further away character, who is wearing a red football shirt and a beanie hat. 
 









There is on-screen diegetic sound as they exchange dialogue and off-screen diegetic sound of a fork scraping on a plate. It cuts to the male character was closer in the frame, and its a POV shot from the other male characters perspective. He is also wearing a white football/sports shirt which suggests that the two characters share an interest in sport. His body language is slouched as he is looking down (BMS) and his facial expression looks slightly upset which reflects in his dialogue "I don't have an appetite". 
 












There is a shot reverse shot sequence as it cuts back to an OTS shot and back again to the male character in the white shirt. There is a sound bridge of off-screen diegetic sound (dialogue) as the conversation is taking place at a different scene. It cuts to the scene and the two male characters are standing in a vets room (MS low angle). The character in red's body language is with his hands on his hips standing straight. 
 











There is an eye line match and it cuts to a POV shot from the two characters, where we are introduced to another male character (the vet), who is wearing a white shirt and has long hair and a beard. He is sitting on the bed in the centre of the frame (MS) with a dog on his lap. The three characters are exchanging dialogue regarding the dog, where it becomes clear that the two male characters we were introduced to first own the dog. 
 














It cuts back to the two male characters in a shot reverse shot sequence (BMS low angle as its POV shot from vets perspective as he's sitting down) and they're expecting bad news about the dog's health therefore there are variations of body language, and the character in the white football shirt covers his face, suggesting that he is expecting the worst. 
 


















It cuts back to the vet as he informs the two male characters that the dog doesn't have cancer. There is a cut back to the two male characters and their facial expression looks relieved as there is on-screen diegetic sound of them sighing in relief. The male character in red puts his hand on the other character's shoulder in a comforting way and smiles at him. 

 











There is a cut back to the vet as he announces that Duke (the dog) did test positive for homosexuality. This adds humour for the spectator as it's very silly. There is a cut back to the male characters who look at the vet in shock.














The next scene is a change of setting as they're leaving the vets. There is a non-diegetic soundtrack playing as they walk towards the camera in slow motion (BMS). The dog is in a wheelchair which adds to the humour of the film, as it is implying that homosexuality is a disability.

















It cuts to the two boys sitting on a sofa (MS eye level) who have expressionless faces and their costume has changed which signifies that the day has changed. We are introduced to another male character. It cuts to a close up of one of the male characters and there is an eye line match to the dog who enters the room wearing a pink tutu. This outline the fact that the dog is homosexual and adds to the humour.










There is on-screen diegetic sound (dialogue) and a foley sound as it beeps out swearing. There is a close up of the dog smiling. There is a cut to a black screen with white font in the centre reading 'Three Months Later'. It cuts to one of the male characters and the dog walking in the park (MS). It cuts to a shot of a white dog (eye level MS) and the owners feet upwards. The meaning of this is that the homosexual dog is attracted to the white dog, therefore the male character lets him off his lead to approach the other dog.

Representation

The short film represents homosexuality, and middle class men. The representation of homosexuality rejects the stereotype as it's an unusual situation as the dog is gay, instead of it being the human. However, it supports the stereotype as the dog is presented as homosexual through costume - this is shown when the dog enters the room in a pink tutu as that is a typical colour for a homosexual person to wear, and tutus are associated with women.

  Narrative

David Bordwell and Kristen Thompsons theory:
The short film is presented in a linear structure as it is in chronological order. The story is that the dog hasn't been itself which is why the men have taken it to the vets as they thought it was a bad illness such as cancer. The plot of the story is what is shown to the spectator, which is that the dog is homosexual.

Genre

The genre of the short film 'Growing Pains' is a comedy.