Mean Creek Essay Example

Mean Creek Essay In the film ‘Mean Creek’, the director Jacob Aaron Estes uses visual and verbal techniques to successfully convey the main idea of loss of innocence; this idea is relevant today to teenagers and shows their actions due to it. The main idea is presented to the viewer in three vignettes; banks of the river, burial site, and taking the police to the burial site. In the vignette ‘Banks of the river’ the director successfully displayed the use of verbal and visual techniques to show the relevant idea of loss of innocence.For instance, the visual technique blue filter shows that the characters have become sorrowful because of the death of George; it also makes the setting dark grey-blue which reflects how the characters lost their innocence. Another visual technique was the pull focus from George’s face to other main characters; it creates the effect that George is the centre of attention and he will be engraved in their minds, as they grow up they will rem ember how they lost their innocence and are guilty for George’s death. Further on, the director also uses verbal techniques.For example, Millie frantically screaming â€Å"wake up† to George, previously she was a polite and cheerful girl. This vignette shows her inner anger and sadness resulting in her to lose innocence. Another two verbal techniques that were used were the Foley effect and Lament music. The ‘Foley effect’ was used on the flies making them louder; this emphasises death and that the swarm of flies are on George’s dead body. The Lament music was played by the cello instrument in the background which made the vignette more funereal like.It shows to the viewer that the death is the main focus and that loss of innocence is relevant today because it shows how teenagers can lose it easily as they grow up and the consequences they will face in the present and future mentally. Another vignette that the director used to portray the idea of lo ss of innocence and successfully developed by visual and verbal techniques was the ‘burial site’. The director used the visual technique close up shot. It was used to express the facial features of the main characters.All of the characters were red yet getting pale; it also shows how the characters were hyperventilating because of the death of George. In addition, the director also used an establishing shot of the burial site, the setting at first was fresh and pure green but as the events occurred the vignette became dark and suspenseful. The verbal techniques that the director used were lack of dialogue and sudden silence. In this vignette lack of dialogue was evident as no characters were speaking, only heavily breathing; it shows that the characters were astonished and grieving over George’s death.The sudden silence technique was used when Millie stabbed the slug, nothing was to be heard for a moments. This reflects Millie’s loss of innocence because b efore the death of George she was peaceful and calm. The vignette is relevant today as it shows how an incident can ruin anyone’s life; it also accentuates that It can change the personality of one as they grow up. The ‘taking police to the burial site’ was also a vignette that the director effectively presented the main idea of loss of innocence through visual and verbal techniques.The visual technique mid-shot was used on the creek it shows that the creek was extremely misty and full of shadows giving the viewer the impression that death is present. Another visual technique was the p. a. n shot of the burial site; this shows to the viewer that death of George was official and it also suggests that characters have chosen the right pathway by telling the police what had happened. The director also presents the visual technique slowness of the water, at first during the day the water was rapid and the sunlight was reflecting off of it.In this vignette it is in con trast the water began to drift slowly across the creek which gives the impression of a tranquil mood. The verbal techniques of lament and synthetic music was also used. This really connects to the main idea as it emphasises the relevance of death and loss of innocence to real life situations today; it also shows that it can ruin someone’s life. ‘Digetic voice over cuts to non-digetic scene’ this suggests that the character George did not deserve this and also that he was different.He also says in his voice over â€Å" People that do not see inside my mind don’t get there are gazzilion things going on† This is relevant today as people should not judge one’s personality through looking at him or by his actions but to look inside and see his inner feelings. In conclusion, the director Jacob Aaron Estes successfully conveyed the idea of loss of innocence sing visual and verbal techniques in the three vignettes Banks of the river, Burial site and taking police to the burial site. The viewer’s learn the relevance of losing innocence and how it can affect them.