Conventions of Social Realism

• British social realist films usually contain negative aspects of their own culture, a few examples being football hooliganism (Football Factory, Green Street) and gang culture (Kidulthood, Adulthood). Our film will focus on the drug habits of a sixth form student around the South London area.
• They are usually based on a large number of people that fit a certain subculture/theme such as chavs, football fans and pupils. However, there are also many films which revolve mostly around a single character which is what our opening will do.
• Because it is a social realist film, everything that will be filmed can be possible in real life situations. Because drugs are an increasing problem in London, especially in areas around Lambeth, we decided to do an idea based on it.
• Many social realism films also use political events as a backdrop to the main story such as Billy Elliot or This Is England which indirectly affect the central characters in some way. Our idea doesn't revolve around political issues so much, however it will probably be referenced somehow in the opening.
• They usually contain some form of violence. Some of this can be in a domestic setting but in most cases it usually involves a large group of people in a public area.
• Instead of making an attempt to look glamorous, they usually stick with making the film look gritty and true to life.
• Finally, these types of films are mostly filmed around urban areas (especially London) than in rural areas as that is where most of the main issues lie. We will be filming in a poor or average area in South London where there is alot of poverty and crime.