Coursework Analysis and Planning - Teen Movie
Task 1:
>Research 3 existing professional-made film openings from the genre you are wanting to make.
ALL HAVE ASPECTS OF TEEN FILM
Edward Scissor Hands (opening scene) -
other category's - due to the conventions falling under the Horror, Comedy, Triller and Romance
Genre. However, Edwards Scissor Hands is also a Teen movie as it shows how teens want to
constantly be loved (just like Edward) and shows the teenage romance between him and Kim.
Kim is a senior in high school that goes through changes that transforms the way she thinks
about loving someone polar opposite to her status and personality. She learns to love and care
for someone like Edward who is helpless and goes against the society by daring to help him
opening titles start with a blue and eerie light. He tries to
connotations of loneliness, helplessness and isolation. This makes the audience think that who
ever we are first introduced to, is depressed due to how deserted and lonesome the character is
feeling. This further implies that the character is all alone - meaning no family, friends or
The camera zooms out from the dark view and colours, showing the film changing to oranges and reds which demonstrates a warm safe tone, showing friendly and inviting kindness, showing the audience they can trust the character that is about to be shown. The contrast of colours between the suburban neighbourhood and Edward’s mansion immediately hints at the vast differences between the two worlds that are about to collide: Edward’s isolated and reclusive life vs. suburbia’s gossip-filled, flamboyant and extroverted atmosphere. The scene is zoomed out of an shown through the window of a warm friendly home, showing the juxtaposition between the two scenarios. The old lady is talking to the young girl about the story of Edward Scissorhands therefore all these techniques that have been used to create a dreamy and perfect world could all be the imaginative state in the little girls mind, this is why maybe things are exaggerated and more bold such as the shapes in Edward Scissorhands garden.
Tim Burton chooses the setting in the opening scene to be a traditional 18th century horror mansion with jagged architectural designs. The fact that there is jagged architectural designs implies how desolated and out of keeping Edward might be. A horror mansion was chosen to clearly show the genre at the beginning and grip the younger audience, as a giant spooky mansion is exciting.
When we first meet Edward, his costume and makeup reflected his character’s personality. His costume consisted of a black leather jumpsuit and very pale makeup, which matched his quiet and isolated nature. His face was covered in scars, which was the result of living with his razor-sharp, scissor fingers. These scars also reflected Edward’s wounded personality.
The music is airy and mysterious and almost mystical, - again emphasizing the genre yet foreshadowing a magical element of the film.
Edward scissor hands is a continuous string / montage or short clips showing us around the mansion.
The bedroom in the opening sequence allows us, as an audience, to gain insight into the character of Oliver Tate. This is done through the use of mise-en-scene. Richard Ayoade experiments in the opening sequence, potentially taking advantage of the "teenage boy room" and tries to reveal to the audience what kind of character Oliver may be.
To begin with, the scene starts with a Blue back ground, with white letters sparsely dotted. This connotates the title "submarine" as the ocean is blue and white. 
In the opening bedroom scene, Richard Ayoade shows - in the first shot- the lighting to be very lowkey and mellow, which shows warmth and gives a homely feeling. This makes the audience suggest that Oliver is friendly and also that Oliver feels comfortable in his room. 
The walls are full of photographs and pictures, which symbolises a nostalgic atmosphere. The skeleton and tripod gives his character a new depth suggesting that he has a interest in science and film, this goes against the stereotypical teenager, who usually dislikes work and is lazy. The rest of his bedroom, appears to be organised and tidy, this frame shows us a more cluttered arrangement. This could, foreshadow his character to have a ‘clean’ mind but shares an aspect of confusion. The use of the type writer tells us the time period it is set in, possibly the late 80’s.The books and posters on the wall indicate an intellectual and creative personality – and we begin to recognise his age before we have met him, possibly as a growing teenager.
The character expression and movement of Oliver being in the corner of the shot, shows how out of place he may feel and that he's an outsider. The blue light on his face shows what the weather and light outside is like (dark, gloomy day,) this may contrast his thoughts and feelings.
This scene shows how isolated the house is, this may symbolise Oliver (him being the house,
away from others.)
Oliver Tate delivers self-aware narration which highlights the genre of the film as its a troubled teen talking. As the audience were more engaged as we are hearing his thoughts, which he may not be comfortable with saying aloud for others to hear.
The scene has a vary of setting shots which shortly follow his dialogue.
Attack the block (opening scene) -
We start with a shot of space. Camera tilts down to a long shot of a tube station. Night. Fireworks are going off. The tilt in the camera, like a human head looking up at the fireworks and down at people reactions. Shows that its November 5th tends to be cold and dark. The scenes set in London – busy, capital, lots of big brands. Camera pans left, showing Sam leaving the brightly lit tube station. She is on the phone. A wide shot to show that the market is busy, and she feels safe surrounded by people and light. The lights shining on her to emphasize the facts that she’s the main character.
Sam turns down a dark alley. She stops as she sees something ahead of her. Mid shot to show her emotion and shock and to show what may come up next. Also, to show she’s alone and how isolated she is meaning she could feel unsafe. It also shows more mise-en-scene like her hair and makeup, costume and props ect.
We see a
gang of youths, dressed in street clothes with hoods covering their faces.
He’s also covering his faces, showing that there’s an
element of mysteriousness and mystery about him.
Moses takes
Sam’s phone, wallet and ring. He then pushes her to the ground.
>Research 3 existing student-made film openings from the genre you are wanting to make.
We - as an audience - can tell from the props being used that the character has a love for computes (considering there is a silver photo frame - silver implies the computer is a star and he is very proud - of him and his computer). This implies the character will be nerd like. The costume of all yellow also shows he is abit different from others - as yellow isn't a typical colour people tend to wear. The glasses connotates to nerdy and smart personality. The character expression and movement shown is that he is focused. This is obvious to see when he is tapping rapidly on his keyboard and ignoring the voicemail - playing over the top of the video.
In my opinion, it is unclear to the audience if the voicemail playing over the top is diagetic or non-diegetic.
The artificial lighting is bright - suggesting the character is bright minded and quite smart.
However, the props also include post notes of girls names and numbers, with a dialogue of a voice message - after the main character has obviously left for the phone to go to voicemail. This plays to Levi - Strauss' binary opposites theory. However the main character is contrasting himself and the audience wouldn't typically put the idea of being a "lady's man" and nerd together. It goes against the idea of him being a stereo typical nerd.
Task 2:
Production Title: Typical
> Location recces
10 minutes away from home
The corridor is a long corridor - perfect for under a minute of walking. The school will be quiet due to filming when no children will be around. The corridors are rather wide - which means there will be an echo- however I want an echo from the clicks of the heels (drawing attention to her so the audience know she is the main character.)
The bathroom is also on the same corridor, so the main girl would have to turn and enter through the door. This is ideal due to the audience seeing the setting of the school.
This is the corridor which the MAIN GIRL will walk down. There are lockers to the side, which one of the characters will be places in order for the audience to get an insight of the setting and what kind of environment the school and teenage life is about. 
This is the very start of the show, where the title will come up. The audience will see people walk out holding books and chatting, watching the girl and getting out of her way as she walks past. The books and folders show the audience that it is a school, assuming the genre is a teen film. 
Later when the MAIN GIRL completes the corridor journey, she will turn the corner sassily and do a hair flick and sweet turn. She then meets the bathroom which is where the start of the story unravels. I have put an arrow to show where this happens. 
This is the bathroom door leading into the bathroom. The camrea will shoot her walking in, and then switch to the other side of the door. 
This is the bathroom stall i will be using. However I will tidy it up to make it look cleaner and write on the walls to show the reality (Stuart hall reflection of reality theory)
>Character profiles
>Casting justifications
The girl im using for my character is Ava Carrara, She is blonde -which fits my ideal character for this opening perfectly. Ava also has blue eyes - which typically is the beauty standard and what is considered 'the perfect look'
Ava also has a certain body type - which is typically used in American films to show the male gaze theory. The theory suggests that the male gaze denies woman's identity. I want ava to play this role for the 2 minute opening to be the most coming of age and stereotypical opening possible. Ava is 16 - fitting the age of her character.
>Props list
-lip gloss (girly props - makes the audience see what kind of characters the different girtls are based on what lip glosses / colours the different characters have)
-lip stick (replacement for lip gloss, older girls wearing this to show maturity)
-books (different subjects)
- folders
- basketball (I've included a basketball to make the atheistic of the film seem American style)
- pencil case
>Costume list
- pink chequered skirt
- white socks
-white heels
-pink blazer
- white polo shirt
- pink headband
GIRL 1
- white nike trainers
- high white socks
- purple skirt
- white polo shirt
- pink cardigan (same colour as skirt)
- purple headband
GIRL 2
- black doc martins
- fishnets
- red skirt
- cream polo shirt
- red cardigan
- white headband
BOY (displayed as sporty)
- white pants on show
- red basketball vest sports top
- red sweat band
GIRL (displayed as nerdy)
- yellow jumper
- black leggings
- glasses
- yellow scrunchies
Task 2.1:
>Story board
>Script
There will be no dialogue. Just music and words will be shown through character expression and movement, until the very end in the last scene.
No comments:
Post a Comment