Introduction

We have decided to base our Artefact around the genre of teen-romance. In order to produce a successful opening sequence that fits the normal conventions of this genre, we have researched other films that fit into this category and the conventions that they hold.


Textual analysis of openings
Due to the opening of the film we are producing having a time limit of 2 minutes it is important that we look at the first two minutes of different opening sequences in order to understand how much we will be able to fit into our opening and what we need to include for it to relate to our chosen drama .Below are analyises of the first 2 minutes from opening sequences of five different teen -romance films.


We also need to consider the following throughout the specific openings in order to gain a true understanding of the conventions that are necessary in the opening that we are going to produce:

• Stock Setting- where the opening is based
• Stock Characters- the type of characters that appear in the opening ,what they look like and how they are represented
• Stock iconography- what kind of images are visible through the opening and the conventions that make the genre clear to the audience

All these factors are essential in ensuring that the opening we produce is relevent to the specific genre we have chosen and fits in with the typical conventions.

Number 1: A Cinderella Story

The opening of 'A Cinderella Story' commences with the title text. Actors, Producers etc are mentioned on the screen whilst the camera follows through the unwinding mountains. Tracking is used whilst the mountains are being unravelled which introduces the setting to the audience however leaves the exact location of the characters fairly ambiguous which adds excitement to the opening as the viewers are left longing to know the exact setting where the film is based and want to know more information about the individual characters that are in the film. As the mountains start to come to an end, the camera zooms in to a large castle which is when the title of the film appears 'A Cinderella Story'.A non-diegetic female voice over is also introduced which then starts the story- throughout the opening the voice over is used to introduce the audience to the main female characters story and helps us to relate to her situation which makes the storyline more gripping and appeals to the audience. The female teen illustrating her story using a voice over is a typical convention of teen-romance films as it follows the stereotype of teenage girls being very chatty and having a constant flow of situations to talk about.  

Once the voice over has been introduced and the setting is visible, the audience are expecting to be introduced to some kind of princess that lives in the castle, however, the castle suddenly transforms into a globe which then we realize belongs to a young small blonde girl. The little girl looks fairly minor in comparison to the wonderful surroundings which first appeared at the start of the opening which connote that her story is based in reality rather than this 'fairytale world' and rather than her being a princess, she is just an ordinary little girl. Also, it relates to the stereotypical potrayal in teen-romance films that 'ordinary' teenage girls are longing to be whisked away into the fairytale lifestyle of a princess with a perfect prince for company.

In the opening, the storyline is brought to reality using a straight-cut to move the frame towards a view of the city. The non-diegetic music cuts off and diegetic sounds such as car horns and peoples voices are used to reinforce the idea that this is the actual setting of the film rather than the magical castle and views that were first introduced to us at the very beginning. After the city setting has been introduced, the non-diegetic music and voiceover is restarted and the father and daughter are shown in the frame which is used to illustrate the strong relationship formed between them which is significant in the film. A dissolve is used as the scene transitions to a different view of the father and daughter both sitting in the car, its important to notice that the titles of names in the film are still appearing on screen. A high angle point of view shot is used of the car to reinforce the setting of the film due to other cars being in the frame and also shows that both characters are in the car. A mid shot is used of the characters faces. This is effective as we are able to notify due to the characters facial expressions that they are enjoying each others company and have a close bond due to the way in which they interact with one another. A wipe is used to move the setting to show the little girl playing baseball, once the girl hits the ball, the father immediatly runs to her and the audience are able to notify through a close up the joy that his daughter creates within him. This again, emphasises the strong bond between father and daughter and builds up the amount of activities that they participate in together.


Towards the end of the extract, as an audience, we are introduced to the fathers business and the happy-family atmosphere that is created due to the smiley faces and the fact that everyone in the frame is interacting with each other and enjoying themselves. This emphasises the main theme throughout the opening sequence that even though there are only two main people in this family, and they don't live in a massive castle ,they still hold an extremely strong bond and that their everyday lives are filled with interacting with each other, enjoying life and participating in activities such as baseball and picnics etc.


Overall, the opening sequence for 'A Cinderella Story'' is primarily focused on thoroughly introducing the setting of the film, the characters involved and their story. This is achieved through;

• Demonstrating the characters daily activities -this allows the audience to understand and get to know the family members in more detail and highlights their extremely tight bond with one another.
• The voice over- the female teen voice over is significant as it narrates the story and specifically tells the story behind the characters which decreases confusion for the audience. The voice over also allows the audience to feel more involved with the particular character and relate to their issues which is a common convention in teen-romance films- normally the audience are able to connect with the female character.

Stock characters shown:

• Usual blonde pretty female main character

Stock settings shown:

• The 'fairytale' castle
• Turns from rural setting to urban, city setting

Number 2: Never Been Kissed

The opening begins with small blue shapes flashing on the screen and the occasional star is also displayed, in addition an upbeat non-diegetic soundtrack is used in order to relate to the youthful, fun tone that is expected from the genre of the film. The stars that appear on the screen link with the soundtrack that states “catch a falling star and put it in your pocket”; this creates an enigma within the audience, as obviously the star must have a specific purpose in the film. The use of the stars also reiterates the dominant stereotype of teenage girls often shown in this specific genre –which is that they often have dreams to fulfil and chase and tend to live in a ‘fairy-tale’ world.  

By using this soundtrack and the animation, it connotes to the audience that the film is going to be fairly bubbly and new which represents the age group that are being revealed in the film. Titles are also flashing upon the screen throughout the animation. By mixing the animation with the titles it makes it more exciting to watch for the audience which speeds up the introduction. After the producers and directors etc. have been mentioned, all of the blue shapes appear on the screen at the same time to create a collage which is when the title appears ‘never been kissed’.

Once the titles have disappeared, a female voiceover is used to introduce the film which signifies that this particular female is the main character in the film. This aspect fits in with the dominant convention of this specific genre which is that the main female character introduces her story and lifestyle with the use of a voiceover at the start of the film. This feature is mainly used in order to build a relationship between the audience and the character which is expected in this type of storyline and helps the audience to relate to her situation. By using a voiceover, it also helps the audience to understand what is going on which increases their interest in both the character and the film. A point of view shot of the baseball pitch is used at the start of the film so that the audience are able to see the situation from the characters perspective which again helps them relate to the character. The baseball pitch looks considerably large in comparison to the small persona that is visible, a midshot is also used of both the female and the baseball pitch in order to highlight her insignificance and vulnerability in comparison to the setting in front of her. A long shot appears of the girl standing on the pitch by herself which fits in with a dominant theme used in teen romance films that the teenage girl is represented as having to fight for love on her own and having to build a new character for herself in order to find that love. Additionally, a pan is used to show the massive crowd observing this young girl which again adds to the shaping of this exposed, weak, susceptible persona that is being created. The situation visible from the beginning of the film illustrates the dominant ideology that young women are considerably weak when trying to stand out from a crowd, and in comparison to major settings they appear as very little characters. This specific convention is commonly found in teen romance films when teenage girls are trying to ‘live their dream’ and become ‘unique’.  

After the view of the crowd, the pan continues through darkness into a city setting which we are able to establish as the main characters workplace due to ‘the Chicago sun times’ building being highlighted to the audience. It is noticeable at this point that the first setting shown was in the present of the specific storyline, however, the film is now moving back in time to the ‘beginning’ of this young girls story. This gives the audience the feeling that they now know this young girl due to having an insight to both her present and past. The voiceover is also used to utilise information about the story to the audience which makes the different setting shown more significant. After the building has been introduced, a pan movement is used to follow business people travelling across a bridge, interacting with one another. The main focus is on these people which makes it incredibly difficult to view the young girl as she crosses the bridge- this emphasises her lack of being able to ‘fit in’ which is a common problem dealt with in this specific genre.  Also, we get the impression through the start of the film that the character recognizes that she is fairly unnoticed and unappreciated .For example, a mid shot is used of her trying to have a conversation with her assistant however he is more interested on his personal phone call and does not seem to pay much interest or respect towards her. This is significant as even though the character in this situation is in a superior role, she is still seen as unimportant and is not took much notice of.

The opening of this film again, fits the normal conventions of its genre. Similiarly to other teen romance film openings;

• A voiceover is again used to illustrate the main character and 'her' story which builds a relationship between the audience and the main character- it is noticable that the voiceover is mostly a female due to the target audience being able to relate to her
• The opening switches from past to present- which helps tell the story. In most teen romance film openings, the story is not straighforward, however, the voiceover manages to decrease any confusion which makes the storyline more easy to understand

Stock characters shown:

• The 'Geeky' new girl who is constantly trying to fit in

Stock settings:

• A high school baseball pitch
• Offices in the city

Number 3: The Princess Diaries

A clear blue sky is first introduced at the opening of the film with the titles of the producers and the actual film appearing in the frame. A tilt is used to move down from the blue sky into the beautiful scenery of a large bridge and clear blue water. Additionally, a fade-in is then used in order to create a different setting of the specific location, the tilt still continues however moves on to a city based area where there is traffic identified and people viewable, a limo is also insight which is significant later on in the film. The scene then fades again to the view of fairly average housing, which is used in contrast to the limo in the previous scene, a pan is used to evaluate all of the houses and illustrates a sense of identity which connotes that this is where the main character lives and that they must therefore live a fairly plain, normal lifestyle. The pan stops at a fairly shabby looking house which then suggests to the audience that this house is of significant importance. These aspects of the opening create a strong sense of place to the audience and help identify the setting of the film. This is effective as it allows the audience to feel more involved with the film and also builds up enigma as they are yet to be introduced to the main character however they are aware of her location and class. Creating a strong introduction of the setting in most teen romance film openings appears to be a common convention- it’s also noticeable that the scene changes from beautiful, quiet surroundings to fairly noisy, urban surroundings which reinforces the change of a ‘dream/fairytale land’ in contrast to the actual reality of teenage girls life. The first minute of the film is primarily focused on the changes of setting around the area and identifying the main characters whereabouts.

Non-diegetic slow, relaxing, elegant music is used whilst the setting is being introduced to the audience which creates a tranquil tone to the film and connotes that the storyline is going to be fairly pleasant, straightforward and follow a typical romance story. However, once the camera stops on the main characters house, the music is suddenly turned off and a diegetic voice is used of the mother shouting “time for school” which demonstrates the change into reality and connotes that this is just an ordinary schoolgirl facing everyday issues rather than an elegant princess ruling over the setting. Additionally, non-diegetic music is again used however is also used to illustrate the change between a sophisticated elegant princess and a normal, plain everyday schoolgirl due to an upbeat pop song being introduced. The purpose of this sound is also to shape the main characters personality to the audience and reinforce the dominant idea of teenage girls listening to loud pop music rather than admiring their surroundings and appreciating life

A straight-cut is used from the introduction of the setting to a view of the character. The audience are straight away exposed to a geeky-looking teenage girl who is shown to be the main character. She is recognizable to be this ‘geeky’ stereotypical character due to her glasses, frizzy hair, blazer and pleated skirt. A mid-shot is used of her looking out of her bedroom window which connotes that she would rather be somewhere else and wishes of a better life. This aspect fits in with the dominant storyline of this specific genre- that the young female main character has hopes and dreams of her own to fulfil outside her house and longs to be doing her own thing and shaping her future rather than stuck in a tatty old uniform waiting to go to school. A long shot is used which shows the audience her bedroom and introduces her actual home. This is significant as even though the audience have seen her house from the outside, her bedroom is more personal to her and helps the audience to relate to her character and gain more information about her personality. Straight away from her costume we are able to evaluate that this character is rather individual and not a stereotypical image of a ‘girly’ teenager, however this idea is emphasised in greater depth due to the props in her room such as a world globe, books and various movie posters. The amount of clutter in her room connotes that she is quite a confused character. Also, her relationship with her cat emphasises that she is fairly lonely and therefore appreciates her cats company more due to not being able to fit in with the stereotypical 'teenage' girl and being able to relate more to a pet

A high angle point of view shot is used to demonstrate that the house is fairly messy and all over the place which connotes the general idea of teenage girls minds- that they are fairly messed up and unsure about life. It also represents how her life is fairly different to the dominant ideology of teenage girls in films being extremely self-conscious about their image and living in luxury. In addition, the tilt of her coming down the pole in the middle of her house also reinstates how her lifestyle is fairly unique and different which therefore reflects her unique personality.

• Overall, the crucial factor of the opening of 'The Princess Diaries' is the introduction to the setting which is significant as it creates a development of the character and also introduces the audience to the area in which the film is based. It's also important in this particular film as it demonstrates the class of the character and creates a strong regional identity
• There is also strong emphasis on the challenge of the dominant ideology of teenage girls being very 'girly' ,which suggests that this characteristic of the main character is significantly important later on in the film which makes the film opening more interesting and different

Stock Characters shown:

• The 'Geeky' schoolgirl -glasses, frizzy hair and long pleated skirt

Stock Settings shown:

• A view of the city- cars, buses etc.
• A view of a neighbourhood- different houses are introduced

Number 4: 10 Things I Hate About You

The titles are introduced at the very start of the film in a graffiti type font and carry on throughout the introduction of the setting- the graffiti type font represents the teenage age group in the film and creates an identity for the urban setting. The setting is first introduced to the audience through a cartoon perspective which again relates to the childlike perspective of life in general ,the cartoon then evolves into a real-life view. A pan is used to demonstrate the city setting, which enables the audience to view buildings and parks which demonstrate the new developments. The names of actors are also still being introduced to the audience and appear on screen whilst a high-angle shot is used of the city, this aspect is used in order to make the titles less boring due to the setting being placed in the background throughout, As the film commences, a non-diegetic ,upbeat soundtrack is used which again represents youth and creates a bubbly atmosphere to start of the film. It is significant to notify that the first minute of the film is primarily based on introducing the setting to the audience.

After the setting has been introduced, a long shot is used of a neighbourhood, covered with teenagers on bikes, in cars and on foot. The setting and characters we are introduced to connote that we will soon be introduced to a high school or some sort of social meeting place for this age group. It also establishes the age group that are going to be in the actual film. A light blue ,clean car full of stereotypical pretty, smiley teenage girls appear to the camera dancing and singing along to the non-diegetic music in the background. All of a sudden, the non-degetic music fades, the girls stop dancing and smiling, a diegetic heavy metal soundtrack is introduced and a pan is used to draw the cameras attention to a slightly more 'rough' looking car with a single 'tom-boy' female teenager situated in the front seat. The contrast between the cars, and also the teenagers is used in order to represent the different groups that are found in most high schools. It also demonstrates the single female teenagers attitude towards the other group. A close up is used of her rolling her eyes up- due to her facial expressions, we are able to analyse that she is not interested in fitting in with their type of music and finds their happy, girly attitude fairly lame. As soon as people have passed the crossing, she does not hesistate to start driving which connotes that she has a fairly care-free attitude to life and other people

A tilt is used to introduce the school setting- the audience are able to view a significant amount of teenagers entering the school. By introducing the school setting, it reinforces the teen genre of the film and fits in with the normal conventions of a teen film. The camera then cuts to a view of the single female entering the school. Throughout the opening, we mainly see this female on her own which fits in with one of the stock characters in teen romance films -the outcast. She seems to not fit in with the other students due to her individuality. Whilst entering the school, she rips off one of the posters situated on the wall which again demonstrates her care-free attitude and the idea that due to her not fitting in she does not appreciate nor enjoy school life. This character challanges the dominant stereotype of a female teenager and shows rather masculine traits- this countertype being introduced in the opening goes against the usual conventions of a teen romance film which creates a unique aspect to the film.

Stock Characters shown:

• The popular, pretty, girly, popular female group
• The rebellious outsider who does not wish to fit in with this stereotypical group shown in most high schools

Stock Settings shown:

• The outside of a large highschool
• A friendly, sunny neighbourhood

Number 5: Crazy/ Beautiful

At the start of the opening, the audience view a low angle point of view shot of the sky. This leaves the setting fairly ambiguous. Another scene is introduced of an animated dressing table type picture. Photo frames are located around the scene and there is a main photo frame in the center of the picture which is used to show the constant change of setting. The picture changes from images of beaches, funfairs, road signs, palm trees etc. Once each image has been shown in the picture the scene cuts to a home video type impression of the image which illustrates the constant change of setting in the characters life. It also reflects the idea of the characters memories being kept in the photo frames and it allows the audience to have a more personal perspective on the characters life which makes them feel more involved and more able to relate to the particular character. Whilst the still images are placed in the photo frame, the titles are also appearing on the screen of the directors, producers etc. and also the actual name of the film. The scenes visible to the audience seem fairly gloomy and abandoned which reflects her childhood and the type of character that we get the impression she is.

A female voiceover is also introduced in the 40th second of the film opening which is a typical convention from the openings of teen romance films and is used so that the character is able to tell her story whilst the images are appearing on the screen. This is used again, to help the audience relate to the character and understand her story before the 'present' of the film starts.

After the title of the film has been introduced on the photo frame, the scene fades out to a scene of around 5 boys standing on the peer above a beach in their vests and t-shirts. The boys appear as fairly boisterous due to their body language and their language choices aswell- they seem to swear quite a lot and use slang language suitable for their age group. Teenage males are often represented in teen films in this way as they appear fairly immature in comparison to females. They are often seen as acting in a 'macho' way in order to impress both one another, and girls, and also in order to act as a threat towards other males. The males are constantly picking at each other and as soon as they see a young female on the beach collecting rubbish- their attention is soon drawn to her. The female appears as an outcast due to her being on her own, and she also tends to ignore the boys as she is not very keen on the idea of their attention being on her. The 'gang' members decide through the 'smallest' member of the peer and onto the beach- an act which they find highly amusing. However, due to the females facial expressions we can analyse that she is not very impressed and seems to walk away to try and get away from him. The extract finishes with the male chasing after the girl on the beach, and the other boys also run off the peer which we expect is to chase the girl also.

Stock Characters-

• The male gang- they appear as being fairly immature, inconsiderate, disrespectful,
  Boisterous and loud
• The female outcast- appears on her own, fairly sensible as she doesn't pay any attention towards the boys and is not interested in them.

This connection between the male gang and the female outcast in the opening of the film is fairly significant as this kind of relationship is shown in teen films where a group of boys pay an interest in the female outcast and tend to do things in order to mock her and entertain themselves

Stock Setting

• The setting changes fairly frequently in the beginning of the opening in order to emphasise the amount of change that has took place in the young females life. Scenes are visible such as ;motorways, road signs, palm trees, theme parks etc.
• In the introduction of the present of the film, a beach and the peer is used to demonstrate the 'hang-out' area of the male gang