Opening Scene Reviews
1) Boyz 'N the Hood
Mise en Scène: Setting and props: South Central, Los Angeles 1984
Costume: The young boy Trey stands out as being better dressed and well presented in comparison to the other boys and girls in the scene. He is wearing a smart jumper and shirt which makes you believe he takes pride in his appearance.
Facial expressions and body language: The kids appear used to a dangerous world in which death and fighting is common. this is why the kids do not act surprised at the school fight. However they are very shocked at the death site which shows to the audience the innocence of the children. Make up would be inappropriate on the children so it is not used.
Positioning of characters/objects within the frame: The most memorable frame in the scene was the tracking shot of the 4 children walking to school. The reason a tracking shot was used was to keep the children in the middle of the picture. this shows the audience that they are the main focus of the scene.
Lighting and colour: The lighting is quite high key due to the only scenes so far being during the morning and school day. The lighting has yet to provide any enigma codes into the events of the film.
Sound and editing:
There is an interesting technique used right at the start of the film when sirens and a young boys voice can be heard. this initially forces you to sympathise with the small off screen boy due to the nature and compassion of the voice. The scene then switches to a red stop sign which makes you feel they were talking about the scene previously. The speed at which the scenes switches is a clever use of editing to tell the audience that this behaviours must stop.
Memorable camera shots:
There are two memorable shots in the clip one of the the kids walking to school and when trey leans over his friend in attempt to overpower and threaten his friend. The director selects a low angle shot of Trey as if the boy is looking up towards him which makes him appear weaker to the audience; they are not a level match up.
2) The Longest Yard
Mise en Scène: Setting and props: South Central, Los Angeles 1984
Costume, hair and make up: jumpers and smart shirts for boys, skirts and cardigans for girls, all quite stereotypical clothing for black school children who do not have to wear compulsory uniform. Short hair for boys and hair tied up for girls, nothing unusual or special. No particular make-up.
Facial expressions and body language: shocked when they see the blood, laughing in class at Trey's jokes and when the boys fights.
Positioning of characters/objects within the frame: characters are always placed quite central within the frame, they are all important. When Trey is walking along the path, the guys beating another guy are up positioned to the left of the frame, we are suppose to be watching them.
Lighting and colour: daylight, so high key lighting and nice blue colours, nothing unusual is happening at the moment.
Sound and editing:
Off screen diegetic sound at the beginning of taboo language. Textual editing, the facts are going to teach us something. Flash on gunshot and zoom into stop sign is symbolic, stop the crime? Gun shots and zoom/flash onto the Presidents face, this is important to show the problems Los Angeles had at the time. Low base boom sounds, tragic event has happened (someone died.) Off scene then on scene diegetic sound of teacher talking. Whispy music when they begin to fight, tension is building. Off scene diegetic sound, conversation between teacher and mum, the teacher is being patronising and borderline racist.
Memorable camera shots:
Tracking level shot when the kids are walking to school because we can see the type of place they live in as well, e.g. broken windows, stray dogs eating out of bins.
Long wide shot of Trey walking along but we can only focus on guys beating up another guy in the left of the shot, catches our attention to again show the type of place they live in.
Medium four shot of them all behind the 'do not cross' line, curious kids who find the death of someone totally normal and not shocking at all, again relates back to the type of place they live in.
3) Thor
Mise en Scène: Setting and props: South Central, Los Angeles 1984
Costume, hair and make up: jumpers and smart shirts for boys, skirts and cardigans for girls, all quite stereotypical clothing for black school children who do not have to wear compulsory uniform. Short hair for boys and hair tied up for girls, nothing unusual or special. No particular make-up.
Facial expressions and body language: shocked when they see the blood, laughing in class at Trey's jokes and when the boys fights.
Positioning of characters/objects within the frame: characters are always placed quite central within the frame, they are all important. When Trey is walking along the path, the guys beating another guy are up positioned to the left of the frame, we are suppose to be watching them.
Lighting and colour: daylight, so high key lighting and nice blue colours, nothing unusual is happening at the moment.
Sound and editing:
Off screen diegetic sound at the beginning of taboo language. Textual editing, the facts are going to teach us something. Flash on gunshot and zoom into stop sign is symbolic, stop the crime? Gun shots and zoom/flash onto the Presidents face, this is important to show the problems Los Angeles had at the time. Low base boom sounds, tragic event has happened (someone died.) Off scene then on scene diegetic sound of teacher talking. Whispy music when they begin to fight, tension is building. Off scene diegetic sound, conversation between teacher and mum, the teacher is being patronising and borderline racist.
Memorable camera shots:
Tracking level shot when the kids are walking to school because we can see the type of place they live in as well, e.g. broken windows, stray dogs eating out of bins.
Long wide shot of Trey walking along but we can only focus on guys beating up another guy in the left of the shot, catches our attention to again show the type of place they live in.
Medium four shot of them all behind the 'do not cross' line, curious kids who find the death of someone totally normal and not shocking at all, again relates back to the type of place they live in.