Coursework Film Analysis

It's A Boy Girl Thing - Editing and Mise-En-Scene:

Directed by: Nick Hurren
Release date: 2006

The opening credits of the film are cartoons of stick men. They show a girl and a boy growing up, and they're always fighting. For example, in one part of it, the boy character throws a rugby ball at the girl whilst she's skipping. This shows the relationship between the two main characters.
In the scene where Nell and Woody are in the museum looking at the statue, there are lots of different camera angles showing them having a conversation. We already know they don't like each other because they're arguing. Most of the camera angles focus on the statue, thats what causes the switch in their body's. When they're having the arguement, there is lots of eyeline matching, this shows both of the characters facial expressions and reactions. There is a high angle shot of the two when they're speaking, also shows the statue which looks like its letting out some kind of spirit thing. We see this again when they switch bodies.
In the scene where Nell and Woody change bodies, the screem is split into two frames to show what each of the characters are doing, and tells us whats happening to them both.
Nells costume and house/room tell us a lot about her character. She wears nerdy girlie clothes, and has a very neat appearance. Also, her room is very tidy and organised. This tells us she is an organised person who takes care in her appearance, and is smart. Whereas Woody wears jeans and a tshirt, he looks very casual and a bit sloppy. His room is messy and unorganised, tells us he is a typical boy, and a cool kid. They're two completely different people.

The pros of using this clip was that there were quite a few different camera angles used, the cons were that apart from the camera angles there wasn't much to talk about.


Zombieland - Mise-En-Scene and Cinematography:

Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
Release date: 2009

In the very opening scene, we're immediately introduced to a fractured society. This is shown through the camera angle - it appears to be tipped on its side showing the destruction of the city. Things are burning and smashed, and then there is an extreme close up of a zombies face, which introduces the type of characters. The camera is shakey in this opening scene, which could suggest that it is handheld. Throughout the film, Columbus has a list of rules that he says will help him survive a zombie attack. He goes through the list at the very beginning, then he reminds us of the various rules depending on the situation. For example, whenever he applies the "double tap" rule, it comes up on the screen along with the rule number.
During the opening credits of the film, there are slow motion shots of different people running from the zombies, and people turning into zombies. The slow motion emphasizes what is going on in the scenes, and allows the audience to see clearly what is going on.


Edward Scissorhands - Mise-En-Scene and Cinematography:

Directed by: Tim Burton
Release date: 1990


The opening credits and the title of the film are shown in the shape of scissor blades, (e.g. film title moves as if it was a pair of scissors opening an closing) which links in with the title ‘Edward Scissorhands’. Also, the camera zooms out on a pair of hands, this suggests that something has happened to his hands. Again it links in with the title, and it hints as to what the film might be about. Also a shot of a pair of scissors, linking in again. There is a fairytale/fantasy element running throughout the film, e.g. the snow. At the very beginning of the film we see snow, then we see cut out shapes fall like snow, and then we see it snowing again when the shot changes to the bedroom (which also has snowflake type wallpaper). At the end of the film it snows again,, which links back to the opening scene when the old lady is telling the story of why it snows.
The journey up the stairs of the castle are shown from the point of view of a character. This allows the audience too feel part of the scene and lets them see things from a characters perspective. This also happens when the door is opened as the camera goes through it. The camera zooms in on the dead man on the floor, who looks very pale. This suggests it could be important later in the film, and it is because he is the inventor who made Edward, but we dont know this until later in the film. There’s a shot of the dark castle on the hill seen through the window of the old lady’s house. It is kind of like two worlds in one. It suggests the person living there is mysterious and isolated. Whereas in the old lady’s house, it is quite cosy, and she has her granddaughter for company. There is a contrast between the two locations.