semiotic analysis

This film opening uses many codes and conventions of the social realism genre. It features dual protagonists preparing for a night out. Its set in a council estate in the north of England. This is at the equilibrium stage of Todorov's narrative structure as it is at the start of the film.
Mise-en-scene is used in this clip to create verisimilitude in the digetic world for the audience. The digetic world is established at the start as being located within a council estate. The overcast weather connotes the reflection of the current economic status, this is an example of prophetic fallacy.
The setting then progresses up the stairs with the mum into a female teenagers bedroom.
There are a number of different props used in this clip that create various meanings for the audience. When Linda's sat on the bed shes reading a magazine juxtaposed to Jen sat on the floor reading a text book; this starts to establish a binary opposition between the 2 characters. Whilst in conversation with Shannon, Linda is using a mobile phone which helps to establish the diegetic world being set in present time. Near the beginning of the montage Shannon tides up a magazine, feather bower, toy blocks, lamb rattle and calculator this signifies how she attempts to juggle herself around her baby, social life and her presentation.
The denotation of the 'baby pink' lipgloss is its a symbolic sign which helps to create the narrative enigma revealed at the end that Shannon has a baby.
Both characters start off the scene wearing school uniforms which connotes their innocence, however they change into more revealing outfits for their night out this transition signifies their sexual activity as they get made up, starting to age their characters appearance. This creates the preferred reading encoded by the producer that the two characters want to be older than they are.
In the shot of Linda and Shannon laughing as a result of smashing a glass, Shannon's dress is low cut showing some cleavage this connotes femininity and maternity.
The dominant colours in my film opening are where Linda wears a gold dress which connotes happy go lucky tack trying to look expensive. At the beginning Shannon's wearing a white and green uniform which connotes that shes good innocent and sensible, juxtaposed to the binary opposition of herself where she changes into her black dress that signifies a more irrational and uncaring side to her personality.
The lighting used is low key which is a common convention of the genre social realism also reflecting the current economic state.
A shallow depth of field is used throughout with the characters in the centre signifying importance, while keeping the conversation obvious to the audience.
Both objective and subjective camera work is used in this clip creating meaning for the audience.
The first shot is an establishing shot which establishes the digetic world; being in a council estate. A close-up shot of Shannon's lips is used during the montage, this connotes femininity also making it obvious to the audience that the characters are attempting to age themselves. A long shot is used on Shannon and Linda's conversation incorporating the rule of thirds which shows the literal separation, connoting the binary opposition of the gap between the two personalities. A mid-two shot is taken of the two girls having a shot of alcohol connoting the the influence of how Shannon is influenced by Linda. A high angle shots used to highlight Shannon's vulnerability, juxtaposed to the low angle shot of Linda which connotes her power and dominance in the relationship between the two.
Theres a tracking shot followed by a tilt of the characters putting on their heels and fishnet tights. This shot follows the action so that its positioned centrally therefore obvious to the audience. A head-cam was used to reinforce the effect of a first person perspective whilst filming Shannon tidying up, this shot was shaky which is a common convention of social realism films. At the end of the film opening theres a zoom into the baby which adds impact after creating tension to the sudden realisation that Shannon is a teenage mum.
This scene follow the generic editing conventions of social realism films. Continuity is maintained in this scene by following the 180 degree rule and also the 30 degree rule is mostly followed apart from in one shot. This shot was the jump cut during Shannon and Linda's conversation this detracts the audience from the film by making editing obvious to them however this is only for a short time.
Theres a shot reverse shot with both characters looking into the mirror and then the camera looking back with a close-up as the mirror, which helps to anchor the binary opposition. This also gives the audience an idea of spacial continuity between the two characters.
The head-cam shows a point of view shot whilst Shannon is tidying up which connotes her struggle to balance her busy life of motherhood, social life and appearance.
An example of temporal editing in this clip is when a montage is used. The montage was used to speed up time of Shannon and Linda getting ready for a night out, this montage connotes an ellipsis of real time within the film.
We used quick cuts throughout our film in keeping with the common conventions of social realism keeping it simple, also so not to detract the audience from the social issue within the film and helping not to attract the audience to the audience which would take entices off the issue in hand.
Sound is used to create verisimilitude, continuity, and to engage the audience. A number of different forms of external digetic sound are used, the first example of this is the ambient sound of footsteps as the mum walks up the stairs this creates realism and also the volume of the footsteps connotes power over the teenagers. Dialogue is also used throughout this scene to help convey the relationship between the two girls. 'I'd been up a few times the night before', this example creates an enigma for the audience asking the question what had kept her up the night before. A sound effect of a smashing glass is used to add verisimilitude as Linda kicks it off the table, which signifies that the girls are care free.
Non-digetic music is also used in this scene, as the montage begins dance music is layered over it, this is incidental music as it builds up the audiences expectations of whats going to happen on the night out.Incidental music also occurs at the end of the scene with the sound effect as the camera zooms into the baby. This creates tension for the audience as the realisation that she is a teen mum becomes apparent. All of the editing in this film opening is synchronous because as something occurs visually, it also occurs aurally e.g. the the door closes you hear it close creating realism and continuity for the audience.