Camera (shot distances, shot angles/positions & movements).
- Tracking - During the title sequence, the viewers are introduced to one of the main characters which is Jack Wyler who is the also known as the popular jock. We are introduced to him, through the use of the track camera shot movement, we first see him get out of his car and is only shown his feet, then as the scene progresses. The camera is following (track movement) his footsteps into the school hallway, ultimately once he reaches his destination, which is a wall of fame for him with his portrait on the wall in the school. The camera gradually moves upwards, finally revealing who we are introduced to. Because of the track shot movement, it emphasises the concept that the character we are about to be introduced to is popular, as the camera is moving along following the moving subject, it's almost as if the viewers are like the un-popular people in school "following" him. It also presents the "popularity" theme, as we are started from looking his feet then gradually upwards to his face, it portrays the idea that we are looking up to him, revealing that he is a superior and popular character in the movie.
- Extreme close up & low angle - A shot distance of extreme close up as well as a shot position is both used when the perfect pretty girl is introduced, also known as Amanda Becker. When we are introduced to the perfect girl, the camera angle is positioned at a low angle but looking up at the subject. This gives the impression that the subject (in this case the perfect girl) is portrayed to be significant and angelic, towards the nerdy boys who are starring at her walk down the stairs. Due to the camera being at a low level and pointing up to a high angle, It reveals that because she's so perfect, she's at a more dominant hierarchy compared to the boys, whereas they are at a lower position. The extreme close up is also used in this scene, to focus on her face, which indicates the idea of beauty, and being the "perfect girl" in the movie.
- Long shot & three shot - The long shot as well as three shot is used when the popular mean girls are introduced into the scene. Mainly, "Priscilla" the main mean girl and her two friends. The long shot is used when they are walking through the hallways and pushing everyone out of their way, the use of the long shot allows the viewer the see the backgrounds and everyone in the scene, it is used however when the mean girls are introduced to reveal the people in the background's reactions and facial expressions. The background people's reactions are immediately negative and they look intimidated, this implies that we can see straight away that these girl's are the "mean popular girls", the long shot also allows us to see the girl's body language, which is walking through the hall way very boldly and strong giving the impression that they think they're better than everyone. The three shot is used, to fit the three mean girls into the shot to show that they're the mean girls of the school, we can see immediately that "Priscilla" is centred in the middle which shows she's the dominant one out of the three.
Editing.
- Sound bridge - A sound bridge is a editing technique where the sound is used as an editing device to link the two scenes together. This would be the scene where Jake finishes off walking through the hall way being greeted by loads of girl's and grabbing their attention, to the viewers being introduced to the character Ricky Lipman who's referred as the "The obsessed best friend". The sound bridge immediately links the two scenes together through the music. This editing technique, transferred the popular jock guy scene to the more unpopular drama kid / obsessed best friend, this sudden sound bridge ultimately was used to demonstrate the contrast between the two characters. As these two male individuals will be the one who ends up falling in love with the same girl, therefore by showing the contrast between the two character's shows their differences. We see Jake Wylder walk down the hall way with a lot of attention, however when we see Ricky walk down the hallway, no one seems to care and the background of people are doing their own thing without paying attention. Which is a contrast to Jake's popularity. This editing technique, somehow linked the two scene's together with the use of sound, without cutting it straight to introduce each character separately.
- Cross cut - The cross cut is used during the scene of the setting at the front of the school, with majority of the popular groups such as the popular cheer leaders and jocks shown and the scene of the " unpopular pretty ugly girl " Janey Briggs and her younger brother who is also portrayed as unpopular, Mitch Briggs "The Desperate Virgin" in the car with their father, on their way to school. The cross cut editing occurs to take the viewers from one situation to another, usually back and fourth to suggest that the two scenes are linked. We first see the high school, then the sister and brother in the car, then back to high school. This cross cut could ultimately portray although it is linked, as it show's them on their way to school and then the school, they're completely different to what the school is showing. As the school scene, is showing a bunch of popular cheerleaders and jocks walking around and doing their cheers, then back to the scene of the siblings being different from the usual cheer leaders and jocks. It portrays the contrast between the two different situations even though they're linked.
Sound.
- Accent - An accent is in which an actor/actress speaks may be an important aspect of the regional identity and may also form an idea of a stereotype. This is shown through the scene of where Priscilla the popular mean girl walks over to her previous boyfriend Jake the popular jock guy, and says " Jake I need to T to the power of 4 Y" Jake responds in a confuse manner. Then she states that it means "Time to talk to you" Because of how she's presented in the movie, being blonde, popular and mean it could be a stereotype of her thinking she makes sense, however to everyone it doesn't. As blondes are portrayed to be bimbo's and majority of the times being clueless, this could be a stereotype of her being the blonde bimbo.
- Synchronous sound - The use of synchronous sound is used in the scene where Rebecca Becker, the perfect pretty girl is introduced. When she's walking down the stairs, there is an immediate gentle harmony synchronising with her movement as she walks down. The synchronous sound is only played when she's appeared in the scene. The sound is a gentle soft melody which could be matching to her personality or appearance, her being angelic and perfect.
- Dialogue - There is a lot of dialogue used in this movie, however the main dialogue between two characters which stands out for me, to reveal something about the characters representation is the scene between The pretty ugly girl and her obsessed best friend who's clearly in love with her. His dialogue, he says exactly how he feels straight to her face without feeling nervous or embarrassed, and she blocks out whenever he says anything in regards to liking her. It reveals that he's clearly said this repeatedly to her and she's obviously heard it many times to the point where it's completely casual and normal to her, or she blocks it out without responding to him pouring out his feelings or his love for her. It show's that she's not into him or see him in that way.
Mise En Scene.
- Clothing - The clothing is so important in this movie, as each character uses their clothing to represent their social class / popularity, role in the high school and aspect of their culture/regional identity. For instance, the popular boys are mainly in the Jock uniforms/ varsity jackets, popular mean girls dressed all in different shades of pink, other popular girls being dressed in their cheerleading uniforms, nerdy/geeky boys are dressed preppy in smart/formal shirts sweaters tailored trousers and glasses. The mise en scene of clothing is extremely crucial in this high school movie, as each character uses their clothing to represent what group they're associated in and their popularity. It also stereotypes each teenage groups based on their clothing, as at the start the teacher separates and divides the students into particular groups based on their appearance and clothing.
- Setting - Mainly in the title sequence, the setting is at the high school. The high school being the main setting location, as that's where everything occurs and how the characters are introduced. Due to the block of lockers in the hall ways, it immediately suggests that this is an American high school, as majority of school's in the US has blocks of lockers like that, the front of high school also gives the impression of a typical american high school because of how the building is built.
- Props - A prop is the object included within the set to help portray the character's characteristics and personality. The unpopular ugly pretty girl is seen reading a book, which demonstrates that she's a bookworm and only into her books, the popular girls are carrying handbags instead of back pack's like everyone else in school which gives the idea that they're more into their appearance and style instead of their education at school, the jocks are shown with footballs in their hands show's their athletic and committed to the school's football team, the nerds/geeks are shown with various school supplies and materials in their pockets such as rulers, pens and pencils show's that their committed to school work and how prepared they are to learn.
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