The Ellington Kid

 

The film opens with a close-up shot of someone sharpening a knife, which instantly shows the viewer what the film will be about - danger and conflict.

The tunnel gives the shot a sense of depth, which creates the sense of a long distance. We get the feeling that the Ellington Kid has a long journey before he is able to reach safety and we are unsure if he will make it, increasing the tension in the scene. The cold colour scheme in this shot also emphasise the bleakness of the situation.

In this shot, the camera is at a low angle, which makes the character seem more intimidating. Another feature of this shot that helps to emphasise that feeling is the fact that the stabber is pushing his knife towards the camera, almost as if he is attacking the audience. This helps to exaggerate the sense of danger in the scene.

The costumes of the characters in this shot help to signpost the oncoming conflict as the shop owners are wearing red and the stabbers are wearing black. The fact that the shop owners are surrounded by the stabbers in the frame make the relationship between the two groups seem more oppositional.

In this shot, the stabber removes his bandana to reveal his nervous expression. This action is symbolic, as it reveals his humanity and the fact that he has feelings - specifically fear. There is also a sense of dramatic irony in this shot through the placement of one of the shop owners behind the stabber. As the attacker realises he may be in danger, the camera reveals him to be surrounded by his enemy. This shot symbolises how the predator has now become the prey.

As the boys joke about the story, we cut to a different camera angle, which creates the sense that there is someone else in the setting, watching them. The fact that the takeaway boxes take up a lot of the frame also implies that the boys are being spied on sneakily, as the viewer is almost hidden. This POV shot is revealed to be the view of the shop owner who is listening to the story.

The camera slowly pans to reveal the shop owner smiling sinisterly at the two kids as he's listening to their conversation. This movement increases the tension and leaves the film open-ended, making the viewer wonder whether Nathan's story is true or not.