Noel ClarkeLewis White

How does Noel Clarke create realistic social Realism films?

Noel Clarke is an English actor, screenwriter and director from Hackney, London.

Some of his work includes;Kidulthood - Actor/WriterAdulthood - Director/Actor/Writer4,3,2,1 - Director/Writer/ActorStar Trek Into Darkness - ActorDoctor Who - Actor

Who is Noel Clarke?

Noel Clarke is known more for his acting in shows like Doctor Who, Holby City and Casualty. However Noel has a particularly good set of skills which make him one of the best british ‘kitchen sink realism’ directors.

Noel’s passionate drive to make a film as realistic as possible is up there with the likes of Shane Meadows and Ken Loach.

What does Noel Clarke do?

Kitchen sink realism has been around since the early 1950’s in British Cinema. Before John Osborne’s ‘Look Back In Anger’ entertainment as a whole mainly focused on the working class and above. Not many, if any, films were about the lower class. John Osborne’s work inspired more people to create these more realistic pieces of entertainment.

Kitchen Sink Realism is also known as Social Realism.

‘Kitchen Sink Realism’

Modern social realism often present a political view. Such as Saul Dibbs ‘Bullet Boy’, which said that the gun crime in Hackney needed to end. Often these views are just ignored by political figures however they tend to be aimed at people in similar situations. So with ‘Bullet Boy’ the message was aimed more at teens in Hackney to throw away the guns.

As social realism gets bigger and bigger as a genre more problems arise. Such as the BBFC giving them higher certificates when they are aimed at younger ages and people interpreting the filmmakers intentions negatively.

Director Shane Meadows has had both these issues with ‘This Is England’.

Modern Social Realism

Noel Clarke has changed the face of British Modern Social Realism with his hit films Kidulthood and Adulthood. These films focus on teens in Hackney, London and are made realist by the use of local actors and appropriate soundtracks. For example in both films he uses actors from London and uses Grime for the soundtrack.

Noel Clarke on Social Realism

Local actorsAppropriate soundtrackReal locationsInspired by real life eventsImprovised dialogueRealistic atmosphereEasily distinguished character roles in modern societySituations they find themselves inChoreography

How Clarke makes his films realistic