In order for an individual to move along a new path in life, the support of other people, preferably loved ones, is highly necessary to help him overcome the obstacles he encounters. This change through new experiences impacts their understanding of “self” as they grow with new perspectives of a larger world. This transition/change can be seen in the film Billy Elliot (2000) by Stephen Daldry and the short film Marry Me directed by Michelle Lehman, as both texts show the similarity in the experiences of the main characters moving to a new world and how they do so through their determination and hard work. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Billy Elliot is a touching, bittersweet film with interesting characters and great scenes and moments. This film shows the difficulties and struggles that individuals face when they enter a new world of unexpected and different experiences. Daldry portrayed how the film's protagonist dances to save himself and his family from a difficult life. Billy challenges society's gender-based expectations in this era by rebelling and disobeying male stereotypes and following his passion for dance. Billy's transition is depicted through a series of visual and dialogue scenes. The family is against the idea of Billy moving into the world of dance, as they are bound by the traditional belief that "boys are for boxing, ballet is for girls". Daldry's combination of form, structure and ideas describes the changes that occur in Billy. and close characters in the film. The main ideas of the film are shown during the transition of a boy with ambitious dreams, highlighting the theme of passion and understanding. This strong connection between a boy and dance becomes the catalyst behind his growth and adventure in a new world. Determination is the key ingredient to Billy's success in the world of dance. The opening sequence of the film shows Billy in his room continually jumping on his bed in absolute happiness. However it is only when he ventures out of his room and is caught running and dancing up the steep hill on his street that we realize he is seeking a new world, full of dance and happiness (something he has never experienced before) . ) This hill is used as a motif throughout the film and is symbolic of how steep the struggle is to move on to dance and happiness. Throughout the film, his determination is what helps him reach the top of the hill and metaphorically step into a new life, as if he has finally succeeded. Billy defeats the odds by progressively entering a world that is socially unacceptable for males. As Billy dances in his room, the non-diegetic sounds of T.Rex's Cosmic Dancer sing "I danced myself right out of this room." These lyrics foreshadow Billy's aspirations, however it is his family that is stopping him from achieving his dream of becoming a dancer. Marry Me is based on the two worlds of Chloe and Jason. Chloe wishes to enter Jason's world by marrying him; however he is uninterested in her and focuses on his bicycle. Jason prefers to socialize with his older brother who is an experienced cyclist. His age becomes a clear divide for Jason as he enters this new world of driving due to a different level of experience. This transition becomes a struggle for Jason; however his determination helps him enter this new world. The opening scene of Billy Elliot is similar to what is shown in the first frames of the short film. Jason is seen jumping onto a castlesand and ruin him with every jump he makes. This action is similar to Billy jumping on the mattress to the beat of non-diegetic sounds in the background; it is the symbol of entering a new path. As the short film progresses, Jason is seen building a bicycle ramp. This bike ramp is a symbol throughout the short film and represents the tough struggle that lies ahead. There is a clear parallel between the cycle ramp and the steep hill in Billy's street. Although he doesn't express it, Billy, after major setbacks, has an epiphany and shows through his dancing how determined he is to enter the world of dance. Both characters must continue dancing and cycling to overcome barriers and succeed. Billy's ballet class shows his first encounter with the real world of ballet and the beginning of his transition to individualism. The technique of juxtaposition is used to show Billy's world of boxing and the world of ballet he moves through, best illustrated in a scene featuring a ballet lesson. The medium shot shows his lack of interest in boxing, although when the calm diegetic ballet music begins to play, he sways to the beat in the ring. Billy enters the ballet class and positions himself behind the row of dancers. This diminishes his stature and shows his insecurities, accentuating the fact that he does not initially belong in the world of dance. Billy's dominance in the ballet speaks as the use of a low angle shot is shown in one frame. This blow establishes his new power. Billy continues to overcome obstacles with his dance teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson, by his side. She knows he has the strength to overcome obstacles and continues to encourage him in times of doubt. Marry Me begins to show the contrast between the two worlds of Chloe and Jason through the costume used. The costume is a great technique integrated into the short film as the colors worn are based on gender stereotypes. Jason is seen wearing blue clothing including a t-shirt displaying the text BMX combined with his blue bike. This creates the idea that Jason is only focused on riding bikes and is oblivious to Chloe's ambitions. The clothing divide comes to the fore in this same scene where Chloe is seen across the street in a matching pink dress sitting on her pink girl's bike. Chloe becomes interested in all the things Jason likes as she begins to learn to ride a bike, integrating cycling into her world in the hopes that Jason will enter her world too. There is a correlation between the two worlds of Billy Elliot and the two worlds of Marry Me. In this case Billy and Chloe's desires are similar as Billy is shown leaving boxing and entering ballet and Chloe begins to integrate cycling into her her life to move to a new world with Jason. Getting out of both characters' security blanket becomes an obstacle they are willing to overcome, knowing there is a reward waiting for them; for Billy Dance and for Chloe it's a relationship with Jason. The most significant aspect of the film is the final scene. It's important because Billy's journey comes to an end. Previously, in other frames of the film, Billy was in line with the camera, however, as Billy prepares to enter the stage, a low angle shot is used. The effect of using this shot is to show that Billy now has dominance and power in his dance world; he did it. When Billy enters the stage, the lighting becomes brighter as he is under more spotlights. The lighting symbolizes the fact that he has successfully entered the world of ballet and is seen as a star. Billy is asked why he likes to dance and he replies, “I forget everything… like I feel a change.
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