The Ellington Kid

The Ellington Kid is a short film by Vice Productions directed by Dan Sully which explores the story of the Ellington Kid through the stories of Nathan and Beefy who are in a kebab shop in South London. It successfully follows a 3 act structure where Nathan recollects the stabbing that occurred a month before, supposedly continuing into the kebab shop, a confrontation unfolding between the workers and stabbers.  

 

The film begins with a mid shot of the two characters, their proximity combined with the use of oppositional framing creating a sense of engagement and establishing the close relationship between the characters. The flat angle of the camera acts as a medium through which the spectator feels like an observer to their conversation, a dynamic which shifts at moments further in the film. The familiar setting of a kebab shop provides a layer of familiarity to the spectator, engaging them in the story the characters tell even more. The underlying concentration of the tones of red/burgundy within the scene also contain value, as when considered with the initial sharpening of knives by the shop worker character suggest significance. 

The use of artificial white lighting and the washed walls of the tunnel emphasise the composure and facial expressions of the Ellington Kid, pain radiating from his movement as he attempts to escape his stabbers. The use of lighting adds additional layers of discomfort, emphasising his central position within the frame and the cold, artificial tones contributing to the tension building in the moment, the spectator aware of his every move. The slight low angle accentuates the presence of the ceiling, consequently confining the character to the bare conditions of the tunnel, as well as further reinforcing his desperation to seek shelter and hide as his eye-line roams above the camera urgently looking for his way out. 

The dark background and lighting in the following shot reinforces this previous tension, guiding the spectator along with the Ellington Kid to a safer setting. The dark lighting alongside the yellow streetlights adds a sickly element, building up the menacing environment which is already present through the mid shot where the character appears to be looking back over his shoulder, his figure lost between shadows. The spectator being unable to see what the character is looking at only further intensifies the moment, building the scene further.

This flat angle close up shot of the kebab shop worker presents a clear display of his calm and grounded composure, the use of the micro-expression of his slight smirk highlighting his confidence in his position even when the stabbers enter the shop following the Ellington Kid who is bleeding on the floor. His confidence foreshadows the way in which the situation will progress, an inference being made that the stabber will appear more vulnerable compared to the workers. This is reinforced by the delicate pan of the camera to the other worker in the shop, this unspoken interaction between the two characters portraying their cohesion and unity. 

The workers' red uniforms/shirts contrasted with the stabber black attire intensify the opposition between them, presenting them as separate forces. Additionally, once again this repetition of the colour red, which also contrasts with the dull background, raises connotations of blood and danger, adding to the building tension and darker tone of the scene.  This also presents them as the more domineering side, a force not to be reckoned with. 

This close up of one of the stabbers unmasking himself further embeds their vulnerable position in the situation, shifting their internal dynamics from attacker to possible victim. Although there is a shallow depth of field which allows the spectator to focus on the expression and slowly build distress of the stabber, the impending presence of the worker is not neglected, acting as a reminder of what is yet to come. Within itself, through the act of unmasking himself, the stabber renders himself defenceless and appears powerless as they are locked inside the kebab shop. Consequently their previous bravado and confidence appears to break down, presenting them as who they essentially are, young men. The colder colour grading reinforces this sense of distress as the walls become (in terms of colour) aligned with the stabber's paler skin tone which only further presents the act of realisation settling in. 

In this long shot of the Ellington Kid, he is on the floor, his composure weak, reminding the spectator of his powerless condition. The camera being at an equal level as the character enables the previous dynamic of the spectator as the observer to shift, drawing them into the scene almost as if they were hiding behind the counter themselves. The similarity of the greyish, pale colour of the characters costume and the wall almost blends them in together, fading the Ellington Kid further away. The climactic essence of this shot emphasises that this is the ultimate confrontation, suggesting that the stabbers have been 'dealt with'. Through this, in the most tense moment, the spectator is in a way reunited with the origin of all the tension, the Ellington Kid.

The playful nature of this moment acts as the resolution, somewhat, of the film as the character discloses to the other that it was a joke all along, ‘why do you think i'm only having chips?’. However, the plot is not fully resolved as there's a blurring of the line between myth and reality, teasing the spectator on whether the happenings of the Ellington Kid were true or not.

The over the shoulder shot allows for a clear presentation of the character's reaction, spitting out his food in horror, only to realise he's been messed with. However, as the camera moves into a wide shot where it is from the POV of the kebab store worker, the reality of the story is once again questioned. 

The film ends in a cyclical manner, with the camera panning to the worker sharpening the cutting tools, only now with entirely different connotations associated with the knife. This last mid shot of the worker in his red shirt moving the knives reinforces the comedic nature of the film and the significance of the props and colours used in creating and layering meaning. Nonetheless with the previous tension and questions not fully leaving the spectator, allowing the spectator an active viewing experience which is in an unconventional way, quite satisfactory.