A Very British Gangster

Opening Analysis

In the start of the documentary some of the conventions used are film conventions. The first set of titles you see tell you the company behind the documentary, it then tells you who the film is by. ' Dare Films in association with Five Presents a film By Donal Maclntyre'. 

The Tv show was broadcast on channel 5. During the show you see a use a crane shots of the streets of Manchester as well as canals. Manchester is also a white working class town and the Noonans are a white family. The first shot you see is an establishing shot of the city, by showing an urban landscape at night it suggests bad things happen at these times, especially different crimes.

When you see the establishing shot, a sound bridge was used as the train was passing, this was the first time you heard the voice of Dominic and this is when you are then shown the 3 men stood in the foreground with the city behind them, Dominic is shown to be in the middle of the 3 of them, this shows his importance but at the same time shows how hes got people around him, possibly protecting him as they are shown to be looking around. 

The rest of the titles then come up and this shows the 3 men to be walking from under the bridge, this in itself would suggest trouble as bridges are normally seen to be places of trouble as its sheltered away from other areas. 'A Very British Gangster' them seems as though its being projected onto the front of the bridge, this then informs the viewer that its a film and not a show. The camera angle that's used is a low angle shot. By placing the camera on the floor in front of the men, it shows there dominance. The music used in this scene is a bouncy type of rap music, as this is more of an expressive genre of music, it links to gangs and the urban lifestyle of drugs and alcohol. Before the end of the music, a slow motion walk sequence is used, which could be a homage to the film Reservoir Dogs.

The voice of Donal is then heard again as a sound bridge, this narration gives you an insight into the crimes Dominic had committed. While this is being said, the use of CCTV footage is used, this suggests the men are under surveillance as they are known for causing trouble around Manchester. As you are shown Dominic walking into a bar, you are then shown him stood overlooking the people dancing, you then learn that he use to be a bouncer at the club Hacienda. 

A sound bridge is then used to take you into the new scene of a close up of Dominic's hands. Both are shown to have big gold bracelets on, as well as two gold rings. This relates to the chav lifestyle, but it could also suggest that he's well off. The shot is then used to cut a way to the next scene of an extreme close up of Dominic's face. The use of the ECU allows the viewer to see the reaction of Dominic as well as his emotions as hes telling you his story about what happened at The Dog's Head as the pub is now known. It's at this time that we as viewers find out that he beheaded a dog of a gang and took it into the pub where there were so that he could threaten them and stop them from causing trouble at the Hacienda. We also learn that he didn't get charged for this crime.

Horizontal tracking is then used, this follows 3 of the men including Dominic down the street, one shot is just focusing on their legs the other on their faces. You are then shown his house, this shows actual events as its happening, for instance him enjoying family life with the people around him. You are then told about him being a godfather and this makes you question whether its referring to the film. As you are being told about actual events in his life you find out that he use to have a large family but at the same time had many friends. Dominic said that when everyone was at the house, there'd be about 50 people there, and they'd be all over the house as it was only small. You then find out that his mother burnt down the house so that she could get the money for a larger house. 

A bullet proof vest is that shown, you see more of a jokey side to Dominic and it's as if he doesn't take it too seriously that he has to protect himself everywhere he goes. You then find out that he has set up his own security business, as a viewer it makes you quiestion whether he is a reformed character or if he does it to give him chance to commit more crime. However he is a open person, telling Donal of the crimes he has commited, this includeds a number of roberys. He then turned round to say that he would never grass if something happened as they would never survive it, this was quite a serious statement as he would rather sort out his problems himself.

Before the end of the 5 minutes of the clip you are shown archive footage of one of the riots that he had orchrastrated while in prison, this shows him to be dancing ontop of a building with other inmates. You as a viewer then find out it cost the stat £50 million to sort of the problems caused when the riot took place.