Meg Magee: "New Boy" by Steph Green was an artfully crafted narrative that offered an abundance of insight into the inner thoughts of the main character. Throughout the film whenever it was the, "New Boy's" point of view everyone else blurred. This created a sense of anxiety, and it was easy to feel how nervous and out of place the boy was. The other element that created this feeling of uneasiness was the amount of close ups. This film featured mostly close ups, and over the shoulder shots, which flowed with the theme of the film perfectly. The flashbacks gave more insight into the character's feelings and past. In contrast to the classroom scenes, the flashbacks were accompanied by happy music, brighter colors, and a glowing light. This showed that the boy was fond of the memories with his father. There were two distinct scenes within this film that showed the psychology of the boy brilliantly. The first was when the Green jumped back in forth between the flashback where the boy was under a table watching his father get taken by gunpoint, and the present day shot where he was lurking around the corner of the school building. There was a buildup that created suspense and anxiety. Then, at the exact moment when the father was shot, the milk carton smashed against the wall next to the boy. After that shot there was silence for a moment, just before the children started screaming. This was extremely impactful because it gave the audience a moment to realize the significance of the flashback in relation to what was currently going on in the boy's life. The boy was having PTSD from the bully who said that he was "dead", because of the traumatic event in which a man killed his father. The second scene that was important was the one at the end where the boy starts laughing, and at the same time the flashback of him laughing with his father was shown. This was the happy ending the audience was looking for, in which the boy finally found joy, and friends as well. It showed the character was relating the happy memories he had with his father to the humor of the situation going on at school. This was also a big scene because it was the first time that the character had smiled, laughed, and even spoken throughout the entire film. Lastly, the ending to the film was charming. The shot was taken from the hallway and you could hear the teacher say "now". This is significant because that hallway and that word brought the boy happiness and new friends. It was a cute way to end the film.
Steph Green's New Boy was crafted in a way that made the message of the film more expressive. The main thing in the movie that impressed me was the strategic lighting. All the school scenes had the fluorescent green undertones while the African scenes had a warm orange undertone. This helped make the boy's memories seem happier and extenuated how much he loved his old school. The green undertones were often associated with evil and villains, so it helped the overall film by exhibiting how the boy felt about his new school: obviously in pain from the death of his father and also the lack of understanding by his fellow classmates. The shot of his father with the rainbow/blue framing of his face was very effective because it gave a halo effect and showed the boys's love for his father. The music was also influential because it showed the boy's wonder and joy at his original school.
Molly Hochwalt: Steph Green’s documentary, “New Boy”, was an emotionally charged narrative. The documentary achieved this successfully through several methods. The first thing I noticed about the film was the focus changes on the main character. The way that the depth of field was extremely shallow and often only included the main character gave very strong feelings of alienation to the piece. It was easy for the viewer to tell when the situations were tense and when the main character felt in pain or out of place in his new setting. The second thing that I noticed about the piece was the change in lighting between the memories and the current setting. In the memories of the boy’s home, the lighting was very warm and had strong contrast and saturation. This made these scenes feel more positive and happy. In comparison, the lighting of the present time was washed out and had relatively low contrast and shadow. This gave these scenes a sense of emotional ambivalence, detachment, and dullness. The contrast between these two lighting schemes made the boys emotional state throughout the piece very clear. The last thing that I’d like to bring up is the music. I felt like the music was well placed and well used throughout this piece. The music’s mood seemed to always match the mood of the scene playing out and added to the overall togetherness of this narrative. Overall, I thought this was a well thought out and well executed film.
Steph Green’s short film, “New Boy,” is a great example of storytelling via flashbacks. The film tells the story of a kid from Africa, Joseph, who has moved to Ireland, and details his first day of school. The victim of teasing from a kid named Christian, Joseph remains stoic despite the threats from Christian. The scenes from the first couple of minutes inside the classroom make great use of focus, with only certain kids, such as Joseph, Christian, and Hazel, being the focus of attention. This points out these characters as the characters to watch, effectively giving us our main characters before dialogue is introduced. As Joseph’s rivalry with Christian reaches its crescendo, Joseph’s backstory becomes all the more haunting when Joseph’s father and teacher is abducted by African soldiers. This is the best example of the film’s flashback storytelling, and the order of which the scenes occur, from Joseph standing alone at his new school, to the image of the soldiers entering Joseph’s old classroom the water balloon hitting Joseph, to the rifle being pointed into Joseph’s father’s back while Joseph is hiding under the desk, to the voice clip of Christian saying “You’re dead” as the water balloon hits him, is a perfect example of effective storytelling. The final shot of the three kids bonding over making fun of the teacher is heartwarming, and really well shot. Overall, the film is well-written and well shot, and the use of focus and flashbacks as story-telling tools elevates the movie from good to great.
Dustin Bennett- Steph Green's "New Boy" is an excellent and touching short film about a young boy who's just transferred to a new school outside of his native Africa. While the protagonist's story of outcast to friend was probably my favorite part, there's a lot with the cinematography to love too.
The two biggest things I noticed were the use of focus and overexposure. The former was especially apparent in the scene where Joseph, our main character, was watching all of the other children play. He and the brick wall he was standing against appeared completely sharp but everything else was blurry and unintelligible. The overexposure during the flashback scenes, giving everything a dreamy and surreal feel, was also excellent at letting the viewer know that things had changed and were taking place at a different time.
Overall, "New Boy" was a great short with a truly professional feel.
Alex Smith: Steph Green's "New Boy" centers around the new child, an African transfer student named Joseph. We are shown multiple establishing shots, slowly revealing who this boy is by giving us close ups over his shoulder and then a long distance medium shot that revealed this boy to the audience. We are given a look at his first day in a British private school with his classmates either picking on him or standing up for him against the former. The audience does not have much to go on in terms of a backstory until we actually cut to Joseph's school back in Africa. The question posed is now: "How did our protagonist get here?" We are shown more and more through flashbacks and the progression throughout his day. One shot that stood out to me was the long shot of Joseph standing alone in the hallway. It showed how big and scary this world seemed to this child, moved far away from his home. The scene that revealed the answer to the mystery behind his relocation in England was transitioned very well with the water balloons filled with milk being thrown at Joseph.
All in all, I believe that this short film is beautifully shot and written to show what's going on with our hero in his heart.
Louis Lartigue: New Boy is a short film by Steph Green that follows a young African boy on his first day of school in Ireland. The film shows his struggles both in the present and the past as he deals with being new in school and his difficult past from a conflicted area in Africa. The use of flash backs compliment what is currently happening in the film and help the viewer understand how the boy is feeling. Flashbacks and the editing used in the film are very important, as the boy is silent for the majority of the film. The positioning of characters is also a way the viewer can see the relationships of the characters. For example, throughout the film the new boy is taunted by a bully who at first sits behind him, they later have a face-to-face confrontation and finally they end up standing next to each other while they are being disciplined. When the bully is sitting behind the boy in the beginning, he like the viewer knows nothing about the boy, when they are face-to-face during the confrontation the bully and viewer are discovering things about the boy more head on and in the end the two stand next to each other where they are able to get along and stand as equals.
In "New Boy" director Steph Green uses film technique to bring an emotional element alive in the story. In the beginning, the focus is used to highlight different characters and their personalities. Joseph is the shy new kid, Christian is the bully, etc. The framing is also centered around Joseph on opposite sides of him to showcase his relationship with these characters. The coloring in the flashback scenes is enhanced to show the happiness of the memory in contrast to the much more dull present. Towards the end of the short film, the focus and framing for the kids changes to be more inclusive of them all as they become friends. Overall the film style of New Boy helped to convey the story more clearly for the audience.
Cameron Panhans: "New Boy" is an incredibly moving and powerful short narrative directed by Steph Green. Green uses various film techniques to help portray his story of a young African boy with a troubling past beginning anew at a school in Ireland. From around the 30 second mark in the film to about one minute and 25 seconds in, the director establishes a pattern of using a narrow depth of field to help create a feeling of isolation between the young boy and his new classmates. This narrow depth of field contrasts with the wider depth of field that are used in the shots filmed in the African school house. The contrasts between these two styles emphasizes how the new student feels isolated at his school in Ireland while he felt connected with his classmates at his old school in his home country. There is further contrast between the scenes filmed at the school in Ireland and the school in Africa. While the action of the film is at the school in Ireland, a great amount of natural sound is used and very little background music is featured. There is more background music in the shots displaying the school in Africa. This difference helps further the idea that these two schools present two very different emotions within the young boy. Green also does a very excellent job in creating a powerful moment through the use of sound in film. When the boy's father is seemingly killed in front of him, the sound of the gunshot matches up with the sound of the water balloon popping on the boy. In matching up these sounds, the director shows how the boy can feel his world crashing around him in both situations. Later in the narrative, around the nine minute ten second mark, the film cuts back and forth between shots of the boy smiling with his father and then smiling with his new classmates. These cuts help bridge the two environments depicted in the film. For the first time we see the boy as happy in both environments, building a sense of hope in the viewer that the boy may find the same happiness at his new school that he did when he was back home with his father.
Phillip Spain: "New Boy" by Steph Green is an intriguing narrative short film that follows Joseph as he tries to fit into a radically new, different, and in ways hostile environment. The film does an amazing job of letting the audience truly experience Joseph's seclusion and sense of isolation through a series of carefully planned shots and use of focus that make it feel as if Joseph and the rest of his classmates are separate, just as the character feels. "New Boy" also properly uses flashbacks to show the difference between his old life and gives several implications of how he got to where he is now and what he's been through. The flashbacks combine with the scenes in present time when they throw water balloons at Joseph, giving a sense of worlds colliding with each other. The film ends on a positive note, as Joseph is seen laughing along with the boys who were previously harassing him as they learn that perhaps they aren't as different from each other as they first thought they were. This also parallels with a couple quick flashbacks of him laughing with his father, implying that Joseph is beginning to feel more comfortable and is starting to accept his new life.
A lot of personality explodes out of these 9 minutes. Aside from (thankfully) having some of the best child actors I've seen, New Boy delivers a short, powerful message. Joseph's slow adaptation to his strange new environment is shown clearly and concisely through flashbacks. These flashbacks have a certain filter, a saturation to make the blues and yellows pop more. This combined with the calm, folksy music and Joseph's smile grants the flashbacks a joyful feeling. This lies in contrast to his present scenario, where the colors, though still varied, are duller and washed out with natural lighting. The lack of both music and Joseph's smile make us feel how Joseph does; glum, out of place, fondly revisiting his old home. It is not until Joseph cracks a smile at the very end that the music picks back up, and we get a glimmer of hope that he will adjust to his new home.
Mario Cirinese: New Boy by Steph Green is an exemplary tale using interludes of flashbacks to create a narrative around a new student attending his first day of class. At the beginning of the documentary the lighting sets the tone of the new space for the films protagonist. Starting early in the narrative conflict ensued which was accompanied by high key sharp lighting tones inducing a restless feeling toward the audience. In the film the director utilizes low contrast lighting during flashbacks to show emphasis on the overall mood of Joseph’s old classroom. The first flashback has a grainy undertone to the shot letting the audience know that the events occurred in the past. Extensive lighting use in Joseph’s original classroom changes the audiences tone of how they are supposed to feel with the character shifting the scene from a stable flow to an intense course of action. Overall I felt the film ended in a resolved manner completely freeing any conflict created.
"New Boy" by Steph Green was overall an amazing film. The timing of each flashback was perfect. The flashback was always broken by reality. Those old memories were something that calmed and made Joseph smile in an otherwise sad demeanor that he portrays until the end of the short film. Green did a really great job with those transition.Each flashback's contrast is turned up high so it actually reflects on Joseph's mood of how happy he is thinking about those memories. The shift in the depth of field really added an intriguing element to film. Each change was very fluent, great camera work. The story develops very well towards the end two big things happen which immediately change the tone and mood of the film. 1. the three boys laugh and are realizing that they could get along. 2. Joseph speaks for the first time in the film when he mocks the teacher. I believe this was an amazing way to wrap up the story.
"New Boy" by Steph Green was overall an amazing film. The timing of each flashback was perfect. The flashback was always broken by reality. Those old memories were something that calmed and made Joseph smile in an otherwise sad demeanor that he portrays until the end of the short film. Green did a really great job with those transition.Each flashback's contrast is turned up high so it actually reflects on Joseph's mood of how happy he is thinking about those memories. The shift in the depth of field really added an intriguing element to film. Each change was very fluent, great camera work. The story develops very well towards the end two big things happen which immediately change the tone and mood of the film. 1. the three boys laugh and are realizing that they could get along. 2. Joseph speaks for the first time in the film when he mocks the teacher. I believe this was an amazing way to wrap up the story.
Virginia Nobles: Professor, you have GOT to stop making us watch these videos where people die. I was actually bawling my eyes out by the end of this. I'm glad that the boys became friends though. New Boy is a short film about a little African boy who is put through some trying times and it sent to Ireland for his schooling after is father is shot. Being the new kid he is picked on but eventually becomes friends with the annoying kid named Christian who always claims he "didn't do anything."It was a very well done and I can see why it was nominate for an Oscar. As sad as it was to watch, visually, I thought it was pretty cool how his father being shot lined up with the Milk that was thrown at him. It had nice continuity. Overall I thought this was very well done film
Jesse Tollison: "New Boy" sends a powerful message rooted deeply in often overlooked problems in the world society of the 21st century, but besides its content, the film does a masterful job of visual storytelling. Every shot is well planned, maintains common themes, colors, and compositions, and transitions through the story with grace; however, the most notable aid to the visual storytelling is that of the action and actors. Even with the volume on mute, no point of the piece is left to be guessed at. Through blocking, cutting, and facial nuance, Steph Greene guides the film from the perspective of the new boy back and forth between the girl, the boy, and the teacher, presenting a constant give and take that echoes throughout the auditory storeytelling.
Maddie Kennedy: "New Boy" was a very beautiful, powerful short film that was strong both thematically and technically. I really enjoyed watching it. Right from the beginning, I was pulled into the classroom--filled with believable school children and somewhat relatable occurrences. The classroom dynamics rang true, from the somewhat ineffective teacher to the unruly children. The new boy had a traumatic backstory that added additional depth to the film, tragic though it was. However, despite this sad element, the film was overall slightly uplifting. This was enhanced by the bright colors and lighting that were threaded throughout the short film. In summary, a beautiful film.
Ron Shaver: "New Boy" was a very inspirational, powerful film. I love the way the film started. In particular, the creativity of Steph Green. The first few minutes of the film, Green used a lot of depth of field shots. It was a very good way of indicating who the film was about. I think we can all relate to this story. A kid from a different school, that has to adjust to a new school, and meet new friends. It was a great film
Taylor Hendrix: In Steph Green’s short film named, “New Boy,” two aspects stood out to me, the same things that I notice in every short that I have reviewed; light and audio. First, I noticed that in the new school that Jonathan, the main boy, had moved to, use lights that made it look more washed out and dreary. In his school back at home, there was a lot more contrast and saturation to make it look more fun in comparison to the new school. Now, the audio. At the beginning of the film, in the new school, all you could really hear was the natural sides; the books rustling, the chalk writing on the chalk board, the pencils on the paper, etc. You could hear the characters talking, as well. At the old school in the beginning, there was fun, upbeat music in contrast to just the boring, natural sounds. At the end of the film, the roles were switched. As the boys laugh together, you could tell Jonathan was starting to feel more home versus at his old school, he had to watch his father be berated by the military and held at gun point. The story of the “new boy” was a very interesting one and leaves how he got to that school up to the viewer. Was he adopted? Was he sent to next of kin? Did his father die or was he just taken? That is why I liked “New Boy” overall. It is really up to the discretion of the viewer to use their imagination.
Alex Cherry: Steph Green’s “New Boy” utilized flashbacks to tell a rich, suspenseful, and fulfilling story. The initial contrast between the flashbacks and the present day, and then the later comparison, give insight into the feelings of the character and his perception of the world around him. The scenes in the new school are bleakly colored, usually contain no music, and isolate the boy with close-ups to portray his feelings of discomfort and loneliness. The flashbacks at his old school, however, are brightly colored with large amounts of bright light, and are usually filled with happy, peaceful music. The boy does not feel alone here, and we see this in the focus on his teacher as well as the boy himself. These flashbacks are contrasted with present day throughout the rising action of the film, until they’re not. And when they’re not, we hit the climax, and suddenly it’s the similarities that matter. The boy feels trapped and isolated in one moment from the flashbacks, when the armed men are coming to escort his teacher away. He feels isolated in the same sort of way in present day on the playground. The flashbacks and present day merge when the shooting of the teacher coincides with the milk carton hitting the wall beside the boy’s head. This signifies a sort of necessary coming to terms with the present and the distance of the past. Green artfully crafts the flashbacks and contrasts and compares them with present day to give us insights into the character and to reveal his journey throughout the film.
Zach Andry: New boy is a touching story about a boy who move to a new school. The director does an excellent job with showing how the boy feels through his shots. Often the main character will be in sharp focus while everything else is very soft. Also their is a distinct difference between the lighting in the flashback compared to present time. In terms of the acting its self I was impressed how well a basicly all child film was. The main character is out cast being the new kid and didn't get along with some of the kids in his class. You never saw the boy smile or say very many words. However by the end of the movie you could see the similarities between the flash backs where he was happy and present time. The boy was all smiles and got along with the other child he was fighting with. One thing I will say is I was surprised how much the children cursed. It was sort of off putting at first. I suppose it may just be cultural differences.
Jack Beuckman: 'New Boy" by Steph Green is about an African boy who just moved to a new school. From the film we can see how the culture is different in the new place the boy moved to. We see how the boy is uncomfortable. Towards the end we find out that his father was killed by a militia. Green uses color filters to express the different emotions between the new place the boy is at and the old place. The new place has very dull colors and isn't vibrant at all and gives off depressing emotions. The old place is a lot more colorful and vibrant and gives off happier emotions. Close up shots, medium, and wide shot were used throughout the film. I liked the short film it was well shot and produced and they music went well with the mood of each scene.
Holly Hundsdorfer: "New Boy" by Steph Green was an amazing short about an African boy moving to Ireland after a tragic event that happened back in Africa. The boy stays quiet and keeps to himself and just does what he can not to bother anyone. This film was so amazing at giving his insight into what he was thinking and what he was feeling. The film provides flash backs that take him back to what happened back in Africa. The camera was even under the desk while the boy is under it. It makes you understand more of what he's seeing and frames like this really helped strengthen this film.
Anthony Reed: "New Boy" had a great rhythm about it bouncing back and forth between Josephs experiences in his fathers class and his new one. The film did a great job by controlling the overall emotion dealing with Joeseph. Even though he is going through hardships throughout the film, the happy music that was used was an indicator to the viewers to still remain optimistic that things would get better. Josephs character really didn't have major facial expressions but the way he was filmed was effective by showing his quiet times of reflection. A lot of depth of field was used to really give focal points on what the filmmaker wanted you to see. One element that stood out to me was the creative use of the gun shot mixed with the milk exploding on the wall to bridge the two scenes of conflict. I enjoyed the film especially the resolution at the end.
McKenzie Miller: Steph Green’s “New Boy” is an excellent and emotional short film. The opening shot was of the main character, Joseph, who was starting a new school. The over the shoulder shot with the blurred foreground immediately showed that he was one of the only black students in a sea of white students. This shot told the audience that race was going to be key in the film. Many of the close-ups show that Joseph is not enjoying being in this new school and is uncomfortable with the many comments made towards him, especially from Christian. It is evident through the close-up shots between these two that something will happen between them. Different things he did in his new school triggered flashbacks to when he went to his father’s school in another country—a poor country in Africa we presume. The lighting used in the flashbacks was important to show that it had happened in the past. These shots showed how happy he was and that he really enjoyed school. The viewer learned that the teacher in Africa was Joseph’s father. He had a ring on his hand, so it suggests they had a happy family life. The shot of his father being taken out of the school and shot in the past and the throwing of the milk carton in the present was brilliantly edited, although it was the horrible climactic part of the film. Both shots are close-ups of Joseph’s eyes closing tight and being in shock. As the film progressed towards the end, the audience got a glimmer of hope with the humor from Hazel. This connects the boys in trouble, and the audience sees the boys laugh together. I really enjoyed the film and the suspense really drew me in to keep watching.
Hayley LaGrone: Steph Green's "New Boy" is an interesting short film about a young boy moving to a new place. The storyline is propelled forward by using flashbacks. The flashbacks of the boy's memories create a contrast between his current life and former life as his old life is portrayed as being very warm and uplifting, whereas the classroom scenes are very lonely and uncomfortable. This contrast helps the audience to sympathize with the boy. The use of focus and depth of field also emphasized how lost the main character feels, and how little he knows his new surroundings. Sound plays a key role as well. The sound of all the children speaking suggests that communication is important to them and is their way of belonging. This is opposite of Joseph's silence, so it is suggested that his lack of communication contributes to his outcast status.
Hannah Bynum: "New Boy" by Steph Green is an enlightening short film about a young boy's transition to a new school in a new country after tragedy struck back home in Africa. The acting done in this piece was excellent, the emotions felt throughout the film were conveyed really well. I thought it was interesting how the director chose to tell Joseph's story to only the audience, seeing the kids continue to pick on him was upsetting especially after learning about what happened to him and his father. The ending was neat in the fact that it showed Joseph beginning to fit in and feel comfortable without sharing his story with anyone, almost as if he didn't want anyone to know or take pity on him for it because he wanted to be strong and move on from the past.
Savannah Stanley: Steph Green utilises a really interesting use of color and light balance in the short film "New Boy" in order to better convey the theme and emotions of the story. The contrast in colorisation between the scenes that take place in Ireland and the scenes that take place in Africa serve as an intentionally striking difference to allow not only the difference in location to be expressed but also the difference in tone. The main character, Joseph, obviously remembers his home fondly and warmly. He is able to laugh as well as learn there. Ireland, on the other hand, has a noticeably more muted mood and color, highlighting the somber feeling that Joseph experiences and the isolation he feels in the different environment. Sound also served an interesting role in this piece Green uses children's voices as a constant in both settings to illustrate the similarities between the two locations as well as to simulate the overwhelming feeling that Joseph must have. Music accompanies the African scenes, however, where in the Ireland scenes there is none. This further shows the adoration he feels for his old home and life over the new one. Even in the scene where Joseph's former teacher is shot, music plays a large role by being positive and then slowing down, giving the viewer a sense of what is to come. The parallel between the shots and the milk splattering highlights not only Joseph's emotions and the relation of his bullies to the soldiers he saw, but also hints at the trauma Joseph experiences from that event. The meshing of the two locations at the end of the piece allows the audience to understand Joseph's acclimation and gives hope for his future happiness. These are not the only factors, but coloring and music serve as two very powerful devices in telling the story of Joseph and his journey to become the New Boy.
Christian Lundin: The story in "Newboy" by Steph Green, is simple, but delivers an enormous message. Joseph, a boy from Africa, is new at a school of predominantly white children, and has a tough time fitting in. Though tormented by his classmates, they end up sharing a laugh together over a girl. This moment represents two very different types of people who can manage to find themselves on the same level, and accept one and other over something so little. This tells us that their differences really aren't so great after all. The flashes back to Joseph's previous life in Africa give us an emotional perspective on this quiet character. His lack of lines in the film makes his character all the more impacting, conveying depth to his pain and isolation through his eyes, making the audience connect more with him. The dysfunctional school environment makes the audience wonder if the boy's life in Africa was actually "better" than it is in his new home, by showing pleasant memories with his former teacher. He remembers his teacher's presumed kidnapping, and possibly murder, but finds comfort at his new school at the comedic expense of his new teacher and classmate. Many of the technical elements of the piece were very basic and straightforward, allowing the audience to focus only on the main character's emotion and experience. This is a heartwarming story about equality and hope.
Garrick Griffin: "New Boy" was a short film by Steph Green, about a young boy who it seems has moved to a different country after witnessing the murder of his father. It really taps into the simplicity of kids and how easy it is to become friends. The boy Joseph really didn't feel like he fit in and seems like a very complex character with a lot of depth. The acting i think, was phenomenal the kids really did well and definitely gave and elementary school food
Blake Hudson: Steph Green's "Newboy" was a heart wrenching and heartwarming story. From a technical standpoint, Green's use of a shallow depth of field gave the film a very well-thought-out, artistic feel. Along with the depth of field, the film was perfectly framed in most every shot and the little camera movement that there was only existed to help tell the story and was always very purposeful. These different aspects helped tell the audience what to focus on. Also, the large contrast between the temperature and color editing of the shots at the current school and the shots in Africa showed an attention to storytelling detail. Finally, the two different parts of the story were brought together by smart cross cutting during the teaching moments, his father's shooting, and the laughing moments between the son and the father. These technical elements helped propel the story and served their purpose to help create an emotionally captivating piece.
Katy Hale: "New Boy" was a short film by Steph Green that was based on a young boy who had moved from Africa and was developing to a completely new and different environment. His previous school was much more laid back and comfortable for him. The new school that appears in the film, seems to be a boarding school where he does not fit in. The teacher is very ambitious and in-charge, and the students are mean and cruel. Although, there is one girl the "new Boy" has his eye on, and vice-versa. I notced the close up shots between the young girl and the new boy. The other students begin to tease and make fun of him, while he sits there in anger. They continue to tease him, so the new boy throws one kid to the floor. As the film goes on, the students are punished by raising theirs hands to quiet down, and then slap them back on the desk. The new boy and two other students are escorted outside by the teacher. They are asked to confess what happened in the classroom, but their all silent. All of a sudden, the three boys begin to giggle and the teacher forgives them of their behavior and they are escorted back into the classroom. This short film really portrayed how hard it can be as a young kid to transfer schools. This film has multiple flashbacks, which made it have more conflict. I really enjoyed this film, and I thought the acting was very enjoyable, and the plot was a lot of fun.
Victoria Walker: “New Boy” by Steph Green was a skillfully crafted short film that followed an African boy’s parallel experience at his new school and his old school. Depth of focus and framing were key elements used to create this film and depict a clear narrative. To set the tone of the film Green used depth of focus to create a sense of uneasiness and anxiety. A perfect example of how Green created an uneasy atmosphere is at the 0:30 mark. In the over the shoulder angle the students were out of focus while only the back of the boy’s head was in focus. The out of focus student in the background of the boy was a unique way to signify that he felt out of place. Another element that was used to successful narrate the film was framing. Greene used a lot of close-up shots to reveal not only the emotions of the people but add to the uneasiness tone. A wide array of emotions were captured based on the close-up shots. To show that something bad was about to happen to the boy’s father Green showed a close-up of the boy’s face looking petrified and then a cutaway of his father appearing worried. Overall what I found most interesting about this film is the contrast between his reality and past. In his past, the lightening and people were clearly in focus. Moreover, the flashbacks were accompanied by upbeat melodies. In contrast, in reality the lightening was dull and everyone around his was out of focus. I really enjoyed this film and appreciated how Green used techniques to narrate the film rather than words.
John Oldani: I enjoyed the film "New Boy". I think that the visual clarity makes the story better in that you can see every detail needed. There are a lot of close ups, however they are pretty necessary. In order to show the full range of emotions throughout the whole film, the boys face needs to be clear and front and center. The wide depth of field in many shots is executed very well. It shows the isolation and separation between the newboy and the rest of the class. If there was one thing that I would change is how long the boys are shown laughing for at the end of the video. I get that it needs to be done in order for the audience to fully understand the resolution, I just think a few frames could have been taken off.
"New Boy" by Steph Green was amazing! i loved how through-out the film it showed flash backs and every time a flash back was about to come it played the music. it wasn't like other films where they changed the color or made it look like some sort of dream. i love the close-ups that he did on the childs' face and the story line that went with it. with the new boy being quiet the whole time the director showed how isolated he was. overall it was a great film and i followed it well.
Tess Dillon: "New Boy" Steph Green is a moving, thoughtful, emotional short narrative film comprised of flashbacks and close up shots. I loved how Steph used imagery and technique instead of content to translate emotion and tone. I noted Green's use of overexposure and depth of field to highlight separation throughout the piece. I loved his use of sounds and music to emote the narrative plot to viewers. I don't think I would change anything about Green's short.
I truly enjoyed "New Boy" by Steph Green! The story has emotional impact by including the scenes with his father in Africa, but overall it is satisfying with the ending of him making new friendships. I feel that the camera angles were well thought out, the one that especially stood out to me was the opening shot of the teacher's hand on his back. All in all, I think this piece was well put together.
Meg Magee: "New Boy" by Steph Green was an artfully crafted narrative that offered an abundance of insight into the inner thoughts of the main character. Throughout the film whenever it was the, "New Boy's" point of view everyone else blurred. This created a sense of anxiety, and it was easy to feel how nervous and out of place the boy was. The other element that created this feeling of uneasiness was the amount of close ups. This film featured mostly close ups, and over the shoulder shots, which flowed with the theme of the film perfectly. The flashbacks gave more insight into the character's feelings and past. In contrast to the classroom scenes, the flashbacks were accompanied by happy music, brighter colors, and a glowing light. This showed that the boy was fond of the memories with his father. There were two distinct scenes within this film that showed the psychology of the boy brilliantly. The first was when the Green jumped back in forth between the flashback where the boy was under a table watching his father get taken by gunpoint, and the present day shot where he was lurking around the corner of the school building. There was a buildup that created suspense and anxiety. Then, at the exact moment when the father was shot, the milk carton smashed against the wall next to the boy. After that shot there was silence for a moment, just before the children started screaming. This was extremely impactful because it gave the audience a moment to realize the significance of the flashback in relation to what was currently going on in the boy's life. The boy was having PTSD from the bully who said that he was "dead", because of the traumatic event in which a man killed his father. The second scene that was important was the one at the end where the boy starts laughing, and at the same time the flashback of him laughing with his father was shown. This was the happy ending the audience was looking for, in which the boy finally found joy, and friends as well. It showed the character was relating the happy memories he had with his father to the humor of the situation going on at school. This was also a big scene because it was the first time that the character had smiled, laughed, and even spoken throughout the entire film. Lastly, the ending to the film was charming. The shot was taken from the hallway and you could hear the teacher say "now". This is significant because that hallway and that word brought the boy happiness and new friends. It was a cute way to end the film.
ReplyDeleteSteph Green's New Boy was crafted in a way that made the message of the film more expressive. The main thing in the movie that impressed me was the strategic lighting. All the school scenes had the fluorescent green undertones while the African scenes had a warm orange undertone. This helped make the boy's memories seem happier and extenuated how much he loved his old school. The green undertones were often associated with evil and villains, so it helped the overall film by exhibiting how the boy felt about his new school: obviously in pain from the death of his father and also the lack of understanding by his fellow classmates. The shot of his father with the rainbow/blue framing of his face was very effective because it gave a halo effect and showed the boys's love for his father. The music was also influential because it showed the boy's wonder and joy at his original school.
ReplyDeleteMolly Hochwalt: Steph Green’s documentary, “New Boy”, was an emotionally charged narrative. The documentary achieved this successfully through several methods. The first thing I noticed about the film was the focus changes on the main character. The way that the depth of field was extremely shallow and often only included the main character gave very strong feelings of alienation to the piece. It was easy for the viewer to tell when the situations were tense and when the main character felt in pain or out of place in his new setting. The second thing that I noticed about the piece was the change in lighting between the memories and the current setting. In the memories of the boy’s home, the lighting was very warm and had strong contrast and saturation. This made these scenes feel more positive and happy. In comparison, the lighting of the present time was washed out and had relatively low contrast and shadow. This gave these scenes a sense of emotional ambivalence, detachment, and dullness. The contrast between these two lighting schemes made the boys emotional state throughout the piece very clear. The last thing that I’d like to bring up is the music. I felt like the music was well placed and well used throughout this piece. The music’s mood seemed to always match the mood of the scene playing out and added to the overall togetherness of this narrative. Overall, I thought this was a well thought out and well executed film.
ReplyDeleteSteph Green’s short film, “New Boy,” is a great example of storytelling via flashbacks. The film tells the story of a kid from Africa, Joseph, who has moved to Ireland, and details his first day of school. The victim of teasing from a kid named Christian, Joseph remains stoic despite the threats from Christian. The scenes from the first couple of minutes inside the classroom make great use of focus, with only certain kids, such as Joseph, Christian, and Hazel, being the focus of attention. This points out these characters as the characters to watch, effectively giving us our main characters before dialogue is introduced. As Joseph’s rivalry with Christian reaches its crescendo, Joseph’s backstory becomes all the more haunting when Joseph’s father and teacher is abducted by African soldiers. This is the best example of the film’s flashback storytelling, and the order of which the scenes occur, from Joseph standing alone at his new school, to the image of the soldiers entering Joseph’s old classroom the water balloon hitting Joseph, to the rifle being pointed into Joseph’s father’s back while Joseph is hiding under the desk, to the voice clip of Christian saying “You’re dead” as the water balloon hits him, is a perfect example of effective storytelling. The final shot of the three kids bonding over making fun of the teacher is heartwarming, and really well shot. Overall, the film is well-written and well shot, and the use of focus and flashbacks as story-telling tools elevates the movie from good to great.
ReplyDeleteDustin Bennett- Steph Green's "New Boy" is an excellent and touching short film about a young boy who's just transferred to a new school outside of his native Africa. While the protagonist's story of outcast to friend was probably my favorite part, there's a lot with the cinematography to love too.
ReplyDeleteThe two biggest things I noticed were the use of focus and overexposure. The former was especially apparent in the scene where Joseph, our main character, was watching all of the other children play. He and the brick wall he was standing against appeared completely sharp but everything else was blurry and unintelligible. The overexposure during the flashback scenes, giving everything a dreamy and surreal feel, was also excellent at letting the viewer know that things had changed and were taking place at a different time.
Overall, "New Boy" was a great short with a truly professional feel.
Alex Smith: Steph Green's "New Boy" centers around the new child, an African transfer student named Joseph. We are shown multiple establishing shots, slowly revealing who this boy is by giving us close ups over his shoulder and then a long distance medium shot that revealed this boy to the audience. We are given a look at his first day in a British private school with his classmates either picking on him or standing up for him against the former. The audience does not have much to go on in terms of a backstory until we actually cut to Joseph's school back in Africa. The question posed is now: "How did our protagonist get here?" We are shown more and more through flashbacks and the progression throughout his day. One shot that stood out to me was the long shot of Joseph standing alone in the hallway. It showed how big and scary this world seemed to this child, moved far away from his home. The scene that revealed the answer to the mystery behind his relocation in England was transitioned very well with the water balloons filled with milk being thrown at Joseph.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, I believe that this short film is beautifully shot and written to show what's going on with our hero in his heart.
Louis Lartigue: New Boy is a short film by Steph Green that follows a young African boy on his first day of school in Ireland. The film shows his struggles both in the present and the past as he deals with being new in school and his difficult past from a conflicted area in Africa. The use of flash backs compliment what is currently happening in the film and help the viewer understand how the boy is feeling. Flashbacks and the editing used in the film are very important, as the boy is silent for the majority of the film. The positioning of characters is also a way the viewer can see the relationships of the characters. For example, throughout the film the new boy is taunted by a bully who at first sits behind him, they later have a face-to-face confrontation and finally they end up standing next to each other while they are being disciplined. When the bully is sitting behind the boy in the beginning, he like the viewer knows nothing about the boy, when they are face-to-face during the confrontation the bully and viewer are discovering things about the boy more head on and in the end the two stand next to each other where they are able to get along and stand as equals.
ReplyDeleteIn "New Boy" director Steph Green uses film technique to bring an emotional element alive in the story. In the beginning, the focus is used to highlight different characters and their personalities. Joseph is the shy new kid, Christian is the bully, etc. The framing is also centered around Joseph on opposite sides of him to showcase his relationship with these characters. The coloring in the flashback scenes is enhanced to show the happiness of the memory in contrast to the much more dull present. Towards the end of the short film, the focus and framing for the kids changes to be more inclusive of them all as they become friends. Overall the film style of New Boy helped to convey the story more clearly for the audience.
ReplyDeleteCameron Panhans: "New Boy" is an incredibly moving and powerful short narrative directed by Steph Green. Green uses various film techniques to help portray his story of a young African boy with a troubling past beginning anew at a school in Ireland. From around the 30 second mark in the film to about one minute and 25 seconds in, the director establishes a pattern of using a narrow depth of field to help create a feeling of isolation between the young boy and his new classmates. This narrow depth of field contrasts with the wider depth of field that are used in the shots filmed in the African school house. The contrasts between these two styles emphasizes how the new student feels isolated at his school in Ireland while he felt connected with his classmates at his old school in his home country. There is further contrast between the scenes filmed at the school in Ireland and the school in Africa. While the action of the film is at the school in Ireland, a great amount of natural sound is used and very little background music is featured. There is more background music in the shots displaying the school in Africa. This difference helps further the idea that these two schools present two very different emotions within the young boy. Green also does a very excellent job in creating a powerful moment through the use of sound in film. When the boy's father is seemingly killed in front of him, the sound of the gunshot matches up with the sound of the water balloon popping on the boy. In matching up these sounds, the director shows how the boy can feel his world crashing around him in both situations. Later in the narrative, around the nine minute ten second mark, the film cuts back and forth between shots of the boy smiling with his father and then smiling with his new classmates. These cuts help bridge the two environments depicted in the film. For the first time we see the boy as happy in both environments, building a sense of hope in the viewer that the boy may find the same happiness at his new school that he did when he was back home with his father.
ReplyDeletePhillip Spain: "New Boy" by Steph Green is an intriguing narrative short film that follows Joseph as he tries to fit into a radically new, different, and in ways hostile environment. The film does an amazing job of letting the audience truly experience Joseph's seclusion and sense of isolation through a series of carefully planned shots and use of focus that make it feel as if Joseph and the rest of his classmates are separate, just as the character feels. "New Boy" also properly uses flashbacks to show the difference between his old life and gives several implications of how he got to where he is now and what he's been through. The flashbacks combine with the scenes in present time when they throw water balloons at Joseph, giving a sense of worlds colliding with each other. The film ends on a positive note, as Joseph is seen laughing along with the boys who were previously harassing him as they learn that perhaps they aren't as different from each other as they first thought they were. This also parallels with a couple quick flashbacks of him laughing with his father, implying that Joseph is beginning to feel more comfortable and is starting to accept his new life.
ReplyDeleteA lot of personality explodes out of these 9 minutes. Aside from (thankfully) having some of the best child actors I've seen, New Boy delivers a short, powerful message. Joseph's slow adaptation to his strange new environment is shown clearly and concisely through flashbacks. These flashbacks have a certain filter, a saturation to make the blues and yellows pop more. This combined with the calm, folksy music and Joseph's smile grants the flashbacks a joyful feeling. This lies in contrast to his present scenario, where the colors, though still varied, are duller and washed out with natural lighting. The lack of both music and Joseph's smile make us feel how Joseph does; glum, out of place, fondly revisiting his old home. It is not until Joseph cracks a smile at the very end that the music picks back up, and we get a glimmer of hope that he will adjust to his new home.
ReplyDeleteMario Cirinese: New Boy by Steph Green is an exemplary tale using interludes of flashbacks to create a narrative around a new student attending his first day of class. At the beginning of the documentary the lighting sets the tone of the new space for the films protagonist. Starting early in the narrative conflict ensued which was accompanied by high key sharp lighting tones inducing a restless feeling toward the audience. In the film the director utilizes low contrast lighting during flashbacks to show emphasis on the overall mood of Joseph’s old classroom. The first flashback has a grainy undertone to the shot letting the audience know that the events occurred in the past. Extensive lighting use in Joseph’s original classroom changes the audiences tone of how they are supposed to feel with the character shifting the scene from a stable flow to an intense course of action. Overall I felt the film ended in a resolved manner completely freeing any conflict created.
ReplyDelete"New Boy" by Steph Green was overall an amazing film. The timing of each flashback was perfect. The flashback was always broken by reality. Those old memories were something that calmed and made Joseph smile in an otherwise sad demeanor that he portrays until the end of the short film. Green did a really great job with those transition.Each flashback's contrast is turned up high so it actually reflects on Joseph's mood of how happy he is thinking about those memories. The shift in the depth of field really added an intriguing element to film. Each change was very fluent, great camera work. The story develops very well towards the end two big things happen which immediately change the tone and mood of the film. 1. the three boys laugh and are realizing that they could get along. 2. Joseph speaks for the first time in the film when he mocks the teacher. I believe this was an amazing way to wrap up the story.
ReplyDelete"New Boy" by Steph Green was overall an amazing film. The timing of each flashback was perfect. The flashback was always broken by reality. Those old memories were something that calmed and made Joseph smile in an otherwise sad demeanor that he portrays until the end of the short film. Green did a really great job with those transition.Each flashback's contrast is turned up high so it actually reflects on Joseph's mood of how happy he is thinking about those memories. The shift in the depth of field really added an intriguing element to film. Each change was very fluent, great camera work. The story develops very well towards the end two big things happen which immediately change the tone and mood of the film. 1. the three boys laugh and are realizing that they could get along. 2. Joseph speaks for the first time in the film when he mocks the teacher. I believe this was an amazing way to wrap up the story.
DeleteVirginia Nobles: Professor, you have GOT to stop making us watch these videos where people die. I was actually bawling my eyes out by the end of this. I'm glad that the boys became friends though. New Boy is a short film about a little African boy who is put through some trying times and it sent to Ireland for his schooling after is father is shot. Being the new kid he is picked on but eventually becomes friends with the annoying kid named Christian who always claims he "didn't do anything."It was a very well done and I can see why it was nominate for an Oscar. As sad as it was to watch, visually, I thought it was pretty cool how his father being shot lined up with the Milk that was thrown at him. It had nice continuity. Overall I thought this was very well done film
ReplyDeleteJesse Tollison: "New Boy" sends a powerful message rooted deeply in often overlooked problems in the world society of the 21st century, but besides its content, the film does a masterful job of visual storytelling. Every shot is well planned, maintains common themes, colors, and compositions, and transitions through the story with grace; however, the most notable aid to the visual storytelling is that of the action and actors. Even with the volume on mute, no point of the piece is left to be guessed at. Through blocking, cutting, and facial nuance, Steph Greene guides the film from the perspective of the new boy back and forth between the girl, the boy, and the teacher, presenting a constant give and take that echoes throughout the auditory storeytelling.
ReplyDeleteMaddie Kennedy: "New Boy" was a very beautiful, powerful short film that was strong both thematically and technically. I really enjoyed watching it. Right from the beginning, I was pulled into the classroom--filled with believable school children and somewhat relatable occurrences. The classroom dynamics rang true, from the somewhat ineffective teacher to the unruly children. The new boy had a traumatic backstory that added additional depth to the film, tragic though it was. However, despite this sad element, the film was overall slightly uplifting. This was enhanced by the bright colors and lighting that were threaded throughout the short film. In summary, a beautiful film.
ReplyDeleteRon Shaver: "New Boy" was a very inspirational, powerful film. I love the way the film started. In particular, the creativity of Steph Green. The first few minutes of the film, Green used a lot of depth of field shots. It was a very good way of indicating who the film was about. I think we can all relate to this story. A kid from a different school, that has to adjust to a new school, and meet new friends. It was a great film
ReplyDeleteTaylor Hendrix: In Steph Green’s short film named, “New Boy,” two aspects stood out to me, the same things that I notice in every short that I have reviewed; light and audio. First, I noticed that in the new school that Jonathan, the main boy, had moved to, use lights that made it look more washed out and dreary. In his school back at home, there was a lot more contrast and saturation to make it look more fun in comparison to the new school. Now, the audio. At the beginning of the film, in the new school, all you could really hear was the natural sides; the books rustling, the chalk writing on the chalk board, the pencils on the paper, etc. You could hear the characters talking, as well. At the old school in the beginning, there was fun, upbeat music in contrast to just the boring, natural sounds. At the end of the film, the roles were switched. As the boys laugh together, you could tell Jonathan was starting to feel more home versus at his old school, he had to watch his father be berated by the military and held at gun point. The story of the “new boy” was a very interesting one and leaves how he got to that school up to the viewer. Was he adopted? Was he sent to next of kin? Did his father die or was he just taken? That is why I liked “New Boy” overall. It is really up to the discretion of the viewer to use their imagination.
ReplyDeleteAlex Cherry: Steph Green’s “New Boy” utilized flashbacks to tell a rich, suspenseful, and fulfilling story. The initial contrast between the flashbacks and the present day, and then the later comparison, give insight into the feelings of the character and his perception of the world around him. The scenes in the new school are bleakly colored, usually contain no music, and isolate the boy with close-ups to portray his feelings of discomfort and loneliness. The flashbacks at his old school, however, are brightly colored with large amounts of bright light, and are usually filled with happy, peaceful music. The boy does not feel alone here, and we see this in the focus on his teacher as well as the boy himself. These flashbacks are contrasted with present day throughout the rising action of the film, until they’re not. And when they’re not, we hit the climax, and suddenly it’s the similarities that matter. The boy feels trapped and isolated in one moment from the flashbacks, when the armed men are coming to escort his teacher away. He feels isolated in the same sort of way in present day on the playground. The flashbacks and present day merge when the shooting of the teacher coincides with the milk carton hitting the wall beside the boy’s head. This signifies a sort of necessary coming to terms with the present and the distance of the past. Green artfully crafts the flashbacks and contrasts and compares them with present day to give us insights into the character and to reveal his journey throughout the film.
ReplyDeleteZach Andry: New boy is a touching story about a boy who move to a new school. The director does an excellent job with showing how the boy feels through his shots. Often the main character will be in sharp focus while everything else is very soft. Also their is a distinct difference between the lighting in the flashback compared to present time. In terms of the acting its self I was impressed how well a basicly all child film was. The main character is out cast being the new kid and didn't get along with some of the kids in his class. You never saw the boy smile or say very many words. However by the end of the movie you could see the similarities between the flash backs where he was happy and present time. The boy was all smiles and got along with the other child he was fighting with. One thing I will say is I was surprised how much the children cursed. It was sort of off putting at first. I suppose it may just be cultural differences.
ReplyDeleteJack Beuckman: 'New Boy" by Steph Green is about an African boy who just moved to a new school. From the film we can see how the culture is different in the new place the boy moved to. We see how the boy is uncomfortable. Towards the end we find out that his father was killed by a militia. Green uses color filters to express the different emotions between the new place the boy is at and the old place. The new place has very dull colors and isn't vibrant at all and gives off depressing emotions. The old place is a lot more colorful and vibrant and gives off happier emotions. Close up shots, medium, and wide shot were used throughout the film. I liked the short film it was well shot and produced and they music went well with the mood of each scene.
ReplyDeleteHolly Hundsdorfer: "New Boy" by Steph Green was an amazing short about an African boy moving to Ireland after a tragic event that happened back in Africa. The boy stays quiet and keeps to himself and just does what he can not to bother anyone. This film was so amazing at giving his insight into what he was thinking and what he was feeling. The film provides flash backs that take him back to what happened back in Africa. The camera was even under the desk while the boy is under it. It makes you understand more of what he's seeing and frames like this really helped strengthen this film.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Reed: "New Boy" had a great rhythm about it bouncing back and forth between Josephs experiences in his fathers class and his new one. The film did a great job by controlling the overall emotion dealing with Joeseph. Even though he is going through hardships throughout the film, the happy music that was used was an indicator to the viewers to still remain optimistic that things would get better. Josephs character really didn't have major facial expressions but the way he was filmed was effective by showing his quiet times of reflection. A lot of depth of field was used to really give focal points on what the filmmaker wanted you to see. One element that stood out to me was the creative use of the gun shot mixed with the milk exploding on the wall to bridge the two scenes of conflict. I enjoyed the film especially the resolution at the end.
ReplyDeleteMcKenzie Miller: Steph Green’s “New Boy” is an excellent and emotional short film. The opening shot was of the main character, Joseph, who was starting a new school. The over the shoulder shot with the blurred foreground immediately showed that he was one of the only black students in a sea of white students. This shot told the audience that race was going to be key in the film. Many of the close-ups show that Joseph is not enjoying being in this new school and is uncomfortable with the many comments made towards him, especially from Christian. It is evident through the close-up shots between these two that something will happen between them. Different things he did in his new school triggered flashbacks to when he went to his father’s school in another country—a poor country in Africa we presume. The lighting used in the flashbacks was important to show that it had happened in the past. These shots showed how happy he was and that he really enjoyed school. The viewer learned that the teacher in Africa was Joseph’s father. He had a ring on his hand, so it suggests they had a happy family life. The shot of his father being taken out of the school and shot in the past and the throwing of the milk carton in the present was brilliantly edited, although it was the horrible climactic part of the film. Both shots are close-ups of Joseph’s eyes closing tight and being in shock. As the film progressed towards the end, the audience got a glimmer of hope with the humor from Hazel. This connects the boys in trouble, and the audience sees the boys laugh together. I really enjoyed the film and the suspense really drew me in to keep watching.
ReplyDeleteHayley LaGrone: Steph Green's "New Boy" is an interesting short film about a young boy moving to a new place. The storyline is propelled forward by using flashbacks. The flashbacks of the boy's memories create a contrast between his current life and former life as his old life is portrayed as being very warm and uplifting, whereas the classroom scenes are very lonely and uncomfortable. This contrast helps the audience to sympathize with the boy. The use of focus and depth of field also emphasized how lost the main character feels, and how little he knows his new surroundings. Sound plays a key role as well. The sound of all the children speaking suggests that communication is important to them and is their way of belonging. This is opposite of Joseph's silence, so it is suggested that his lack of communication contributes to his outcast status.
ReplyDeleteHannah Bynum: "New Boy" by Steph Green is an enlightening short film about a young boy's transition to a new school in a new country after tragedy struck back home in Africa. The acting done in this piece was excellent, the emotions felt throughout the film were conveyed really well. I thought it was interesting how the director chose to tell Joseph's story to only the audience, seeing the kids continue to pick on him was upsetting especially after learning about what happened to him and his father. The ending was neat in the fact that it showed Joseph beginning to fit in and feel comfortable without sharing his story with anyone, almost as if he didn't want anyone to know or take pity on him for it because he wanted to be strong and move on from the past.
ReplyDeleteSavannah Stanley: Steph Green utilises a really interesting use of color and light balance in the short film "New Boy" in order to better convey the theme and emotions of the story. The contrast in colorisation between the scenes that take place in Ireland and the scenes that take place in Africa serve as an intentionally striking difference to allow not only the difference in location to be expressed but also the difference in tone. The main character, Joseph, obviously remembers his home fondly and warmly. He is able to laugh as well as learn there. Ireland, on the other hand, has a noticeably more muted mood and color, highlighting the somber feeling that Joseph experiences and the isolation he feels in the different environment.
ReplyDeleteSound also served an interesting role in this piece Green uses children's voices as a constant in both settings to illustrate the similarities between the two locations as well as to simulate the overwhelming feeling that Joseph must have. Music accompanies the African scenes, however, where in the Ireland scenes there is none. This further shows the adoration he feels for his old home and life over the new one. Even in the scene where Joseph's former teacher is shot, music plays a large role by being positive and then slowing down, giving the viewer a sense of what is to come. The parallel between the shots and the milk splattering highlights not only Joseph's emotions and the relation of his bullies to the soldiers he saw, but also hints at the trauma Joseph experiences from that event. The meshing of the two locations at the end of the piece allows the audience to understand Joseph's acclimation and gives hope for his future happiness.
These are not the only factors, but coloring and music serve as two very powerful devices in telling the story of Joseph and his journey to become the New Boy.
Christian Lundin: The story in "Newboy" by Steph Green, is simple, but delivers an enormous message. Joseph, a boy from Africa, is new at a school of predominantly white children, and has a tough time fitting in. Though tormented by his classmates, they end up sharing a laugh together over a girl. This moment represents two very different types of people who can manage to find themselves on the same level, and accept one and other over something so little. This tells us that their differences really aren't so great after all. The flashes back to Joseph's previous life in Africa give us an emotional perspective on this quiet character. His lack of lines in the film makes his character all the more impacting, conveying depth to his pain and isolation through his eyes, making the audience connect more with him. The dysfunctional school environment makes the audience wonder if the boy's life in Africa was actually "better" than it is in his new home, by showing pleasant memories with his former teacher. He remembers his teacher's presumed kidnapping, and possibly murder, but finds comfort at his new school at the comedic expense of his new teacher and classmate. Many of the technical elements of the piece were very basic and straightforward, allowing the audience to focus only on the main character's emotion and experience. This is a heartwarming story about equality and hope.
ReplyDeleteGarrick Griffin: "New Boy" was a short film by Steph Green, about a young boy who it seems has moved to a different country after witnessing the murder of his father. It really taps into the simplicity of kids and how easy it is to become friends. The boy Joseph really didn't feel like he fit in and seems like a very complex character with a lot of depth. The acting i think, was phenomenal the kids really did well and definitely gave and elementary school food
ReplyDeleteBlake Hudson: Steph Green's "Newboy" was a heart wrenching and heartwarming story. From a technical standpoint, Green's use of a shallow depth of field gave the film a very well-thought-out, artistic feel. Along with the depth of field, the film was perfectly framed in most every shot and the little camera movement that there was only existed to help tell the story and was always very purposeful. These different aspects helped tell the audience what to focus on. Also, the large contrast between the temperature and color editing of the shots at the current school and the shots in Africa showed an attention to storytelling detail. Finally, the two different parts of the story were brought together by smart cross cutting during the teaching moments, his father's shooting, and the laughing moments between the son and the father. These technical elements helped propel the story and served their purpose to help create an emotionally captivating piece.
ReplyDeleteKaty Hale: "New Boy" was a short film by Steph Green that was based on a young boy who had moved from Africa and was developing to a completely new and different environment. His previous school was much more laid back and comfortable for him. The new school that appears in the film, seems to be a boarding school where he does not fit in. The teacher is very ambitious and in-charge, and the students are mean and cruel. Although, there is one girl the "new Boy" has his eye on, and vice-versa. I notced the close up shots between the young girl and the new boy. The other students begin to tease and make fun of him, while he sits there in anger. They continue to tease him, so the new boy throws one kid to the floor. As the film goes on, the students are punished by raising theirs hands to quiet down, and then slap them back on the desk. The new boy and two other students are escorted outside by the teacher. They are asked to confess what happened in the classroom, but their all silent. All of a sudden, the three boys begin to giggle and the teacher forgives them of their behavior and they are escorted back into the classroom. This short film really portrayed how hard it can be as a young kid to transfer schools. This film has multiple flashbacks, which made it have more conflict. I really enjoyed this film, and I thought the acting was very enjoyable, and the plot was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteVictoria Walker: “New Boy” by Steph Green was a skillfully crafted short film that followed an African boy’s parallel experience at his new school and his old school. Depth of focus and framing were key elements used to create this film and depict a clear narrative. To set the tone of the film Green used depth of focus to create a sense of uneasiness and anxiety. A perfect example of how Green created an uneasy atmosphere is at the 0:30 mark. In the over the shoulder angle the students were out of focus while only the back of the boy’s head was in focus. The out of focus student in the background of the boy was a unique way to signify that he felt out of place. Another element that was used to successful narrate the film was framing. Greene used a lot of close-up shots to reveal not only the emotions of the people but add to the uneasiness tone. A wide array of emotions were captured based on the close-up shots. To show that something bad was about to happen to the boy’s father Green showed a close-up of the boy’s face looking petrified and then a cutaway of his father appearing worried. Overall what I found most interesting about this film is the contrast between his reality and past. In his past, the lightening and people were clearly in focus. Moreover, the flashbacks were accompanied by upbeat melodies. In contrast, in reality the lightening was dull and everyone around his was out of focus. I really enjoyed this film and appreciated how Green used techniques to narrate the film rather than words.
ReplyDeleteJohn Oldani: I enjoyed the film "New Boy". I think that the visual clarity makes the story better in that you can see every detail needed. There are a lot of close ups, however they are pretty necessary. In order to show the full range of emotions throughout the whole film, the boys face needs to be clear and front and center. The wide depth of field in many shots is executed very well. It shows the isolation and separation between the newboy and the rest of the class. If there was one thing that I would change is how long the boys are shown laughing for at the end of the video. I get that it needs to be done in order for the audience to fully understand the resolution, I just think a few frames could have been taken off.
ReplyDelete"New Boy" by Steph Green was amazing! i loved how through-out the film it showed flash backs and every time a flash back was about to come it played the music. it wasn't like other films where they changed the color or made it look like some sort of dream. i love the close-ups that he did on the childs' face and the story line that went with it. with the new boy being quiet the whole time the director showed how isolated he was. overall it was a great film and i followed it well.
ReplyDeleteTess Dillon: "New Boy" Steph Green is a moving, thoughtful, emotional short narrative film comprised of flashbacks and close up shots. I loved how Steph used imagery and technique instead of content to translate emotion and tone. I noted Green's use of overexposure and depth of field to highlight separation throughout the piece. I loved his use of sounds and music to emote the narrative plot to viewers. I don't think I would change anything about Green's short.
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed "New Boy" by Steph Green! The story has emotional impact by including the scenes with his father in Africa, but overall it is satisfying with the ending of him making new friendships. I feel that the camera angles were well thought out, the one that especially stood out to me was the opening shot of the teacher's hand on his back. All in all, I think this piece was well put together.
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