Billy Elliot

Purpose Present viewers with the realities of being different Changing pre-conceptions towards themes of gender and sexuality through a story of a young boy dealing with these issues Encourages acceptance and breaking free from stereotypes Links to ‘Into the World’ Young people have ability to rise against prejudice and overcome obstacles to become a success as they move into adulthood E. G. Billy reluctantly participating in boxing to please his father (obstacles) 0 naturally drawn to ballet which is contrasted to Tony’s violent, defiant character (e. Riot scene where Tony attempts to evade the police and Is captured and beaten) with Billy’s quiet and gentle persona to demonstrate different ways In which young people transition Into adulthood. Billy does not fit the male stereotype expected from the working class Love of music and dancing that separates him from other boys his age His dream is to possibly escape the angry, motherless family through Mrs.. Wilkinson suggestion for the Royal Ballet School. He responds to the loss of his mother with grief, opposing the angry, silent espouses of Tony and Jackie.

He experiences difficult situations for an eleven year old though responds with courage, passion and determination. This affirms Mrs.. Wilkinson advice that: “It’s not about what you know… It’s about how you move, how you express yourself,” Aftermath of Billy’s experiences of growing up and moving into the world are positive and negative Positive: Achieves his goal to be a dancer and surpass the restrictions of the congested town Negative: Criticism of schoolmates and family 0 must hide his passion from the world

The piano that belonged to Billy’s mother acts as a symbol of hope and escape for Billy E. G. Jackie yells at Billy to stop playing, foreshadowing the negative impact that his father’s anger will have on Billy in his search for beauty. E. G. When Jackie cuts up the piano for firewood on Christmas, Billy asks “Do you think she’ll mind? ” “Shut it Billy, she’s dead’. Here, the destruction of the piano symbolizes Billy’s destroyed hopes to escape through music and dance.

Music Main genre punk rock to capture feelings of angst and frustration towards poverty ND prejudice they experienced Upbeat pop rock is included when Billy succeeds creating tone of excitement e. G. Hiding the ballet shoes under the bed Non-dietetic music used to symbolism change in Billy e. G. Dancing through the streets with ballet slippers around his neck, paralleling previous images of him with boxing gloves similarly positioned, combined with uplifting music 0 change in attitude and direction in life for Billy. Dietetic music used to show Billy’s growing happiness e.

Describe at least ONE idea that was worth learning about in the text(s). Explain why the idea was worth learning about in the text(s) as a whole, using examples of visual and / oral language features to support your Ideas. In the film ‘Billy Elliot’ directed by Stephen Deadly, a memorable Idea that was worth learning about was that we should persevere In following our dreams. Billy shows this throughout the film by his determination and halls passion In ballet dancing.

He is also willing to make sacrifices and does whatever it takes for him to fulfill his dream. Deadly uses different film techniques to demonstrate the different emotion Billy expresses when he dances in contrast to the emotion he feels at home around all the mining, violence and working class environment. Dancing is shown from the beginning of the film to the end, but he does not realize this in the beginning because he was so caught up in what his father wanted and their family tradition than for what he wanted for himself.

The idea of persevering in following our dreams Is worth learning about because If there is something that you enjoy doing and continue to do It, It can take you to so many places you would never think of. In the film, It Is evident that Billy knows what he wants to do. He shows It In the beginning where the director shows a close up camera shot on the record player, where Billy places the needle on the record exactly where “l was dancing when I was 12” starts, it gives us a hint that 12 year old Billy has a passion for dancing.

Deadly also uses extreme close-up on Billy’s face, arms, hands and legs bouncing into frame o demonstrate the love Billy has for dance and the happiness he feels when he in the dancing mood. Billy expresses the same happiness in the scene at the Royal Ballet School for his audition. The way he dances, it signifies the freedom Billy feels when he is dancing. “Don’t know. Sorts feels good. Sorts stiff and that, but once I get going… Then I like, forget everything. And sorts disappear. Like, I feel a change in my whole body. I’m Just there, flying like a bird. Like electricity. Yeah like electricity. This scene made us aware that Billy expresses himself better through dance than In words. When Billy says that he feels a change In his body and that he feels as If he Is flying Like a bird, he Is describing his feeling of freedom. The way he dances Is Like ballet just takes him away from all the miner strikes, problems at home and trouble that happens in their neighborhood. This is important because it teaches us to go after something that we are good at and enjoy doing because the things you are good at can give you multiple choices in the future than something that you have less knowledge about.

Another reason why it is worth learning about following your dreams is because it is so easy for people to give up when they feel as if they are going to fall and never have the courage to pick themselves back up. We need to never give up on our dreams and do all that we can to go after them. Billy does this by rebelling towards his father and his families’ knowing that there could be consequences. For example, in the middle of the film where his father Jacky finds out that his son Billy Is taking lessons for ballet.

Belly’s father did not like the fact that his son does a sport Involving girls, dancing and tutus. “Alright for your nana, for girls. No, not for lads Billy. Lads do football or boxing… Or wrestling. Not frigging’ ballet. ” So doing it because she believes that he has a talent in dance. “This’ll sound strange, Billy, but for some time now Vive been thinking’ of the Royal Ballet School. ” This shows that Mrs.. Wilkinson strongly believes in Billy and knows that he could possibly have a great future ahead as a ballet dancer. So then Billy decides to take private lessons with Mrs..

Wilkinson so that he can practice ballet without his father or his older brother Tony finding out. Near the middle of the film the director uses the two shot camera shot on Billy and Mrs.. Wilkinson doing their private ballet lessons with the boxing ring in the background to create a contrast between Billy doing ballet and him doing boxing. This shows that Billy is more confident in doing ballet and has the least knowledge in boxing as to why the boxing ring is in the background emphasizing that Billy will choose ballet over boxing.

The shot also shows the relationship between the woo characters which is that they both have something in common and what they have in common is ballet. This is important to us because we have to learn to believe in ourselves and not to give up easily. Like what the screen writer said, “It is all about wanting something better and doing everything you can to achieve it. ” The quote foreshadows that we must not discourage ourselves from persevering in following our dreams because when you succeed, it will be because you persevered and fought against fear and impossibilities.

The last reason why following our dreams is worth earning about is because there will be times where we have to sacrifice things in order to accomplish something. In the film, Jacky, the father of Billy sacrifices his own pride so that his son Billy could live the dream that makes him happy and free instead of staying in town where the only thing that surrounds him is violence & miner strikes. “We’re finished. Let’s give the boy a chance” Jacky becomes a scab so that they could make enough money for Billy to go to the Royal Ballet School.

Even though Jacky knows that he could ruin his reputation by becoming one of the scabs, e began to realize that Billy deserves the chance to escape and follow his dreams and becoming a scab was the only way he could show Billy that he loves and caress for him. The director uses over the shoulder shot to show the emotions that cross Jacky face from Tony’s point of view. From the emotions Jacky shows in this shot, illustrates that Jacky really cares for his son and would do anything for Billy to achieve his dream of becoming a dancer even if it means he will be hated by the people in his own town.

This is important to us because we need to understand that e have to make sacrifices if we want to do something we are passionate about. To conclude my essay, the idea of persevering in following your dreams has been worth learning about because we start to understand that we there are things that we may have to sacrifice in order to achieve our goals. We also learn that we shouldn’t give up easily because you never know, maybe you were Just inches away from making that dream successful but you discourage yourself with negativity and fear of making things possible.

We learn from the character Billy in the film because he never gave p on his dream and was always inspired to do whatever it takes to fulfill his dream of becoming a ballet dancer. Another reason why this idea was worth learning about is because we need to be made clear of that dreams are not Just things that Just appear like a snap of your fingers, you have to actually work hard for it and hope for the best. Always fill your mind with the positive words like win, achieving, impossibility. “It’s all about wanting something better and doing all you can to achieve it. ” Lee Hall (Screen writer) By Danish Selene

Context Assignment For Billy Elliot Topic sentence: Different types of conflict often occur within a family. Families are portrayed throughout most films and texts, as indestructible, constantly supportive, and held together by a bond that is not able to be changed or broken. This ‘perfect’ image is unable to be supported in reality. Conflicts that occur between families, particularly between parents and children, are common in today’s belligerent world.

Although, the stereotypical views of the perfect family, lead one to believe these indestructible and constantly supportive relationships are accurate representations of families today. These relationships often evade reality, providing a a tainted view to those in search of the true meaning that is family. A more realistic view of a family in today’s society can be taken from the film “Billy Elliot”. The idea of a single father raising two adolescent boys in a poor household, where the idea that a bond in a family cannot be changed or broken, shows flaw in the idealist view one is led to believe.

Many conflicts between the protagonists in the film, when focusing on the relationship between parent and child at the time of adolescence, it is shown that conflict is unavoidable between a father and son. To disobey one’s family, one requires a a lot of courage. There are rules put in place by the head of the family, these rules help to minimize conflict in the family. However, when these rules begin to be challenged, which is often seen through the time of adolescence, conflict occurs. It can be said that children obey their parents out of fear.

Fears such as punishment and perhaps even the threat of being disowned often keep children in line. In the film “Billy Elliot” a rule that is heavily enforced by Jackie, Billy’s father, is the idea of gender roles. Throughout the film Billy is faced with enormous difficulty because of the views of society, which helps to enforce his rule, as Billy enjoys participating in stereotypically feminine activities. Billy puts forth a lot of courage to disobey his strict father, with whom he does not a good relationship with until the near end of the film.

Billy going through adolescence, becomes headstrong about his desire to continue dancing and defies his father sparking a far amount of conflict within the family. As most good films have the cliche` happy ending these conflicts were resolved and Billy was able to continue his ambition and express his passion through the art of dance. However not all families have the ‘happy ending’. In fact the disobeying of a parent spurs form their inability to understand the very idea of the issues faced by the common teenager today.

Parents find it difficult to relate to their children, it is due to this difficulty that conflicts can arise. Particularly with female teenagers and their fathers, there are many difficulties, such as the inability to understand the adolescent pressures of being feminine. For a male to fully understand these pressures they would have to go through menstruation and actually look into the female mind. It is very difficult to communicate with a male figure that is almost three times your age.

This is why many young female teenagers are forced into conflict with their fathers. This often is also due to one’s inability to accept this males attempts at understanding. The relationships one has with their parents is often a difficult thing to keep without conflict. The stereotypical image of a family only really, represents a small number of families. In reality if all families where as they are portrayed in films and books, there would be little or no conflict in the family household.

Billy Elliot Scene Analysis Scene Title and Description – Sound (Diegetic and non-diegetic) Movement 1. Opening titles: The song Cosmic Dancer hand places record by T-rex is heard as boy delicately on is jumping up and down. turntable, boy is seen The responder jumping up and down immediately assumes uncontrollably and that music plays an displaying a happy important role in this and carefree boy’s life. disposition. 2.

A Disgrace in the Gloves – Setting (lighting and – Camera techniques – Text – Symbols – Quotes colour) – Costuming The boy is dressed in The frame remains still The title of the film Billy bright clothes, and the as the boy’s body moves Elliot appears on the background is a bright in and out of it. This is screen as the boy’s entire yellow wall paper. These revealing a sense of body re-enters the colours give the freedom this character, frame.

The responder impression that and the idea that he may can now conclude that Billy is a symbol of hope not conform in his this boy is Billy and in and light in his world. stagnant world. fact the protagonist of the film. Repetition of “I was dancing” – when the music begins, – the sign about boxing is Billy’s boxing fight begins much larger then the also. This is the contrast dancing sign. Shows of ballet piano music the focus on masculine whilst he is in a boxing figures and the male ring.

He beings to move dominance within the and stuff around (“not town. (boxing for boys, again” he does not have dancing for girls) a passion for boxing. – “your a disgrace to Comparison is that the them gloves, your vast difference between father and the tradition boxing and ballet; two of this boxing hall”. completely different George Watson (boxing worlds. coach) Link to Into the World a child’s freedom and naive child with no worries or cares about the surround world The fun and joy of a kid jumping up and down on their bed.

Represents the way of which a child is placed into the world as this innocent being. this scene is significant because it is building the framework of the complication. Examining Billy, he is growing up into a community that is centered around mining and boxing for men; a ridged patriarchal society. In this scene it represents the gender roles and expectations. It is an expectation that this is the world that Billy will stay in (defying gender roles) 3. The Ballet Class – the choreography of Billy’s movement seeks to show his connection with the dancing world. He moves to the timing kept by Mrs Wilkinson. – the use of the piano music has Billy visits his mothers grave is representative of the mood and seeks to create an emotional response; the sombre tone of the piano highlights the hardships that Billy faces with the recent loss of his mother (1 year) this is a new world and experience for him. – ‘Top hat, White tie’ Fred Astaire Billy Elliott’s costuming of the boxing gear is juxtaposed to the ballet students. this highlights to us that Billy has not yet entered this world – he placing of the – “fred Astaire was your – this scene shows Billy’s boxing bag serves as a mothers favorite dancer” displacement within the barrier which he needs – grandmother world as a boxer when his to over come, in order true love is really ballet. to fully enter and – Billy does not fit into this engage with the world reflection within the world of dance as a manly boxer, the way tracking shot of the he moves appears that Billy girls ballet shoes in is not comfortable about contrast to Billy’s being in the boxing world; boxing shoes; further confining himself within a reinforced by the use of world of which he does not a close up. elong…. seeing the ballet – changing into the ballet class the dancers enables shoes at an eye level him to being to unlock that shot; symbolically inner want and need he showing that he is has hidden within him (his breaking away from his passion) for dancing/ballet. old existence. – this represents the first barrier/obstacle within him self he has to over come 4. To Be a Dancer – tracking shot capturing the ‘STRIKE NOW’ posters establishes the social and political environment – first class of ballet Billy is awkward, stiff, ridged and self conscious of what he is doing in the class. The music elevates and is of a high paced staccato music. He is now also dancing out side in the open. Prior to this moment/scene in the movie the music was slow and confined within the spaces he is in (room, ballet studio) the heavy presence of the police; costumed with shields (illustrating that there is a level of violence and animosity; used as a type of intimidation) Billy is framed in his room through the use of his door way; his father does not enter into “Billy’s world”. – long shot of the – “Your ever-faithful billboard seeks to washday slave” display the power and Billboard slogan. asculinity of males; – “I feel like a right sissy” yet emphasises the “well don’t act like one” hardships they face Billy and Mrs Wilkinson. billboard defaces to the – Mr Brathwaite to Billy washing advertisement; “You look like a right a music treble clef, is wanker to me son” – Billy seen on a poster that is is then dancing in the ripped down and street, this shows he has defaced. no care and does not Billy is in a private care about what people world that is only think about him dancing. exclusive to him self (placing his ballet shoes under his bed and closing the door) – Motif of the framing; reenforcing his masculinity e. . looking into the mirror and protruding his chest then exhaling(disappointmen t) – The boys whilst jogging took a different path to the rest of their class mates, this symbolises the different paths they take to the rest of the town Billy being a ballet dancer and Michael being a homosexual. – when in the dancing studio the larger mirror shows his freedom being able to be him self, then once in his house they mirror is small and confines him in his own home; as his confidence grows so does the size of the mirrors. 5. Dad Finds Out The ballet music is underscored with the voices repeatedly shouting “SCUM” by the minors strike. – Radio in house is reinforcing the minors strike. – Song : ‘Children of the revolution’; the song being reflected of Billy’s transition, Billy represents the change of breaking away from the typical masculine activities and roles by dancing 6. Mrs Wilkinson’s Offer – voices intensify as the – being confined in the conversation picks up in space of the car, as they the interest in the matter talk about the Ballet of being offered to Billy school, as well as about the ballet school discussing the private lessons. The minors yelling scum is viewed at a areal view (birds eye) to show the momentum of the protestors and force of the police officers clashing at the picket line. – the world is juxtaposed to the grace and elegance of the ballet. – Ballet is filmed with an eye level mid shot – Close up on Jacky’s face once he sees Billy in the. – When sitting at the table arguing the camera zooms into Billy’s face as the emotions get over whelming. Both Billy and Jacky are passionate about their own opinions and are not going to break about how they feel. – its not his fault”, “and thats alright with you is it? ” – Billy to Mrs Wilkinson “now piss off”, “piss off your self” – Mrs Wilkinson and Billy this dialogue can be used to show the type of closeness they can share together 7. Private Lessons 8. A Ghost Story – mothers motif plays – the gym appears like a once Mrs Wilkinson heavenly setting. The begins reading his lighting is of natural mothers letter lights with the sunlight – ‘ I love to boogie’ – the streaming through the dance was free and had above window down loose movements where upon Mrs Wilkinson. hey were enjoying – The Gates are an themselves opening into his own – Dancing between Billy world, to where he can and Mrs Wilkinson be him self. dance in unison – Mrs Wilkinson is always together. wearing the same – the music stops when clothing as if she will Billy shuts his home always be the same door. and that Billy knows she will be. – Billy’s clothing is gradually getting lighter until the end of the scene where he is wearing complete white as a representation of innocence. – swan lake, telling the – the bridge being so story. large and dominating, – use of mothers motif to the music of swan lake show that she is still intensifies. here for Billy. – swan lake and the – In comparison to when juxtaposition of the they first start this elegance of the music lesson is serious, and world with the harsh structured and focused; buildings of the this shows his industrial world. improvement and – As the pulley comes maturity of Billy as a across the lake it moves dancer and as a in time with the music. person. the camera angle starts as a long shot and as Billy and Mrs Wilkinson draw nearer the angle shot gets closer as well until they reach a head shot of Billy and Mrs Wilkinson. “always be your self” – Mother from letter read by Billy and Mrs Wilkinson. intertexuality; Billy Elliott refers to swan lake. Mrs Wilkinson When in the ballet studio with the bar, the shot is a eye level, panning shot that is at a distance. close up shot when Mrs Wilkinson is not smoking; more understanding and compassionate towards Billy; intensity and focus she has when dancing with Billy ” a few hours every night she becomes alive… she becomes real again” – Mrs Wilkinson. 9. Tony’s Arrest – tony is angry; therefore getting caught by the police. ‘ London Calling’ – The Clash. costuming of police shown in that context; riot shields; batons; riding horse back forces fear into people based on what they are wearing. – Minors are fiercely out numbered by police in this scene. – close up of Billy’s face when watching his brother being caught; head shot of a sigh as his witnesses his brother capture. 10. The Chance to Dance – music starts when the heated moment of argument between Old Tony and Mrs Wilkinson; almost dominating the argument, later leads to Billy breaking out in dance. Everyone is inside where as Michael is the only one that is outside with Billy the others are framed within the windows – ‘ A town like malice’ The clash begins on the street where they move indoors. The scene then goes to Billy outside but confined in the space of the break wall, although he breaks down the door. It then moves to the roof and further more in the streets getting further and further away from his home life where he is confined in his space and the pressure of his family; the more he breaks away from his home he is able to express him self and his emotions freely. in the fight mrs wilkinson and Billy are in frame work, tony is standing, jacky and the grandmother are sitting because they don’t know if to be on tony’s side or on Billy’s side; Billy and Mrs Wilkinson are limited of power because they are within frame work. Tony is standing giving him more power then all the other characters in the scene. – eye level shot the brick wall is – “do you have any idea – over coming obstacles symbolic of Billy’s what we are going confinement within his through? ” – Tony family; kicking down the door as a form of breaking free or wanting to let out his frustration. egins at an eye level shot and then gradually changes from eye level to close up of the face; expressing the rising emotions with each of the characters. Once Tony placed Billy on the table this downward shot would normally be of power, although it seems that Billy is powerless this is when the switch of power is shown; Tony and his father later realise that Billy can dance and this placing of him on the table is to ridicule Billy. Billy exercising power because he does have talent the metal door is what is stopping him from being a ballet dancer; his barrier.

Doesn’t stop dancing until he hits the barrier showing he is trying to break past the barrier. 11. Christmas – dissonance; clash of sound, the drone represents the loosing of the memory of the mother. – The swinging of the door to be able to watch, to keep her alive to still remember her as his father hammers the piano – Tony in the mirror disjointed from the family, as they are all the in the camera shot but Tony is only in the mirror reflecting – The moment by the fire is when they accept the leaving of the mother and how they are excepting their life without them. – 12.

A Dance of De? ance – Billy is dancing with his arms by his side, he resembles the Irish traditional dancing and which resembles the irish dancing, when dancing was band by the police, his arms were hidden and basically in the times where it was illegal to dance, billy has raised his arms to show his con? dence, strength and freedom. – – – – 13. Dad? s Decision this scene is shaped by important decisions that are made by Jackie (Jackie also goes back to work) – accept billy? s typing – return to work – sell his wife jewellery – When he walking up to the bus, he wouldn? say his own name to get himself marked off, and his breathing was very heavy and deep. – You see him sitting on one side and the fact he saw his son, he was ashamed by what he was doing and moved to the other side. – He went into panic which also made him mood, his breathing intensi? ed, – His hands were in his pocket – He has been ? ghting for so long for the principals he has been ? ghting for, that he goes back because the love for his son is stronger then the principals he was ? ghting for. – he is sitting alone on the bus, he kind of puts himself away from the other males on the bus. the scene cuts to the rioters, calling out SCUM! – sophisticated and formal language. – no swearing – Billy? s dancing is very free and it seems that the judges are very uncertain towards his movement. brightly lit ballet school, coincides with the white surroundings; this has a ethereal feel; symbolic of wealth 14. The Audition He enters Billy? s – “Thanks for everything bedroom and sits by you have done for billy, billy? s bed. Creates but he is my son” – Jackie intimacy because its a (he is taking responsibly close shot of Billy and for Billy, taking into Jackie in silence. onsideration what billy – Billy is trying to fake wants) sleep because he is unsure why his father is there. – There is silence, this is a type if intimacy where there is silence so the viewers are unsure and billy are unsure what is going on. – Jackie? s believe have been shown to chance, by the blank face that he stairs at his knees with. – the zoom shows how inferior Jackie was in this section (Walking into the mines) – When tony jumps the fence this is a symbol of tony breaking threw the emotional side of things. close up of jackie? s hands whilst he places his wife? s jewellery onto his hands and exhaled deeply as he clutched them like they as if they are treasures – 15. The Interview – – 16. The Letter – Jackie finding out out the union caved in brought him back to reality of his own situation. – – 17. Billy’s Big Night – Swan lake; represents that he has made it. – camera shots, the panel – “i can feel this change of judges are always in in my body, just like this a different camera shot ? e in my body just to Billy and Jackie; this there like a bird like illustrates the barrier electricity” – Billy ; between them; obstacle description of his of success for Billy, yet transformation through another barrier he has dance shows feelings of to over come. freedom and liberation, as well as energy and power. – “mr elliot good luck with the strike” – Judge ;hints that they will take Billy? s circumstances into their thought towards Billy coming into the ballet school. – eye level shot and the street was sloping upwards. close up shot of the grandmother looking for the postmen – mid shot of Billy and his father sitting close together – accumulation of shots building on top of each other to show Billy has full support of his family and the community. – low angel shot of jackie celebrating; shows power and pride. – aspect of moving into the world is the support of the people around him; he as also impacted on each of the people he said goodbye to as well; he only said goodbye to the people who had a significant people in his life 18. End Titles – – – – –