powerpoint evaluation

Evaluation Script

Use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products:

 

As a group we focused on using and developing the forms and conventions of our chosen genre, teen romantic comedy.

 

From our research we discovered that the two main stock settings of a teen romantic comedy were a high school (10 Things I Hate About You CLIP) along with the main character’s houses or bedrooms. As a result of this, the main setting we used was a high school, as school is a significant part of teenage life. We also decided to use the bedrooms of the four main characters – the Geek, the Jock, the Bitch and the Loner – as this helped us portray to the audience the stereotypes associated with youth, such as the Geek putting on glasses. (CLIP)

 

Throughout our research we discovered that the stock characters seen in a teen romantic comedy are a Geek, Jock, Bitch, Rebel, Rich Girl and Cheerleader. As this was apparent we asked in our questionnaire: ‘Tick the characters which you would expect to see in a teen romantic comedy’. (CHART) The results showed that Geek, Jock and Bitch were the most common responses; therefore we decided to include these character stereotypes in our opening. Although the Cheerleader and Rich Girl had a higher percentage in comparison to the Rebel, we felt that they were more of an American stereotype; consequently we decided not to include these stereotypes in our opening. As a group we decided to include a Loner stereotypical character instead of a Rebel, as we felt this was more of a British stereotype seen in teen romantic comedies.

 

We found from our research that linear narratives are stereotypical to teen romantic comedies, with a clear beginning, middle and end. We have included this style of narrative in our opening. From our research, we also discovered that the majority of teen romantic comedies follow Todorov’s theory and features many frequent disruptions, examples of this are Mean Girls and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. A film from our research that didn’t follow this theory is Easy A, however, we chose to follow the theory in our synopsis. (SYNOPSIS)

 

Our research showed that the iconographies of a teen romantic comedy are a high school, uniform, expensive cars and big houses. We felt that expensive cars and big houses are more dominantly used in American teen romantic comedies. As a result of this we decided to focus more on the use of a high school, as this focuses on the idea that education is a large part of teen life.

 

The research of our chosen genre showed that modern fonts, such as block and handwritten styles, are frequently used throughout the openings. Bright colours such as orange, blue, green and pink are also consistently used in the titles of the films. As a group, we chose the name Geek Chic for our opening, as this portrayed the two contrasting stereotypes of Geek and Bitch. Due to this decision we decided to use contrasting colours of pink and black to distinguish the main stereotypes used in our opening. However, we chose to use white for the actor’s first name and pink for the actor’s last name, as this allowed the text to be seen clearly on screen. (PICTURE OF ANNA/GEEK CHIC) In our questionnaire we asked a variety of questions regarding the use of titles and where the audience expected to see them on screen. (PICTURE) Although the majority of the people asked expected to see the titles in the centre of the screen, we chose to only have the title of the film here as we felt that we needed to make this the main focus point.  We decided to place the actor’s names at the bottom centre of the screen as we felt that this didn’t distract the viewers from the action. Even though we changed the positioning of the titles here, we felt that it was more effective, yet highlighted that these titles are less significant than the main title.

 

The main themes we identified from our research were relationships, family and fitting in at school. We have included the theme of relationships, which is shown through the identification of the Jock and Bitch’s romantic relationship. We felt this was an important theme to include in our opening, as this is a stereotypical type of relationship associated with youth. As a group we decided that family wasn’t as an important theme as relationships and fitting in at school, so we didn’t include this theme in our opening. Our main character, Nina, is new at school, which immediately highlights that a major theme in our opening is fitting in and our use of stereotypes aids this.

Representing Particular Social Groups:

 

The social group that we focused on was youth. We showed this particular social group through the use of mise en scene. As we have already acknowledged, the stock setting we have used in our opening is a high school, as this is a major part of teenage life.

 

Through our use of costume we were able to portray the stereotypes associated with teen romantic comedies to the audience. For example, the Geek wore jeans and a plain top, showing that she didn’t stand out from the crowd. She also wore glasses, which is continually used to show a Geek stereotype. Another example of the use of costume in our work was to portray the stereotype of a Jock. We chose to use a varsity jacket to represent the athletic trait associated with the Jock stereotype. (CLIP OF JOCK) We also decided to show the Jock putting on a t-shirt, showing his body. This reinforced the stereotype that Jock’s have muscular bodies.

 

As a group we came to the conclusion that the Geek should have closed body language – such as not making eye-contact when talking to people and should fidget with her books – showing that she was insecure and not used to being noticed. In contrast, the Bitch had sharp movements, often standing with her hand on her hip, showing that she was confident and impatient.

Media Institution and Why:

 

The media institution that we have chosen to distribute our media product is Paramount Pictures. We have chosen this institution because they are considered one of the top-grossing movie studios. Another factor that affected our decision was that Paramount Pictures are a suitable company due to producing many successful films of our genre. Some examples of successful teen romantic comedies that have been distributed by the company are Clueless (1995), Pretty in Pink (1986), Mean Girls (2004) and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008). All of these films are well known and since the institution has a good reputation within the industry, our media product will have a good chance of having success. By choosing Paramount Pictures, it means that the majority of the money will go to one company, meaning that they will gain more profit, allowing us to do the same, as they are a vertically integrated organisation.

Audience:

 

Our target audience is females between the ages of 12-16, fitting in with the average certificate for a teen romantic comedy, 12A. (QUESTIONNAIRE) In our questionnaire we asked the audience: ‘In the opening of a teen romantic comedy, would you expect music?’ (IMAGE OF QUESTION) The results showed that each person expected music in the opening of a teen romantic comedy, therefore this helped in our choices of how to create an enigma in an opening, as from our research we discovered that music is often used to do this.

 

The results of our questionnaire also revealed that an almost equal number of people expected a voiceover in the opening of a teen romantic comedy, compared to those who didn’t. Even though voiceovers are often used in teen romantic comedies, we chose to challenge this convention, as we felt that this would take away from the enigma created by the music.

 

To allow our opening to captivate our audience’s interest, we decided against showing the faces of the characters as they are first introduced on screen. This created an intriguing atmosphere for our audience, as they can only relate to the characters through their stereotypical props and costume. The first face that the audience see on screen is Nina, identifying her to the audience as the main character. (CLIP)

Technologies:

 

We used the internet in order to do numerous things - such as researching about our chosen genre and films associated with it, storing information on our Blogger accounts and using YouTube to find music and upload our final pieces of work. By using the internet, it has helped us greatly in the process of constructing our media product, such as allowing us to access media quickly and on a wide basis.

 

The use of a video camera, allowed to us to film to the best of our ability, using a variety of shots - such as mid-shots, close-ups and long shots. Camera movements aided us in showing continuity in our work and helped create verisimilitude for the audience. Examples of camera movements used frequently in our opening are tilts and pans. (CLIP) As a group we realised the importance of a trip-pod, as it allows our shots and camera movements to be steady and flow smoothly, creating verisimilitude and allow our final product to look professional.

 

To edit our opening, we used the software iMovie. This allowed us to edit and manipulate our work to the best quality it could be. To allow the music to flow with the shots on screen, we used the software to control where it begins and ends, however we found this quite difficult at first due to our original shots being quite short and fast. However, after re-filming certain sections, we found it easier to stop the music abruptly, creating the idea of a disruption in the opening. (CLIP) We also experimented with reversing a pan of the Geek putting up her hair. However, this manipulation flipped the words on a poster in the shot, which would have made it obvious that the shot had been altered, disrupting the verisimilitude on screen.

Preliminary Task:

 

The main thing we have learnt through the progression from our preliminary task to our final product is the use of sound. (CLIP) In our preliminary task, it is apparent that the background sounds keeps changing, disrupting the continuity and verisimilitude for the audience. In our final product, we tried to overcome this problem by filming after school, when the corridors and classrooms are empty. Even though we have overcome this issue a lot in our opening, there are still times when the background sound isn’t as quiet as we would have liked, but we feel that this doesn’t distract the audience or disrupt the continuity. When re-filming, we also noticed that the continuity was slightly disrupted by the use of having people in a classroom in the corner of a shot, compared to it previously being empty. However, we don’t feel that this wasn’t very distracting to the audience, as the main focus was still on Nina.

 

By filming our preliminary task, we found that the angle of which the scenes were shot affected the continuity of the piece. When filming our opening we shot certain scenes from a number of different perspectives, as this allowed us to select which shot was most appropriate and effective when showing continuity.

 

As a group, we felt that the lighting in our preliminary task wasn’t as effective as we would have liked it to be. (CLIP) Due to this when filming our opening we made sure that the corridors we were filming in were well lit and consistent, with the actors not standing in the shadows that were created by the windows.

 

Overall, we feel that we have produced a good opening for a teen romantic comedy, which mainly follows the codes and convention of the genre. Although there are some faults with the product – such as the background sound and people in the classroom – we feel that overall our opening is of good quality.

Geek Chic

Preliminary Task

Shooting Schedule

Rehearsal Schedule

Who: Anna , Charlotte and Robin

What: Read through of script/storyboard

Where: In common room

Time Dedicated: Period 5 (1 hour)

Number of Scripts Needed: 4 

Location Scouts

Where:

•        School
•        Character’s bedrooms

Why:

•        School is a big part of teenage life and our audience feedback from our questionnaire told us that this setting is expected in a teen romantic comedy.
•        The use of character’s bedroom helps set up the stereotype for the specific character and also this links to the idea that all teenagers live at home. 

Character Profiles

Character Profile:

Name: Nina

Costume: Backpack, glasses, hair tied up, plain t-shirt, jeans

Characteristics: Shy, clever, introvert, brunette

Gesture/movements: Head down, fidgeting

Representations: Youth, geek stereotype

Possible Casting Idea:

Who: Anna Alcock

Why: Small in height, timid, has characteristics that match character profile

Character Profile:

Name: Leah

Costume: Black top, black skirt, black high heels, hair down, jewellery

Characteristics: Confident, blonde, high maintenance, attitude

Gesture/movements: Hands on hips, sharp movements

Representations: Youth, bitch stereotype, middle – upper class

Possible Casting Ideas:

Who: Charlotte Nettle

Why: Has characteristics that match character profile, blonde

Character Profile:

Name: Rob

Costume: White t-shirt, varsity jacket, jeans, short hair

Characteristics: Friendly, confident, brunette, affectionate

Gesture/movements: Fluid movements, eye contact

Representation: Youth, jock stereotype

Possible Casting Ideas:

Who: Robin Freemantle

Why: Has characteristics that match character profile, brunette, tall

Character Profiles:

Name: Jack

Costume: Band t-shirt, headphones, baggy jeans

Characteristics: Shy, bitter, lonely

Gesture/movements: Messy, expressionless

Representation: Youth, loner stereotype

Possible Casting Ideas:

Who: Chris Alcock

Why: Right type of look, has some characteristics that match the character profile

Geek Chic Storyboard

Geek Chic Script

Synopsis of Film

Synopsis of Film

A geeky girl joins a new school and is taken in by the popular people. There is a party when the popular girls give the geeky girl a makeover, due to this the ‘head’ bitch’s boyfriend falls for the geeky girl. The ‘head’ bitch finds out and plans to make the geeky girl’s life hell. Lots of pranks happen to the geeky girls and because of this the geeky girl becomes friends with the loner guy who the popular people have bullied in the past.

The geeky girl and the loner prank the popular girls and the girls do the same to them. The films ends with a school dance (prom) where the geeky girl gives a meaningful speech about how looks aren’t everything. She is announced Prom Queen, at the dance the popular boy asks her out however she realises that she loves the loner guy. The popular girls learn from their mistakes.

A Guide to Paramount Pictures

The production and distribution company that we have decided to work with is Paramount Pictures.

We have chosen this organisation because they are considered to be one of the top-grossing movie studios, another reason why this is a suitable company is because they have produced and shown many successful films of our genre (teen romantic comedies).

An example of a successful Paramount Pictures produced teen romantic comedy is Mean Girls. Other films that have been successfully produced by Paramount Pictures are Forrest Gump (1994), Transformers (2007) and Iron Man (2008).

All of the films we have mentioned are well known and the company has a good reputation within the industry, therefore this allows our film to have a good chance at having success.

Paramount is a vertically integrated organisation and the significance of this is that the majority of the money will go to one company meaning that they will gain more profit allowing us to do the same.

Examples of successful teen romantic comedies distributed by Paramount Pictures are Clueless (1995), Pretty in Pink (1986) and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008).

These films tie-in well with our genre, as they are all successful teen romantic comedies and are distributed by Paramount Pictures. 

      

Multi-media Presentation of Our Findings

Audience Research: Questionnaire Results

 

Codes and Conventions: Summary

Codes And Conventions

Stock settings

• High school – ‘Easy A’.
• Main characters home.
• A party.
• School social event – ‘Mean Girls’, ’10 Things I Hate About You’.
• Local hanging place – ‘She’s All That’, ‘Mean Girls’.

Stock characters (follows Propp’s theory)

• Rich girl/bitch – ‘She’s All That’ (Taylor), ‘Mean Girls’ (Regina).
• Popular girl/cheerleader.
• Jock – ‘She’s All That’ (Zack), ‘Mean Girls’ (Aaron).
• Rebel – ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ (Pat).
• Loner.
• Artistic person – ‘Mean Girls’ (Janis) , ‘She’s All That’ (Laney).
• Geek – ’10 Things I Hate About You’ (Damian, Michael).

Themes

• Relationships/love
• Family – ‘She’s All That’, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’
• School (fitting in) – ‘Mean Girls’.

Narrative

• Linear narrative (clear beginning, middle, end)
• Follows Todorov’s theory ( many frequent disruptions) – ‘Mean Girls’ , ‘Angus Thongs And Perfect Snogging’
• ‘Easy A’ follows Todorov’s theory but is not as conventional as other teen romantic comedies.

Iconography

• High school.
• Uniform – ‘Angus Thongs And Perfect Snogging’.
• Expensive car (wealth) - ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ (Joey) , ‘Mean Girls’ (Regina) , ‘Clueless’.
• Expensive/big house – ‘Mean Girls’ (Regina).

Summary Of Openings

        

         Creates an enigma 

• Non-diegetic music.
• Tracking of the main character – ‘Clueless’, ‘She’s The Man’.
• Voiceover – ‘Mean girls’, ‘Clueless’, ‘Cinderella Story’.

         Introduce key characters

• Voice over (introduce main character) – ‘Mean Girls’, ‘Clueless’, ‘A Cinderella Story’.
• Mid-shots (show costume, type of character, season) – ‘Clueless’, ’10 Things I Hate About You’.
• Mise en scene.
• Close-ups.

  Introduce key themes

• Close-ups (showing relationships) – ‘She’s The Man’.
• Mise en scene (costume and showing not fitting in) – ’10 Things I Hate About You’.

       Introduce genre

• Non-diegetic sound/music (popular, well known, upbeat) – ’10 Things I Hate About You’, ‘Clueless’, ‘She’s The Man’.
• Mise en scene (young fashion trends as the time) – ’10 Things I Hate About You’, ’13 Going On 30’.

Use if titles

• Colour theme (bright colours) – ‘She’s The Man’ (orange), ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ (blue and green), ’13 Going On 30’ (pink).
• Modern fonts – ‘She’s The Man’ (block), ’10 Things I Hate About You’ (hand written).
• Usually in the centre of the screen.

Genre Introduction

The group in which I am in chose to do ‘teen romantic comedy’ as our film genre. This genre is predominantly aimed at teenagers and young adults as the storyline is usually based on topics which relate to and interest teenagers such as ‘rebellion’, ‘conflict with parents’, ‘first love’, ‘teen angst’, and ‘alienation’.

Teen Romantic Comedies: Analysis

 

 

She’s All That (1999)

‘She’s All That’ is an American comedy film directed by Robert Iscove. It was one of the most popular teen films of the 1990’s and reached #1 at the box office in the first week of its release. Due to this, it won and was nominated for many awards despite only being rated 5.5/10.

 This film follows the narrative of a teen romantic comedy. This is when a boy and a girl meet and for one reason or another they are torn apart. Throughout the film, they realise that they are meant to be together and try to get back with eachother. To conclude the film, the characters meet up and resolve what problems they may have had and live ‘happily ever after’.

There is a theme of ‘true love’ where the characters overcome the challenges and problems which keep them apart. This is much like the typical codes and conventions of a teen rom-com.

This film begins with loud stereotypical teenage music consisting of instruments such as guitars and drums. It focuses on big city buildings with bright lights before introducing the film company’s name: MIRAMAX Films. This is shortly followed by a blank black screen before the scene is introduced. The words of the soundtrack start playing whilst the first scene is being shown. Whilst the film continues, the name of the company is shown again. During this time, the credits are still rolling ( these are shown as an artists work as the paint tube squirts paint which then transforms into letters). This is shortly followed by the title of the film and then the continuing of the names of the actors.

The characters in this film are the typical popular and attractive male (high school jock) and female who happen to be in a relationship. The main character is the ‘geeky’ girl who isn’t well known nor liked. The main characters in films such as this are made to be relatable, likable and somewhat fragile as the intentions are that the audience support them. The two main characters are of different classes in terms of popularity and appearance. This is highlighted to be one of the important factors which keep them apart. The popular boy’s two best friends are shown fairly frequently as well as the popular girl’s close friends.

The stock settings of this film are the main characters home where quite a large proportion of the film is shot. This is either in the basement where she spends a lot of time painting or around her home. This is a conventional setting as the audience is given a sense of the characters personality and lifestyle. Another conventional setting in this film is a ‘high school’. The majority of films of this genre (teen rom - com) include this setting because it creates verisimilitude as attending school is part of a teenagers life. Other settings include the party which many people from the school went to and the ‘high school dance’. Also, the beach. This conveys the stereotypical teenager as being fun-loving and out going.

The traditional props commonly seen in a film of this genre are backpacks (this relates to one of the setting as the characters attend high school). A school bus is also shown to create verisimilitude. There are also other props such as make-up and appropriate clothing depending on the setting.

The overall lighting of the film is designed to capture the mood of the character as well as well as realistic lighting of the characters surroundings. A majority of the film is daylight as the tone of the film is calm and natural lighting is appropriate for the genre of the film. Dark lighting will make

it appear slightly scary and inappropriate for the genre. Some lighting is used the main character’s face after she had been transformed to emphasise her beauty as this makes her appear very feminine. There is darker lighting when the characters are indoors at a party. This is appropriate as it is night time and sets a more mysterious mood.

                                        A Cinderella Story (2004)

‘A Cinderella Story’ was directed by Mark Rosman and starred Hillary Duff and Chad Michael Murrey. It received negative reviews from critics possible because of how cliché it appears. This film begins with the title of the film company 'Warner bros pictures' which is shortly followed by a blank black screen. In orange and yellow font, the film company's name is shown again. The soundtrack is a non-diegetic instrumental adventurous sounding music. This ties in with the genre of the film as well as the typical style of rom-coms as they are generally designed to be like fairy tales (fantasy). During the instrumental, there is an areal view of a 'fairy tale world' where there is snow on rocks. This has later been edited to look as if it is in a snow globe. The main character's name is then shown (Hillary duff) shortly followed by a palace and then the title of the film 'A Cinderella Story'. 
The film is introduced by the voiceover of the main character where she introduces herself as well as her life. As the film continuous, the credits are shown in a feminine style and colour font (pink). This links with the fact this film is predominantly aimed at young females.
There is non-diegetic sound of the stereotypical teenage music which generally consists of loud instruments such as drums and guitars and sang by a male. There is later another song of a similar type but this time sang by a female to make it seem as though it is the main character singing about her situation because of the lyrics of the song.

The characters in the film follows Propp's theory. The main character is a teenage girl (unpopular) who lives a somewhat sad life because of her life at home and how she is treated. Though her father left his wealth when he died, she lives as though she hadn’t inherited any of the wealth as her 'evil stepmother' spends all the money. A character like this is a convention of a genre of film of this genre because she is unhappy until she meets her 'prince charming'. Another conventional character is the attractive and popular boy who ends up with the 'unpopular girl'. There is also the 'bitch' of the film. Like many similar films, she has a few close friends who are also 'bitches'. These tend to be the popular and attractive girls. One of them happens to be dating the main attractive boy and so she is one of the causes of the problems between the 'couple'. 

The stock settings of this film are the main characters house as this one of the main places she is shown to be when not at school or work. The audience is given an idea of the main characters lifestyle as we see her attend to the needs of her 'evil step mother' and 'evil step sisters'. Another stock setting is the high school that the main character attends which is the same school her 'prince charming' attends. This is a conventional setting because teenagers of that age are expected to be in school and so this creates a sense of realism. Another setting which I think is important is the hall in which the high school dance is set. This is an important part of the film as this is when the two main characters first meet. Another important setting is the work place of the main character. though this is not a stock setting, it is vital to the film as it shows the hard work of 'Cinderella' and gives the audience an idea of the sadness of her life as she is not allowed to live completely as a 'normal' teenager due to torture of her step mother. 

There are many props in this film which are conventional such as mobile phones. This is an important prop because it shows teenagers today to be highly interested in technology. This is also used to give a sense of realism as it is expected that they have mobile phones. The characters are also shown to use computers to email each other. This re-enforces the stereotype of teenagers being highly fascinated with technology. Other props include back packs. This is used in the setting of the high school as this creates realism and a typical prop to have in a film of this genre as the characters are expected to attend school. Another prop is a car. Many of the students drive due to their age and so this is an expected prop. 

The overall lighting of this film is bright and natural though there are many disruptions and moments of sadness. Soft lighting has been used to make both characters seem attractive, calm and innocent as well as setting a romantic mood.

                                 Easy A (2010)

'Easy A' was written by Bert.V.Royal and starred Emma Stone. It was partially inspired by the novel ‘The Scarlett Letter’ a book 'Olive' is currently studying in school.

This, like many films of this genre begins with a non-diegetic soundtrack and company name. Shortly after this are the names of the characters and different destinations. Similarly to many films of this genre, the main character is introduced by herself in the beginning. However, in this unlike other films, there is a voiceover in other areas of the film. This is illustrated by the main character and is shown as flashbacks whilst coming to the present once in a while. 

This film follows Todorov’s narrative theory but is not as conventional as other teen romantic comedies.

The main character is a teenage girl who is rumoured to be very promiscuous. This is an unconventional theme of a teen rom-com. This is because they are usually fantasy style themes of a boy meeting a girl and falling madly in love. Though this film doesn’t follow Propp’s theory of character, the main character could be said to be a ‘rebel’ due to her reputation though she doesn’t actually do anything bad. She also becomes popular but not for the right reasons.

The stock setting is the high school of the main character. This is where most of the action takes place as the main character is a teen and so shows her life at school and what she goes through which is the primary focus of the film. Another setting is the main characters home. Here, the audience is introduced to her family and her life when she is not in school. There is also a party. This is another conventional setting of a film of this genre as this is where the teenagers get up to all sorts of activities.

Much like the mise en scene of many films of this genre, this film has students carrying backpacks when they are in high school. This creates realism. Also, cars are seen to be a conventional prop in films of this genre as the students drive.

The themes of this film are family, school and love. The main character seems to have a good relationship with her parents and seems to be able to communicate with them as if they were her friends. Due to this, there is a relaxed atmosphere in their household. In school, due to the rumours, the character becomes ‘popular’ consequently making her best friends (Rhiannon) jealous and turning against her. Despite these rumours, she is admired by a boy who she used to have a crush in many years ago and they end up in a relationship.

Due to the fact that students don’t have to wear uniform, they are able to express themselves and their personalities through their appearance. In order to keep her reputation of being a promiscuous person, the main character (Olive) begins to dress in a way which could be seen as provocative. She also wears a red 'A' which symbolises adultery (relating to a book she is styding in class). This shows that she is proud of her reputation. A long shot is used to show her whole outfit as well as a mid shot later in the film to get a closer look at the character and show what kind of person she may be.

The overall lighting of the film is natural and bright as it is filmed in daylight. This gives it an innocent and calm feel as nothing seems mysterious or out of the ordinary.

Audience Research: Questionnaire

Opening Analysis

Clueless

Clueless: Opening

The opening to this film follows not only the conventions of a typical film but also of a teen rom-coms but as it begins with the film production company (Paramount). This is followed by the words ‘paramount pictures’ with an overall colour scheme of blue, purple and yellow. These are both youthful and feminine and so links with the genre of the film well. This is then followed by the name of the film (Clueless).

The soundtrack used is music which the stereotypical teenager listens to. This as well as many factors show which age group this film is targeted at.

The main character is introduced by herself through a voiceover.

There is natural lighting through out the opening as it is mostly shot outside in daylight.

The camera moves rapidly to show the excitement fast movements of the characters suggesting teenagers are wild, fun loving and exciting.

Characters

The typical rich/popular girl (Main character)

Hard working father (of the rich girl)

Friends of the main character

Settings

The film begins with the stereotypical American teenagers driving around outside in the sunshine. They are later shown to be at a poolside where the characters are having fun jumping into the pool, speaking on mobile phones and communicating with each other. Another setting is the shopping centre/mall where the stereotypical rich girl who is also the main character is shopping. A scene is shot in the main character’s room and around her home to give the audience a feel of the type of life she lives. All these settings are shown in the first two minutes of the film to give the audience a sense of the main characters life and personality.

Mise en scene

The traditional props seen in films of this genre such as cars, shopping bags, nail polish, drinks and mobile phones are all shown in the opening of this film. These are used to create verisimilitude and give a sense of the identities and personalities of the characters. It also related to the genre of the film as the audience of this genre are teenage girls and so this is what they are likely to be interested in therefore making them interested in.

10 Things I Hate About You

10 Things I Hate About You: Opening

Much like the typical film, this film begins with the name of the film production company (Touchstone Pictures).

The typography is both green and blue graffiti style font to express the rebellious attitude of teenagers (matches the soundtrack).

The soundtrack used; much like other films of this genre is music that the stereotypical teenager listens to. (Instruments such as drums and guitars used)

The scene appears as a sketch before appearing as a real place.

The title of the film is show in green graffiti style font short after the scene is set.

The main character is introduced.

There is natural lighting through out the opening as it is mostly shot outside in daylight.

Characters

The quite girl (Main character) (unconventional)

Fun - loving ‘girly-girls’

Settings

The film begins with the outdoor area where the surroundings are shown before any characters are seen. The characters are shown on the road awaiting a traffic light on the way to ‘high school’. Another setting is the school where the outside area and the inside are shown. This is a conventional setting of a film of this genre.

Mise en scene

A conventional prop seen in films of this genre is a car. However, there are other unconventional props such as hockey sticks. Backpacks and typical high school clothes are also shown in the opening of this film.

 

She's The Man

She’s The Man: Opening

Much like the typical film, this film begins with the name of the film production company (DreamWorks).

This is followed by ‘Lakeshore entertainment’.

The soundtrack; much like the other openings I have analysed has the stereotypical teen music of instruments such as guitars and drums and a female singer as if to suggest it’s the main characters voice as the words express the situation.

The title of the film is stated half way in the opening (0:59)

The credits are in white whilst the background is red and white. This could suggest that teenagers are both dangerous and innocent as red connotes danger and white connotes purity and innocence.

There is natural lighting through out the opening as it is mostly shot outside in daylight.

The camera moves rapidly to show the excitement fast movements of the characters suggesting teenagers are wild, fun loving and exciting.

Characters

Popular girl: although she appears to be a ‘girly-girl’ she plays football (twist on the traditional popular girl). Although she isn’t introduced, she is the main focus of the camera and so it is obvious tat she is the main character.

Settings

The only setting showed in the opening is the beach.

Mise en scene

Football (unconventional), bikinis and other traditional items seen on a beach.

 

What A Girl Wants

What A Girl Wants: Opening

This film begins with the name of the film production company (Warner Brothers Pictures).                     

The soundtrack; which is played for the duration of the credits is much like the other openings I have analysed as it has the stereotypical teen music yet again of instruments such as guitars and drums and a female singer as if to suggest that it is the main characters voice.

The title of the film is ‘What A Girl Wants’ is in a feminine font’. Along side it is a butterfly.

The camera travels around the city from areal view creating a sense of fantasy.

The credits are then shown.

There is natural lighting through out the opening as it is mostly shot outside in daylight.

There is a zoom-in camera movement as if to introduce the character without any speech as the camera focuses on the main characters face implying that she will be the main focus of the film.

Characters

The main character is introduced by herself through a voiceover.

Settings

The opening setting is in ‘China town’ where the main character and her mother are celebrating her birthday in a restaurant.

13 Going On 30

13 Going On 30: Opening

This film begins with the name of the film production company (Columbia). This is followed by ‘Revolution Studios’ and then the credits are shown in pink font with a glittering blue background. This is done whilst the soundtrack (teen music) is playing.

                                                                                                            

The soundtrack used; much like other films of this genre is music that the stereotypical teenager listens to. (Instruments such as drums and guitars used)

These are both youthful and feminine and so links with the genre of the film well. This is then followed by the name of the film (Clueless).

There is natural lighting through out the opening as it is mostly shot outside in daylight.

Characters

Only the main character is shown but not a lot is known about her yet. However, she does appear to be the unpopular type.

Settings

The opening setting was a ‘high school’ which is a stock setting of a film of this genre.

Mise en scene

The props in the opening of this film are folders/books (conventional in this genre of film) as well as backpacks. A camera is also shown as it is ‘picture day’.

The characters are dressed in high school appropriate uniform.