Research - Opening_Scene_Analysis_of_Teen_Films_"Juno"

Opening Scene Analysis:
Setting:
The setting for the film cuts between a small Town; from a residential street, to a training ground with a school team in the background (giving a school theme) and ends with a Juno going into a drugstore, this connotes to the audience that this is a coming of age story, as Juno is slowly walking through from one area to another.

Props:

The main prop used in the opening is a Large bottle of orange juice (Sunny D), typical drink of children/teenagers; could be being used to hint at the forced transition from child-like attitude to maturity.

Titles/Fonts:
For the titles of the opening there is a transition from reality to animation, associated with young people, and the fun they can have, along with their imagination. And for the fonts San serif design, bright colours connoting a cartoony and fun feel to the movie, co-ordinated differently for each significant credit.

Narrative:
From the first 2 minutes we can tell that this is a coming of age story, with a serious but light hearted story.

Characters:
The only character mainly seen in the opening, which is counter typical teenage girl as she doesn't make an effort with clothing and her appearance, doesn't wear make-up etc.

Sound:

Non-diegetic music – upbeat, positive – connotes film’s tone

Camerawork:

Medium shots

Close-ups

Tracking shots

High angle shots

Clothing:

Casual, teenage clothes - not gender specific, tomboy styling cues

Editing:

Directional slide transitions and zooms between shots,

Montage of shots of the begins with quick cuts

Preliminary_Video_Evaluation

Evaluation:

When I started this film I learnt how important it is to pre-plan my scene's. As having a for what you are going to do when I started filming, as this makes the filming go smoother and quicker.

Pre-Plan:
This is a floor plan I created before filming so I could see where the actor would be walking, and would help me set up the camera placement.



This floor plan aloud me to tell the actors where they would be going without me telling them after each take.

I also created a camera shot list with a camera floor plan.





This helped me refer as to what shots I would need to be doing after I had finished with a certain camera scene, but this was not set in stone as if I thought a different shot would have been better I would try that shot and compare it with the other shot.

Planning (Stage):
For the filming of the preliminary task I had to find a location that look like an office room as that was the scene we were set up with in our storyboard. When I found a room which match the right description, the room was G10 in the science department and it was what I needed, as it outside it had a long corridor I could open with and inside it had office desk at the front of the room, I also had to make sure that no-one was going to use the room when we were shooting the film.

Planning (Actors):

With the room sorted I needed now find some “actors” who could do the scene. As this was everyone else in my class was working with each other I had to find some friends who could help me. As it was a study period I found Kyle Thomas and Rhys Thomas (Not related) and they agreed to help me, so I gave them their scripts and we then started filming the scenes. However one of the actors had to go after a while so I had to do some of he’s scenes myself. So I learnt that you can think of a few thinks on the spot, depending on the situation, as it could change in a matter of seconds. This can be seen when 'Kyle'  grabs the folder from the desk, I decided to change the scene from my walk-in plan to have a close-up shot on the folder, but had to do the scene myself as Kyle had to leave, So I learnt you can change actors and get away with it if you have the same mise-en-scene aspects like props (the folder) and clothing (Kyle's jumper).
Planning (Props):
In my storyboard there weren’t many props that would be needed for the film. All I originally needed for the film was a folder and a file. However before I started filming I decide to add a few more things like Kyle’s character having glasses, a book and a pen which he would put to one side when Rhys’s character showed up. This was used to emphasis Kyle’s character as being important and how he is a very busy person.

Preliminary_Task_Video

Preliminary Task:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRKJX4dnGqw

Research - Different_film_institutions_Logo

Universal studios:

Universal studios have a very iconic logo that shows the Earth glowing with the word universal going across it. The logo has always been like this since it was first in created in April 30, 1912, California, United States, but has been updated from a timeless look of being black and white to the logo it has today, connoting to the audience how the studio has evolved and changed over the years. The logo has also been altered with certain films, like for the 1994 “The Flintstones” to make it look more like the film showing that how the company don’t mind not taking themselves seriously, making the logo more relatable with the audience. The logo which is an image of the globe connotes to the audience that the film institution is a globe institution, and is available worldwide and it’s for the whole world enjoyment when it comes to what type of films they finance, even thought it was created in America.  The high quality graphics on the logo shows that Universal is a company of quality and highly professional film company.

DreamWorks:

DreamWorks which is a US film institution has a very popular and iconic logo. Firstly the main image of the logo is a man sitting on the moon and he is fishing, this gives off the idea to the audience that the film that they are going to watch have the possible for anything to happen. Also underneath the main image it says “DreamWorks”, which also gives off the idea that the film the audience is about to watch is going to put them into their own little world. The colour scheme is also in black and white/ are a darker scheme, this is to show how the films the audience is about to watch are timeless as DreamWorks has created many popular animated films over the years which is how they’ve become as popular as a film institution. Such as the Shrek franchise, How to train a dragon and also Kung Fu Panda.

Columbia Pictures:

This US film institution, Columbia Pictures is a very iconic logo as it is an image of a woman holding a light which represents the spotlight of the film and also the woman is standing on a type of stage which also represents the film industry, this could also connote to the audience of the State of Liberty as it has a close resemblance to the Statue, a very ionic symbol to the people of America and is one of the first thing people would think of when thinking of New York/The USA, making it recognisable to most people around the world. This image would connote to the audience the level of quality of the film they are about to watch.

20^th Century Fox:

20th Century Fox is an American film company and is one of the biggest in the world. It has made some of the highest budget films in history, including the likes of Avatar and Ice Ace. The logo is a large, statue-like structure of the company name that is gold with strobe lights around it. The gold in the logo symbolises the wealth of the company as well as emphasising the quality of the brand and its products. The lights connote how the company is looking for new stars, as they are pointing at the sky shining the way for someone new to appear.

 

Research - Significant_teenager_angst_Films

Footloose – April 13, 1984 (United Kingdom). Directed by Herbert Ross

Plot:

In this film Kevin Bacon’s character Ren McCormack is in shock when he discovers the small Midwestern town he now calls home has made dancing and rock music illegal, after moving away from Chicago. Struggling to fit in, Ren faces an uphill battle to change things within the town. With some help with his new friend, Willard Hewitt (Christopher Penn), and defiant teen Ariel Moore (Lori Singer), he might loosen up this conservative town. But Ariel's influential father, Reverend Shaw Moore (John Lithgow), stands in the way of change in this small town.

Themes:

-The main themes in Footloose are:

·         -Different walks of life style,

·         -Seeing the differences in people,

·        - Excepting change for the better.

The Breakfast club – June 7, 1985 (In UK). Directed by John Hughes

Plot:

When five high school students from different walks of life have to endure an entire Saturday detention by the headteacher (Paul Gleason). The disparate group includes rebel John (Judd Nelson), Princess Claire (Molly Ringwald), outcast Allison (Ally Sheedy), brainy Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) and Andrew (Emilio Estevez), the jock. Each has a chance to tell their story, making the others see them in a different light, when the day ends; they question whether school will ever be the same for them again.

Themes:

-The main themes in The Breakfast club are:

·         -Different life styles and understanding,

·         -Stereotypes of teenagers,

·         -Changing views on others.

Dirty Dancing – October 16, 1987 (UK). Directed by Emile Ardolino

Plot:

When Jennifer Grey character Frances “Baby” Houseman was hoping to enjoy her youth while it lasts, she is disappointed when her summer plans deposit her at a sleepy resort in the Catskills with her parents. Her luck turns around, however, when the resort's dance instructor, Johnny Castle played by Patrick Swayze, enlists Baby as his new partner, and the two falls in love. Baby's father forbids her from seeing Johnny, but she's determined to help him perform the last big dance of the summer.

Themes:

-The main themes in Dirty Dancing are:

·         -Free of expression,

·         -Other ways of life,

·         -Forced opinions.

Easy A – October 22, 2010 (UK). Directed by Will Gluck

Plot:

After her popular best friend prompts Emma Stone character Olive to spill details of her boring weekend. Olive a clean-cut high school student relies on the school's rumour mill to advance her social and financial standing, by telling a little lie about losing her virginity. When the high-school busybody played by Amanda Bynes overhears this conversation and spreads it all over campus, Olive is suddenly notorious but for the wrong reasons.

Themes:

-The main themes in Easy A are:

·         -Acceptance of others,

·         -How other’s see you,

·         -Losing who you are,

·        -Trying to find out who you are.

The Hunger Games – March 23, 2012 (UK). Directed by Gary Ross

Plot:

Base on the book with the same title. In what was once North America after a disaster, the new Capitol of “Panem” maintains its hold on the 12 districts by forcing them each to select a boy and a girl, called “Tributes”, to compete in a nationally televised event called the “Hunger Games”. This is when citizen must watch as the youths fight to the death until only one remains. District 12 Tribute Katniss Everdeen played by Jennifer Lawrence has little to rely on after taking her sisters place, other than her hunting skills and sharp instincts, in an arena where she must weigh survival against love.

Themes:

-The main themes of The Hunger Games are:

·        - Different walks of life style,

·         -Action/Survival,

·         -Trying to find out who you are.

·         -Counter Stereotypes of teenagers,

·         -Changing views on others,

·         -A strong female lead.