Research Tasks

Eight (Daldry, 1998)

1. Identify the genre/s or style/s used

• Social Realism


• Low lighting which creates a sad effect


• Grainy image- high contrast would make the film look too happy and upbeat which isnt the style that they are looking for


• Recogniseable images- the beach


• Clothes- the Mum wears dark clothes while John wears brightly coloured clothes. This shows that the two characters are feeling two different emotions.


• The TV tells us what sort of era it is and the football match they watch is the 1998 world cup. This makes the year they are in very clear and the audience begin to think of events that happened near that time.

2. How does this film use genre/style conventions uniquely?

• This film is like a monologue. It has one character telling there personal story, although it affects more than him. It uses this technique well as it keeps the audience engaged as it is very personal.


• The monologue makes it seem as if the child is alone, even though he lives with his mother and has some friends. However, wearing the Liverpool t-shirt makes him feel closer to his Dad as that is wear he died. The anthem "You'll never walk alone" could be poignant here as it is a song that represents his life.

3.How does the film use the short film format?

• The narrative is structured where in the beginning, John is very wary of disclosing any information about his life. He starts off by saying 'My name's John and i am 8 years old'. This seems like he is trying to get into contact with his Dad or for someoneto help him. You dont find out anything else about his life until near the end. During the film he suggest jobs that his Dad could have done. This is all fantasy and made up.


• At the beggining he is also going though the ages of time. He then stops at the 60's and says thi was when my Dad was born.


• At the end, John then reveals that his Dad died in a football match. You can then piece together the story. It reveals why his Mum doesnt want anything to do with football in the house as it is a reminder of what happened to her husband.

4. What do you find interesting about the use of sound?

• There is non-deigetic music usedin this. It becomes apparant at the end of the film where the Liverpool anthem "You'll neve walk alone" is played. It is a symbol for John that he will never be alone. It could be another reason why he supports Liverpool as the team has sentimental value to his family.

5. Themes and issues and representation

• The film is about a young boy whose life was turned upside down when his Dad was killed. In the film, John said he never knew who his Dad but he knows a lot of things about him. His Dad was obvioulsy a big part of the family and the Mum seems to still be in mourning, even though it is 8 years after he was killed. John misses his Dad as a role model so he uses his best friends Dad as someone to look up to.


• It positions the audience in a very sympathetic place as it pulls at the audiences heart strings.