Australian
Screen

Clip description

It’s enrolment day for Lockie (Sean Keenan) at his new high school and his brother Phillip (Corey McKernan), sister ‘Blob’ (Georgina Schober) and mother Joy (Briony Williams) accompany him. After failing to impress teacher and counseller John East (Ewen Leslie), he spots Vicki Streeton (Gracie Gilbert) for the first time.

Curator’s notes

Lockie’s extreme discomfort during his first visit to his new high school is contrasted with the relaxed body language of school staff member John East during their painful interaction. A running theme in this sequence is the effect of nerves on language, first in Lockie’s confession of his full name (which is inspired by his father’s love of poetry), and then in becoming completely tongue-tied when meeting fellow student Vicki Streeton for the first time.

Music plays an important role in this sequence and throughout the episode. The soundtrack, both music and the use of a loud heartbeat sound effect, serves to exaggerate Lockie’s intense feelings on first seeing the girl of his dreams. Visually this is heightened through a dissolve, describing Lockie’s perception that for him they are the only two people in the room.

Thematically, this sequence sets up many of the school and peer group subplots which play out during the series: Lockie’s awkward role, and relationship with teachers, in the school community, his outsider status and ongoing infatuation with Vicki Streeton. All of this is framed at either end of the sequence with Lockie’s well meaning and ever-present family.