The films we analysed were:
- Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
- 10 Things I Hate About You
- Mean Girls
- Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
- Just Friends
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
The opening begins with a specialist tracking shot through a window. The shot is also a two-way shot, as one character is shown in a medium close-up and the other character is in mid-shot without the head being shown.
It begins with an accompanying piano and xylophone piece which is placed underneath the dialogue; the main music begins at about 1 minute 30 seconds in. Character is established quickly, as dialogue is exchanged immediately; the male is recognized as the father of the main character, who is a teenager. They discuss the costume that the main character is wearing, and the purpose of it (a costume party).
The dialogue develops to a confrontation (and introduction) of probably the most disliked character in the film, where the main character loses the battle and is silenced. This establishes the character further as being minor compared to the disliked character, a familiar characteristic of a comedy.
The credits are shown in a curly, white typography at the bottom left and right corners of the screen, other than the title which fills the entire right half.
10 Things I Hate About You
The film begins by introducing the font, which is a scrawled, rough typography in several bright colours. The initial shot is “scribbled on”, which is an interesting transition, an establishing shot showing the top of a city, panning to reveal a row of houses. There is distinctive rock music in the background with no vocals.
The film cuts to pan across two cars with different people in, establishing a main moody character, yet not letting the audience recognise the former characters probably as they are unimportant. They seem to be placed next to the solemn, morose character to symbolise contrast, as they are ecstatic and laughing. There is virtually no dialogue to begin with.
Nearly at the end of the 2-minute duration we are shown a school, which creates the setting of the film.
Mean Girls
The initial shot is looking up at a couple who are talking, as though to a young child, about their first day at school. I like this shot because it makes the reader think that the person is a child until the main character is introduced and you see that it is actually a teenage girl this is effective because it is quite comical.
The dialogue is also very good because she is talking about why it is her first day at school and showing what people think home schooled people are like. This is very funny which immediately gets the audience laughing which will make them want to see more.
When she reaches school fast music starts to show how confusing and scary it is which is also quite effective because it what you would expect at a normal school so the audience can relate to this.
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
The initial shot is a view of the city from above which slowly zooms in and beats in time to the music, which is upbeat, the credits also beat in time to the music. I really like this opening because you automatically know that the film is fun.
It is set in New York which gives the impression that it will be a ‘busy’ film and there will be a lot going on. The characters are very well spoken and well dressed and you get the impression that they are very rich and the girl is very spoiled. I like this opening because you can identify what the characters are like very early on in the film.
Just Friends
The initial shot is a black screen and the words “1995 New Jersey” this tells the viewer that this part is in the past. Then there is a close up of the letter that he is writing and close-ups of pictures in his bedroom. I think that this is quite effective because you know that it is about a girl and that it is a teenage film because it is a love note.
The music is romantic and cheesy, with his voice over the top reading aloud what he has written in the letter. This is good because it creates a warm atmosphere. The character is eventually introduced when he is looking into a mirror and singing. This is good because it introduces the fact that the film is also comic as the boy is a stereotypical ‘loser’.
The credits are shown as white writing appearing on the screen. I would rather not use this technique because it is quite boring and I want the credits to give an idea of what the film will be like.
After analysing these films, we have noticed that the "good one" and the "bad one" in the films are usually quickly introduced, and the "good one" tends to be quite a low-profile, normal teenager. The "bad one" is usually a moody female who has a sneering voice, as shown in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. The only exception to this is in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, where the main character is an overly spoilt female.
The music used doesn't really specify a certain trend, as it depends on what atmosphere the director wanted to create at the time, i.e. whether they wanted the mood to change as the plot developed or whether they wanted the mood to be immediately noticed.
The camera shots are nearly always establishing shots to show the area that the characters dwell in; the exceptions to this are Angus, Thongs and Just Friends where the character is shown first.
The credits also are nearly always shown, and are usually in a casual font to relate to the audience's likes.
As you can see, the plot lines vary massively from film to film, despite having similar characteristics. Therefore, we have decided to base our film opening on a book, so we will have a concrete plot in front of us. The book is by Rae Earl, and it is called My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary and is inspired by the diaries of Adrian Mole.