Extra research: Little Larry - Dom

Little Larry, Keychain productions, released in 2012, found on VM Shorts

'In Larry's life every day is the same. Lonely. He is a mid-twenties, professional, single man who still feels like a child inside. Something is missing. Larry is finding growing up and fitting in so hard that he still sees himself as an 8 year old boy. Can Larry find the missing link that's stopping him grow into the man he longs to be?'

Representation

First of calling the main character Larry, for me suggest loneliness staight away. I have always known that if someone is called a 'Larry' is a 'Loner' so it's a play on the name. i.e 'Billy no mates' etc...

I Chose to do a bit of extra research using this film because it had some similar themes to our own. The saturation turning to full blown colour when Larry meets the girl inspired us for our own film. However, this film also deals with (and the main) theme of growing up.

As mentioned before the main theme is all to do with growing up, and finding it hard to fit in. The main social group represented is the 'mid twenties, professional  single man'. in this particular case he is represented as a child, to show that despite his adult life, he still feels like a child inside. 

The film deals with the issue of fitting in as you grow up into an adult and that sometime sit can be difficult. However it is alot easier when you have someone (the right person) to grow up with.

Larry being the main character and the representation of the social group mentioned, I'll discuss him in depth in relation to representation of the social group.

First of all, Larry is shown shaving ( no beard on an 8 year old! ) and ironing his shirts. This is definitely not what we would expect an 8 year old to be doing, hence we assume that the child is a representation of an adult. Preparing for work seems routine for Larry, this suggests that he does this most days, but the lack of expression on his face suggests that he is unhappy. Initally because of some shots, like this high angle canted shot, of his trendy home, I assumed he was unhappy (and many other 'young proffesional single men') with his job, even though he was comfortable financially.

There is a focus pull, including Larry's facial expression and a dog. the dog coming into focus puts emphasis on it's eager behavior  The dog could suggest Larry is living alone (as no other characters are seen in his home) and that the dog is his only real friend at this point in time. This could imply that he is lonely. Even more so when there is a close up of dog food being spilled into a bowl. For me it implies that Larry want more than just a canine companion, and dismisses him as a nuisance. It also shows his childishness.

The low angle mid close up of Larry traveling down an escalator on the underground (suggesting he works in London) and mid longshot of him waiting for a train can tell us that Larry does this routinely and is sick of it, judging by his facial expressions. Also most year olds would be excited to be where he is, (also suggest he lives in London/commutes everyday) whereas his expression is blank/sad.

This mid shot of Larry sitting down at his desk is the point where I understood why Larry was so glum. he writes a sign saying 'lonely : (' and places it in front of his name card on his desk. Another point that develops this idea is the adults all standing together (slightly out of focus) socialising and talking as a group together behind him. This for me was the point where I fully realised that he was finding it hard to fit in to the adult world and still felt like a child.

There are several jump cuts used to separate him having a drink with different women in a bar/pub. the women he met up with are all having a good time, having a drink, laughing etc, whereas he is sat there looking depressed. For me this shows that although he is the 'young single man' he yearns to not be lonely, which isn't being solved. Perhaps, this is an attempt to meet someone who will make him less lonely?

Once again on the construction site, most 8 year olds would be excited, but he is drained suggesting he does this everyday and reinforcing the point hat he is a representation of a very lonely adult.

His dinner of beans on toast and the glass of wine shows that his issue of being lonely is so large to him that he doesn't care about eating much. Also you could argue that the simple beans on toast shows his childishness. I notice that he doesn't even eat it and just plays with the beans, emphasis this point.

When he goes to the park and meets the girl on the bench (by chance) everything changes. the girl is also a child, suggesting that she has the same problem of being lonely. As they glance across the bench at each other we assume by their smiles that there problems are solved. This could suggest that even though Larry is in his prime he still need somebody. This is mentioned at the start of the film with the catch line 'Growing up is tough... you just need to find the right person to do it with'. So we assume that he is happy form now on! 

This is a negative representation of the social group. It suggest they are lonely and unhappy, despite being in their prime?

the film deals with the issue of fitting in as you grow up into an adult and that sometime sit can be difficult. However it is a lot easier when you have someone (the right person) to grow up with.

Narrative

The story is that Larry is a young man in his prime, but he still feels like a child inside and finds it hard to grow up and fit in with everyone else around him. The plot is another lonely day for Larry, just he meets the girl that changes everything.

It's a linear structure with closure; him meeting the girl.

In terms of narrative, I would say that the equilibrium and the disruption are the same thing. The disruption (Larry being lonely everyday) has become some common it is the disruption. the resolution is when he meets the girl. So in a way it conforms to Theory of narrative.

I guess you could argue the binary oppositions (Levi Strauss) are his life before he met the girl and his life after. This is shown really clearly through the use of saturated/full colour footage and non diegetic soundtrack.

Genre

Initially, the genre is very difficult to identify. There are mixed codes and conventions form different genres. the point where I established the film was a romance was ultimately when he met the girl at the end. The fact that we know he is lonely however, could be a syntactic code to suggest a romance, as it suggest that he is looking for a partner.

This film as mentioned, becomes apparent that it's a romance when the boy meets the girl: a classic convention of a romance. The shot of the 2 characters on the bench is a semantic code that they are going to fall in love/ take a liking for each other. Hence this helps us identify this film as a romance. According to rick Altmans theory.

Genre is typically used to attract a certain audience and let them know what they are in for. Romance in this case, is easy to watch and leaves you feeling good at the end (in this case) attratcing a wide range of people, which leads me on to audience.

Also this end shot of the couple walking away into the sunset it a syntactic code of a romance. Its a cliche almost; the 2 characters walking off into the sunset, which we instantly associate with romance.

Audience

Initially I found this film on VM shorts, as it was nominated for an award. Another search lead me to Youtube. VM shorts may attract a more specific audience of young - middle aged people both men and women with an interest in film and TV, possibly students. Whereas Youtube has a extremely wide demographic that uses it, so I assume here the video was going for lots of hits, and recognition rather than attracting a specific audience.

I think the audience would be pleased by the film because good. What I mean is that it appears lots of thought has gone into every process of the film making and lots of attention to detail has been accounted for. Things that the someone without so much media/film knowledge may not spot and appreciate as much. It is also a heart warming plot that doesn't reveal itself till towards the end: i.e its a fairly universal plot.

Media Language

Below are just a few aspects of the film that I found clever and creative.

Firstly, I think the idea of actually using a child to represent the fact that Larry still feels like a child inside is great, it adds a whole new depth to the film and ultimately makes it more interesting as who would expect and 8 year old to be doing all those things? The lack of dialogue raises questions but it works well as not give away too much.

This High angle canted shot really shows us how small (and lonely) Larry really is. It also shows us his neat and orderly household which he lives in. It shows there is only one coat, one hat ect suggesting that he is alone. 

I like this mid close up shot also because he is holding his hard hat almost like a teddy bear suggesting once again that he is struggling to fit in and is very child like still.

I also admire this focus pull because it puts an emphasis on the dogs 'expression' i.e he looks as if he wants something (to play?) but Larry sort of dismissively chucks down his food in the bowl to make him happy.

The soundtrack is good at reflecting his monotonous lonely life he lives and then the change of music to a more upbeat and positive non diegetic soundtrack really makes the change impact us as the auidence.

Moreover, the change from saturation to full blown colour (with maybe a filter over?) as he meets the girl and grows up really shows that this is the thing that Larry was missing, especially when the tagline appears on screen. Hence there are some similarities from our own film and this.

The use of editing here is interesting because it shows you that he is trying to be less lonely, and meeting all types of girl, but none of them are the right person for him to grow up with. This is shown because they themselves are all adults and he is still a child. But he meets the right one who is represented as a little girl, hence we know he has found the right person to solve his problems. Mise en scene here, i.e props, are used well as his drink is always water and the women he is meeting are all alcoholic. This shows that he is not really up for having fun, and also shows he is still a child. On second inspection I'm not sure if its beer ?

His costume/props he is holding is quite significant. the suit, hard hat and brief case are all props to show he has a high up job, maybe as a site manager for a construction firm or surveying firm etc. Also the composition of the shot on the bench and similarities of costume/props between the girl and boy show they are similar and both looking for the same thing: someone to grow up with; the briefcases etc. Also the walk away into the sunset holding hands shows the similarities of the 2 characters costume.