Waterloo Road Analysis

This clip from Waterloo Road deals with several issues such as drug abuse, peer pressure and age. From the beginning of the clip we can tell as the audience that we are in an environment for younger people - the camera focuses on toilet cubicles covered in graffiti and litter, which we instantly associate with a secondary school. Next, the audience can tell that we are encouraged to look down upon the characters featured on screen as the camera starts at a very high angle and pans across the tops of the toilet cubicles, to where two girls are standing, handling and discussing drugs. As the third character cuts in, she is looking over the toilet cubicle wall, down at the two girls. As she stresses to them that they shouldn't be dealing with drugs, the camera cuts to the point of view of the two girls, looking up at her, as though she has more authority than them as she is the 'wise one' - she is giving them sensible advice that they both know they should listen to. The high angle in comparison to the low angle shooting may also be linked to age - perhaps the third girl is older than the other two, as she is looked up at in a way which represents her as old and wise, as well as speaking sense. Also towards the beginning, the camera pans from character to character as they question each other, creating a sense of confusion amongst the two girls.