Slap - Analysis

Slap is a 2014 short film directed by Nick Rowland and starring Joe Cole. It is about a teenage boxer, Connor, who is struggling with gender conventions and restrictions.

Cinematography

The camera switches between being smooth and steady, to being hectic and shaky. During Connor's boxing matches, and his fight with the thugs, the camera is hectic, while when Connor is more comfortable, such when dressing up or confessing Archie, the camera is smooth. This is adds to the divide between the two sides of Connor, his hyper-masculine side and his less masculine, expressive side. Another key piece of cinematography is the matching shots at the start and end of the film. Towards the beginning of the film we see a shot where Connor's girlfriend, Lola, waits in the doorway for Connor to finish his fight. At the end of the film, after their fight, a simple shot showing the doorway space in which Lola once would normally inhabit creates a strong sense of loss and loneliness, allowing us to empathise with Connor.

Mise-En-Scene

Use of mirrors in the mise-en-scene of this film is used to show the different sides to Connor. At one point, Connor looks into a fractured mirror, showing he sees himself as broken, and unhappy with his perception. This sense of two sides of Connor is also created with the MES of his room. His room is plastered with objectifying posters of scantily clad women, and he hides his contraband underneath a porn magazine. This creates even more contrast between the two sides of Connor; the hyper-masculine side that keeps lewd posters and porn, and the more self-expressive and feminine side that appreciates feminine fashion and makeup.

Sound

In Connor's boxing matches, loud foley sound effects is used to create atmosphere. We loudly hear the breathing and scuffling without any talking, making the fights seem animalistic and intense. Another moment where sound is key is where Connor is in his room and we gradually hear the sound