I really enjoyed watching this narrative film New Boy by Steph Green. I liked how we were introduced to Joseph and who he really was and why he acted the way he did through flash backs. I liked how the lighting and framing was different between the European classroom and the African one. This difference really shows how different the two atmospheres were. This was a sad film and I really feel bad for Joseph at first especially since the director used the explosion of the milk bottle to metaphor that Joseph's dad was shot. You can tell that all of this has affected Joseph because he seemed like a different person in his new school as he was real timid and shy, but he was pretty outgoing in his old school. Yet in the end you can see the old Joseph return and make two new friends in his new school.
This was a really moving and well done short film. I thought the first shot of Joseph standing in front of the class was very nicely done. The only sounds are the whispers of the children in the classroom and all the students are a blur, exactly how Joseph would have seen the classroom. This establishes from the very beginning that this story is going to be from the perspective of Joseph, the "new boy". Also the music is done nicely in that it introduces and shows that the main character is having flashbacks. Then when he is snapped back into reality, the music stops. I think this shows how he is missing his home, especially since the music is dreamlike and up-lifting. It's also an interesting visual choice that Joseph's old school is bright, with vibrant colors, while his new school is more dreary with duller colors. I think this reflects Joseph's feelings towards the two schools. The two shots of his father being killed and the water balloon being thrown at him are also beautifully done. If you didn't feel sympathy the character before, this moment is when you really begin to connect with the character and feel for him. Finally, I love that the ending is the way that it is with the boys becoming friends. I think this message is very powerful. I think the "bullies" Christopher and Seth were given these pre-conceived ideas about people from Africa from their parents, but in the end you see that if they had not heard these things, they would have been friends, as they do. I think the bulling could have been avoided if these kids were not taught to dislike people unlike them.
I love the simplicity of the New Boy by Steph Green. The short film is able to exhibit a very powerful narrative by just using flashbacks. We are introduced to Joseph as the new boy in class but we are told much more about him through flashbacks. These flashbacks ultimately tell us why Joseph is new to this school, where he is from, and why he is so timid and sad.
I love the simplicity of the New Boy by Steph Green. The short film is able to exhibit a very powerful narrative by just using flashbacks. We are introduced to Joseph as the new boy in class but we are told much more about him through flashbacks. These flashbacks ultimately tell us why Joseph is new to this school, where he is from, and why he is so timid and sad.
Everyone can understand the "new kid" situation in some way or another and this short narrative does an amazing job of doing just that. I love the mix of nationalities, the backstory of Joseph, and most definitely the way his bully becomes his friend. I'm quite curious as to the reasoning behind Joseph's father's death. Sequel? Here's hoping!
This short film shows how a strong message like this one can be conveyed in such a short amount of time. This was a really simple piece that showed how a new kid at school can enjoy school after getting a good laugh. It was cool how there were multiple nationalities and how it showed flashbacks of Joseph's early schooling in the country he was from. Joseph was originally very shy in the classroom and began to encounter some bullying which made him more comfortable in class. When Joseph starts laughing, he thinks back to his childhood teacher and the good times they had together. This short film was powered by flashbacks but also with a lot of detail showing what the character's emotions were.
This was very well done, conveying a strong message in a very moving way. A large part of why I chose to pursue film is because of the messages and issues that can educate audiences through film, in a way that doesn't feel dogmatic. I want to say that I didn't love this film, just because it was so moving to the point where I had a pit in my stomach for the first seven or eight minutes, but thankfully towards the end we did get a smile out of him. However, that is simply a testament to how well the piecing together of the narrative together was done and shown.
One particular aspect of this film that stood out to me was the music and audio. The background music set a reminiscent and unsure tone, and the whispers of the students were important in conveying not only the dialogue but also the scenery of an unruly classroom. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of Joseph's current classroom with the flashbacks of his father in his old school. This allows us to understand the cultural differences that Joseph is facing while also displaying the universal scenario of kids trying to learn in a classroom.
Dan Bryan: With regards to Green's New Boy, there's quite a bit to like. A large number of shots in the Irish classroom are dirty medium close-ups that display the depth of field between students, emphasizing the dehumanizing element present in the Western classroom structure. The narrative is engaging enough, using flashbacks to glimpse into the mind of our taciturn protagonist. The backstory crafted for Joseph informs us on his current mannerisms and evokes genuine pathos. The only complaint I have with the story is the subtext--the first act seems to be implying a comparative criticism on the traditional Western classroom environment. It's not that I would disagree with any points it might or might not be making on this subject, I simply found the execution to be heavy-handed and distracting. The film does, however, wrap up rather nicely with a surprising turn-around where Joseph finds new friendship and himself able to laugh again, thanks to a common desire with his new classmates to rebel against the classroom authority structure. Again, a bit on-the-nose for my tastes, but it did resolve everything well.
I really enjoyed watching New Boy this week. I liked how the flashbacks provided us with with contrasting views of what school looks like in two different countries. The camera cuts made me feel a little disoriented at times because of how close up they were on the actors and by how fast they were changing. The way that Joseph's emotions were sometimes unknown by the audience and then explained through flashbacks really made the film interesting. This short film also shows that a great story can be told in a short amount of time when done properly.
This was a very well donee film. New boy is a great example of what it might be like as a kid who has moved to a new place and doesn't fit in. I really like how the filmmakers went back and forth between the two settings to show how the boy fit in to each. The scene where he flashes back to his dad being taken away before the altercation was very intense and perfectly portrayed his anger.
This was a very interesting film. I loved the flashbacks to Josephs life in Africa and back to his life now. I loved how all of the different children's characters showed as the film progressed. Joseph's new situation can be seen very clearly through the shots used throughout the film. My favorite part was when all the boys started laughing at the same joke. I loved the idea that humor can bring people together no matter what they have been through in the past.
Wilson Weirich: I really enjoyed the use of flashback scenes throughout New Boy. The colors and lighting were altered between these scenes, which not only effectively managed to show a drastic change in setting, but a change in time. The narrative flowed very well and was easy to follow/understand. In my opinion, the most powerful scene was when the father was being dragged outside by armed men and as a trigger is pulled it cuts to the son standing by a wall beside the playground and a water balloon explodes on the wall next to the protagonist. The sounds of a gunshot and the balloon hitting the wall are combined with the sound of the bully character saying “you’re dead” makes for an incredibly startling and distressing scene. (Sorry for this being late, I forgot to hit submit yesterday!)
I really enjoyed watching this narrative film New Boy by Steph Green. I liked how we were introduced to Joseph and who he really was and why he acted the way he did through flash backs. I liked how the lighting and framing was different between the European classroom and the African one. This difference really shows how different the two atmospheres were. This was a sad film and I really feel bad for Joseph at first especially since the director used the explosion of the milk bottle to metaphor that Joseph's dad was shot. You can tell that all of this has affected Joseph because he seemed like a different person in his new school as he was real timid and shy, but he was pretty outgoing in his old school. Yet in the end you can see the old Joseph return and make two new friends in his new school.
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ReplyDeleteThis was a really moving and well done short film. I thought the first shot of Joseph standing in front of the class was very nicely done. The only sounds are the whispers of the children in the classroom and all the students are a blur, exactly how Joseph would have seen the classroom. This establishes from the very beginning that this story is going to be from the perspective of Joseph, the "new boy". Also the music is done nicely in that it introduces and shows that the main character is having flashbacks. Then when he is snapped back into reality, the music stops. I think this shows how he is missing his home, especially since the music is dreamlike and up-lifting. It's also an interesting visual choice that Joseph's old school is bright, with vibrant colors, while his new school is more dreary with duller colors. I think this reflects Joseph's feelings towards the two schools. The two shots of his father being killed and the water balloon being thrown at him are also beautifully done. If you didn't feel sympathy the character before, this moment is when you really begin to connect with the character and feel for him. Finally, I love that the ending is the way that it is with the boys becoming friends. I think this message is very powerful. I think the "bullies" Christopher and Seth were given these pre-conceived ideas about people from Africa from their parents, but in the end you see that if they had not heard these things, they would have been friends, as they do. I think the bulling could have been avoided if these kids were not taught to dislike people unlike them.
ReplyDeleteI love the simplicity of the New Boy by Steph Green. The short film is able to exhibit a very powerful narrative by just using flashbacks. We are introduced to Joseph as the new boy in class but we are told much more about him through flashbacks. These flashbacks ultimately tell us why Joseph is new to this school, where he is from, and why he is so timid and sad.
ReplyDeleteThere is no name on this post. Please write your name so I know whose this is.
Delete- TA Jo
Ok I see below you reposted - Disregard.
DeleteBut please make a note on re-possts, in future, to avoid confusion.
- TA Jo
I love the simplicity of the New Boy by Steph Green. The short film is able to exhibit a very powerful narrative by just using flashbacks. We are introduced to Joseph as the new boy in class but we are told much more about him through flashbacks. These flashbacks ultimately tell us why Joseph is new to this school, where he is from, and why he is so timid and sad.
ReplyDeleteEveryone can understand the "new kid" situation in some way or another and this short narrative does an amazing job of doing just that. I love the mix of nationalities, the backstory of Joseph, and most definitely the way his bully becomes his friend. I'm quite curious as to the reasoning behind Joseph's father's death. Sequel? Here's hoping!
ReplyDeleteThis short film shows how a strong message like this one can be conveyed in such a short amount of time. This was a really simple piece that showed how a new kid at school can enjoy school after getting a good laugh. It was cool how there were multiple nationalities and how it showed flashbacks of Joseph's early schooling in the country he was from. Joseph was originally very shy in the classroom and began to encounter some bullying which made him more comfortable in class. When Joseph starts laughing, he thinks back to his childhood teacher and the good times they had together. This short film was powered by flashbacks but also with a lot of detail showing what the character's emotions were.
ReplyDeleteThis was very well done, conveying a strong message in a very moving way. A large part of why I chose to pursue film is because of the messages and issues that can educate audiences through film, in a way that doesn't feel dogmatic. I want to say that I didn't love this film, just because it was so moving to the point where I had a pit in my stomach for the first seven or eight minutes, but thankfully towards the end we did get a smile out of him. However, that is simply a testament to how well the piecing together of the narrative together was done and shown.
ReplyDeleteOne particular aspect of this film that stood out to me was the music and audio. The background music set a reminiscent and unsure tone, and the whispers of the students were important in conveying not only the dialogue but also the scenery of an unruly classroom. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of Joseph's current classroom with the flashbacks of his father in his old school. This allows us to understand the cultural differences that Joseph is facing while also displaying the universal scenario of kids trying to learn in a classroom.
ReplyDeleteDan Bryan: With regards to Green's New Boy, there's quite a bit to like. A large number of shots in the Irish classroom are dirty medium close-ups that display the depth of field between students, emphasizing the dehumanizing element present in the Western classroom structure. The narrative is engaging enough, using flashbacks to glimpse into the mind of our taciturn protagonist. The backstory crafted for Joseph informs us on his current mannerisms and evokes genuine pathos. The only complaint I have with the story is the subtext--the first act seems to be implying a comparative criticism on the traditional Western classroom environment. It's not that I would disagree with any points it might or might not be making on this subject, I simply found the execution to be heavy-handed and distracting. The film does, however, wrap up rather nicely with a surprising turn-around where Joseph finds new friendship and himself able to laugh again, thanks to a common desire with his new classmates to rebel against the classroom authority structure. Again, a bit on-the-nose for my tastes, but it did resolve everything well.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching New Boy this week. I liked how the flashbacks provided us with with contrasting views of what school looks like in two different countries. The camera cuts made me feel a little disoriented at times because of how close up they were on the actors and by how fast they were changing. The way that Joseph's emotions were sometimes unknown by the audience and then explained through flashbacks really made the film interesting. This short film also shows that a great story can be told in a short amount of time when done properly.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very well donee film. New boy is a great example of what it might be like as a kid who has moved to a new place and doesn't fit in. I really like how the filmmakers went back and forth between the two settings to show how the boy fit in to each. The scene where he flashes back to his dad being taken away before the altercation was very intense and perfectly portrayed his anger.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting film. I loved the flashbacks to Josephs life in Africa and back to his life now. I loved how all of the different children's characters showed as the film progressed. Joseph's new situation can be seen very clearly through the shots used throughout the film. My favorite part was when all the boys started laughing at the same joke. I loved the idea that humor can bring people together no matter what they have been through in the past.
ReplyDeleteWilson Weirich: I really enjoyed the use of flashback scenes throughout New Boy. The colors and lighting were altered between these scenes, which not only effectively managed to show a drastic change in setting, but a change in time. The narrative flowed very well and was easy to follow/understand. In my opinion, the most powerful scene was when the father was being dragged outside by armed men and as a trigger is pulled it cuts to the son standing by a wall beside the playground and a water balloon explodes on the wall next to the protagonist. The sounds of a gunshot and the balloon hitting the wall are combined with the sound of the bully character saying “you’re dead” makes for an incredibly startling and distressing scene. (Sorry for this being late, I forgot to hit submit yesterday!)
ReplyDelete