In the film Look Both Ways, Sarah Watt’s (the director) choice of visual imagery and setting helped the viewer to understand the concerns of the characters.
As you go through the movie, the scenery shot in the background was the more ‘run down’ and derelict parts of Adelaide and as the movie reaches near the end you can see the setting change to the brighter/better parts of Adelaide. As these changes happen you can also see the views and opinions of the characters change from bad thoughts to good thoughts, this goes the same for both Nick and Meryl’s ‘visions’. Sarah Watt’s has also taken the weather into account, changing it according to the characters moods at that time.
At the beginning of the film as Meryl walks home from her fathers funeral the setting is a very derelict part of Adelaide where there is lots of concrete, dirt and graffiti. Meryl at this stage is unhappy with her life as well as sad because of her fathers recent death. As the film continues you can see that the setting and scenery changes as the characters change; as they grow stronger and become happier and content within themselves and their lives the settings change, as you see later on in the film. Meryl’s ‘visions’ can also be seen to have a change of setting or scenery.
The visions that Meryl and Nick have throughout the film were written/drawn by Sarah Watt herself to help the viewer see through to the characters thoughts and views on life. The viewer can see that as the film progresses these visions change. A the start of them film Meryl has visions of her death all the time, and towards the end of the film these visions decrease dramatically and change. Meryl has a vision nearing the end of the film of herself floating in the ocean, peacefully and content, this vision can be related to how she feels about her life at that stage where she has found happiness and looks at the good points in life, she is in harmony with herself and the world around her.
Nick doesn’t have visions...