AS MEDIA STUDIES: HEAD ONBy Jatin Dhillon

Themes in my Social Realism Opening.

• Financial problems • Family problems• Negative influences• Criminal Activity

Protagonist - RyanName: RyanAge: 17 Location: North, West London

ProfileRyan has recently received his GCSE results and has decided to make a move to a College in West London. As he has a strong passion for Fine Art, he chooses to study a 2 year Fine Art course at his new college. He feels very strongly about Art, and believes that a new start is the best option for him to leave his past behind him.

HobbiesRyan likes going out with his friends and loves socialising with new people.

ChildhoodRyan had a complicated childhood. This involves being brought up mainly by his grandparents as his parents were experiencing financial problems. This meant that his parents had to work most of the time.

FamilyRyan lives with his mother, father and his pet dog.

Close relationshipsRyan is extremely close to two of his friends from his previous school and still communicates with them. However, Ryan did have a close relationship with his grandfather who tragically died last year after being diagnosed with cancer. After the death of his grandfather, he changed drastically and began doing the wrong to numb the pain.

Plot• A 17 year old teenager originating from a financially unstable

household, gets drawn into negative influences during his time at his new college. He gets himself involved with the wrong crowd at college and witnesses them steal from other people just to make quick and easy cash. The teenager becomes a part of these criminal activities as he finds it hard to ask his parents for money due to their circumstances of insufficient funds. He begins to change as a person and becomes more money minded. He fools his parents by acting as an angel at home but lives a thug life outside. He starts to arrive home late from college just to sell the stolen goods but uses the excuse of attending clubs to his parents. His parents are convinced that he’s settling down at his new college however this all changes.

Pivotal Moment • Ryan gets caught by his father stealing from a person

down the alley near to where they live. His father rushes to the scene and grabs Ryan from his bag and pulls him away from the victim. His dad couldn’t believe what he had witnessed and felt emotionless. He took Ryan home and began to raid his room to find more stolen goods. His dad finds an extensive amount of stolen goods under his bed and began to question Ryan.

• Ryan told his father that he got himself involved in crime to help raise money for his parents.

In-Depth Analysis of the Opening• Financial difficulties• He is involved in criminal activity to raise money as parents cannot

provide for him.• Ryan voiceover – what have I become? regretful

- I’m doing what needs to be done to protect my family - Don’t need anyone – I’m fine all on my own…survival of the fittest

His father spots Ryan stealing from a person on the way home.

He takes Ryan home.

His father raids his bedroom and discovers a stack of stolen goods hidden in his bedroom.