Edited 31/10/16: How does the director of Peaky Blinders use camera angles and mise en scene to establish expectation and character?

This close up shot obscures the faces of the characters, which connotes mystery and creates a sense of anticipation. The characters are all wearing similar costumes which creates a sense of uniformity to establish them as a group. The dark colours of their costumes construct sinister connotations, suggesting that the gang is threatening. This dark atmosphere is reinforced by the grey background which creates a sense of gloominess. Furthermore, the ripples in the puddle which the group walks through signify disturbance which could symbolise that they cause trouble and are approaching conflict.

This mid shot presents the group walking directly towards the camera, suggesting that they are confident and confrontational. A low angle is used to reinforce this, constructing connotations of power. The character in the middle of the group is presented as the leader because his centralisation suggests dominance. Further elements of their costumes are also revealed, for example it is presented that they are all wearing hats which adds to the sense of uniformity.

In this mid shot, there is a shallow focus which presents the characters as important and powerful. It also creates a sense of intensity. The characters’ determined expressions are exposed more clearly in this shot which suggests that they are persistent and purposeful. The harsh yellow light in the background creates hellish connotations, signifying that they may be approaching danger which establishes expectation by creating tension.

The director has followed the 180-degree rule in this scene of the characters walking. This clearly establishes the direction of the characters’ movement which makes the scene easier for the audience to understand as well as ensures that their movement seems determined. Another technique which has made this scene successful is the use of a variety of shot types (close ups and mid shots from different angles) because this makes the scene more interesting and displays more aspects of the mise en scene.

Shallow focus is used in these shots to emphasise the importance of the characters. It presents them as powerful and dominant, plus could also suggest confidence. The shallow focus may also connote pride and vanity. It could also connote recklessness because the background is out of focus, possibly suggesting that they do not heed the danger of their environment.