Hey Cambridge, over the weekend, I finally decided which genre I want to use in my portfolio project... Coming-of-Age! So, now that I have that decided, I'm going to start researching more openings! I'm going to watch the first 2 minutes and analyze what techniques they use.
Mean Girls (2004):
Paramount Pictures. (2004). Mean Girls [Film still]. Paramount Pictures.
At the very beginning, we see the Paramount logo, then a black screen showing "Paramount Pictures Presents," the producer credited, and Lindsey Lohan's name.
The first shot is a close-up of Cady's parents speaking right to the camera and saying things like "you can ask the big kids" which are typical words for a little kid's 1st day of school. The twist is then revealed when we see Cady for the 1st time, and we realize she's a teenager, and it creates a humorous tone. Her parents are dressed like typical parents and holding a paper bag as a prop. Cady is also in a normal teen looking outfit.
The film then continues with Cady's voiceover and mid-shots of her in Africa while she explains she's home-schooled. These shots have natural and warm lighting to make it seem realistic. We also get to see medium shots of stereotypical homeschooled kids whether they're "freaks" or "weirdly religious" which contrasts with visuals of her in Africa with different animals.
Next, she's dropped off at school and non-diegetic music is added to make it seem more chaotic and energetic. The tone shifts here because she's trying something new and unfamiliar.
So, after analyzing this movie, one technique I definitely want to use is a voiceover. It was a perfect was to give Cady's perspective on the move from home-schooled in Africa to high school.
Clueless (1995):
Paramount Pictures. (1995). Clueless [Film still]. Paramount Pictures.
At the very beginning, we see the Paramount logo, then a colorful screen showing "Paramount Pictures Presents," and the title of the movie. Aswell as some upbeat early-2000s band music playing in the background.
It starts with a lot of quick shots of teens driving in a jeep, all crowded together, and laughing a lot. There are palm trees in the background which helps the audience infer it's set in California. Then it cuts to Cher with lots of shopping bags, and after that, another cut to a fun pool party. These fast cuts make a 'montage' which shows us how social her life is.
Next, Cher's voiceover starts with her saying she has a "normal life for a teenage girl". This is super ironic because of how lavish her life is. We see her fancy computer that picks out outfits for her, which backs up how wealthy she is.
Then, we get introduced to her father, who is a litigator. We see their expensive house and even them having a maid named Lucy. The camera shows Cher and her dad in the kitchen now in a tracking shot. They have mini disagreement about him having his vitamin C and her having to see her stepbrother.
So, after analyzing this movie, I really like the idea of making a 'montage' and having a lot of quick shots of her life to introduce the character.
10 Things I Hate About You
Touchstone Pictures. (1999). 10 Things I Hate About You [Film still]. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The movie immediately starts with rock music playing over a black screen that introduces "Touchstone Pictures," followed by "Touchstone Pictures Presents" and the producer credit. The credits are all shown in a hand-drawn font which makes it feel less serious. Next, the film credits the main actors while the camera pans across different parts of Seattle.
Then, we see a group of girls in a Volkswagen, dancing to upbeat music and smiling as they're driving. But then, Kat pulls up in her car with song "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett blasting which makes the tone shift. There's a shot-reverse-shot between Kat and the girls of them all rolling their eyes at each other.
The credits are still going, and the movie transitions to the high school. The students are all doing different things which makes it look very realistic. The camera tilts upwards as Kat walks through the crowd. Her outfit is very alternative compared to everyone else. She also tears down a prom poster which reinforces her rebelliousness.
So, after analyzing this movie, I like how the music and costume choices highlighted Kat's differences from everyone else before she even says anything.
Reflection:
All in all, analyzing these three openings helped me understand how Coming-of-age films introduce the character, tone and setting. Also, this blog post really helped me practice looking for things to analyze like in the Media Text essay.
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