MACRO ANALYSES FILM OPENINGS

MACRO ANALYSIS: ANGUS THONGS AND PERFECT SNOGGINGAngus, thongs and perfect snogging is a teen romantic comedy film in England. The narrative is based on a fifteen year old girl Georgia who is facing life’s typical struggles for her age group such as friendships, relationships and identity. Similarly to romantic comedies, the film includes conventions such as the ‘boy meets girl’ scenario, normally set in a urban environment which in this case it is school and often centered around a female character who is the protagonist. The target audience for this sub genre is usually teenage girls from the ages 12-16. This is because, as mentioned before, these films usually focus around a main female character, this makes it easier for the target audience to relate with the protagonist because they themselves may have dealt with similar issues. The film is certified a 12A which is unusual for teenager films as although they are not aimed at young children it would often still be suitable for them to watch. However, the film does explore themes such as low self esteem and relationships. In addition, it occasionally uses derogatory terms that wouldn't’t be acceptable for young children.

As the film starts we see that one of the production companies from the film is ‘Nickelodeon movies’. This links with the target audience and genre as this is a TV channel which is aimed at the same ages to this film. In addition, it allows audiences to know if they will like the film as it is likely that it will be produced similarly to programmes the company makes. The use of the colour orange differentiates from the target audience of females as it is seen as a more unisex colour, this could mean that although the film is generally based around the life of a teenage girl it could also have themes that will appeal to males.

The long shot portrays Georgia arriving at the Halloween party dressed inappropriately in comparison to her peers. The fact that her costume is a stuffed olive can be seen as very funny for the audience which is the main aim of comedy films. In addition, in this shot everyone is staring at her which is assumed is in judgement due to how she is standing out. In a teenager film, a common convention is social pressures, this is reinforced here by how she is being judged by her peers for what she decided to wear. There is no obvious diegetic sound in this clip although the audience can easily tell that an awkward silence is being created. Often incomedy films the protagonist has many imperfections and embarrasses themselves in some way. The use of the awkward silence creates the idea that it is uncomfortable for Georgia but amusing for the audience as they partly sympathize but also laugh at the situation.

MACRO ANALYSISThis mid shot shows Georgia’s friends ‘cringing’ at her costume which could be comedic for the audience as it may be how they would react if placed in that situation. In addition, particularly the girl in the middle is dressed as if she is a lot older than her actual age of approximately 14 to 15 years old. It is often common for teenagers to attempt to make themselves look older through the use of clothing, hair and makeup and the demonstration of this in a film of the teen sub genre can be relatable for other young people going through similar phases.

The location for the opening scene is mainly set at one of Georgia’s peers house for a Halloween party. This more links with the teen sub genre as oppose to comedy because stereotypically teenagers are known to enjoy socializing with friends. This can also have some associations with the comedy genre because there is normally no specific location and can be almost anywhere in those types of films.

In conclusion, in this opening of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging it does reflect the sub genre of teen-comedy well due to it focusing on teenager issues they have to deal with but additionally including comedy alongside these situations making the audience amused and happy as comedy films usually do. Moreover, even though the opening situation specifically may not have happened to the target audience, some may have similar memories as they are between 12 to 16 years old which includes the main characters age group.

Similarly to the majority of films within the comedy genre it is likely that the film will follow Todorov’s narrative theory as the audience has already been given a sense that it is going to be light hearted and fun to watch. In addition, as the target audience is relatively young of the ages 12 to 16 years old the producer’s would probably want to follow quite a straight and clear storyline that can be easily enjoyed without having to concentrate at all times.

MACRO ANALYSIS: THE MATRIXThe Matrix is part of the science fiction genre set in a dystopian future. This genre of film is mainly set in the future, in addition, it looks at different themes of advanced technology, time travel, space, etc. The target audience for science fiction films can range quite broadly through the sub genres. I believe that the film is aimed at both genders as it does not follow the typical stereotypes for the sexes and instead focuses on a more modern approach. The Matrix is certified a 12A so this automatically means that it is not aimed at children. I think it would appeal to ages above 16 years old as the plot is relatively complex which would be more difficult for younger viewers to interpret. Straight away when the credits begin it is obvious that the film is linked with scientific themes due to the altered clips for each production companies. Instead of the original colour schemes each company has, it has been edited to become green. This is significant and more imaginative than other genres so the use of the colour change reflects how this film is unique.

Next the screen is filled with what seems to be a computer monitor with strange letters and numbers randomly appearing. This links with the common science fiction film convention of advanced technology as it is something the audience does not understand and are trying to figure out, possibly because we have not been exposed to this type of technology yet. The computer actions continue until one minute and twenty-five seconds. As it takes up such a major section of the two-minute opening scene, it leads us to believe that it is important within the story and provides significance to the plot. For example, as it is a science fiction film it is likely that it will include conventions such as a complex level of technology so making us familiar with it from the beginning sets the tone for what we are about to see.

The music throughout these first few credits is non diegetic. It is quite dramatic and in a crescendo fashion. This helps to further intrigue the audience on why this music was chosen; it suggests that the film itself will be gripping as this genre usually is and this is a build up to later events. When the computer screen is displayed the same music continues, although, over the top there are specific sound effects which seem like the type of sounds a computer would make but not similar to the type of ones the audience would have heard. This helps to set the scene and add to the genre of science fiction because they often feature objects that we aren’t aware of and are new to technology.

In this opening we do not establish any characters, but, very briefly we see a female individual named ‘Trinity’. We do not see a lot of her as she is only first introduced at one minute and fifty-five seconds. When we first see her she is faced towards the wall at a desk as a long shot; we are unable to see her face. This links with the ambiguity of the film genre which the audience found with the unique credits at the very start. The camera straight cuts to a low angled shot so the audience are barely able to see her face, then, the shot slowly rises up to reveal her face in a close up. This adds to the suspense created as her introduction seems as if it should be found significant to the viewers but it also makes them question why this character is so important to the plot. Typically science fiction films follow Todorov’s character theory and a common convention of any type of genre is that the villains are usually dressed in dark colours. This leads the audience to believe that Trinity is the villain of the film which is further interpreted by the fact that she is surrounded by a group of men pointing weapons towards her.

Overall, in this opening of The Matrix there are clear links to the science fiction genre as it includes many typical conventions and themes. The target audience of 16 years and above is mainly suggested by the significant part of the two minutes which is the computer action. This is because it appears to be relatively complex which could easily confuse younger viewers so it seems that it is more suited to older people who enjoy trying to distinguish clues in order to understand the story.

From the film opening I feel that it briefly introduces some binary oppositions from Levi Strauss’s theory it may look in to. For example, a large part of the opening is based on technology, this links to one of the binary opposites of ‘Humanity vs. Technology’. From the beginning credits I already am aware that the film will include a lot of advanced technology leading to the idea that the film may focus on looking at how humanity and technology differ and whether the modern age is taking over. In addition another opposition I noticed is ‘Man vs. Woman’. In the scene where Trinity is introduced she is surrounded by a group of all men appearing as if they are about to attack her. This suggests that there could be conflict between these two genders.

MACRO ANALYSIS

The location from this opening scene appears to be in a dark underground warehouse. This partly links with the genre as it further develops the tension being created as the audience are not sure where the scene is taking place and they don’t know why these characters are there either. However, this does differ to typical science fiction film locations as they often take place in futuristic settings. Although the film is set in the future, there is no indication to that yet from the location which is what the audience would expect.