Opening credits;
Opening sequence;
Institution information
This film is called The breakfast club and released in 1985. It is rated certificate 15 in the UK, and the production company was A&M films and the distribution company was Universal pictures. The film was directed by John Hughes and earned $51,525,171 in the US box office.
Target Audience
This film didn't target around a specific gender or fan group audience, but instead based it around an age group. The primary target audience for this film were teenagers between the ages of 13-18.
Title and credit analysis
The conventions for a film opening is to include opening titles and/or credits that relate to the theme and tell the audience what the film is going to be about. It would typically list the production company, title and director before the cast names, as this film as has done. The opening credits list the cast, and specifics that it is "in order of appearance" which may tell the audience that it doesn't necessarily specify a main character to follow and that the characters all have equal importance.
The typography is quite smart, yet also informal because it has a rounded effect and uses yellow text on a black background to stand out. It flashes on the screen in time to the soundtrack. At the end of the title sequence, there is a quote from a famous musical artist (David Bowie) which breaks the rules of the codes and conventions of a film as we wouldn't have expected to see it in a typical film.
The text style and colour changes completely and sets a different atmosphere to the one created by the title and credit typography. This has been done like this to relate to the audience and set up the narrative for the film. This is because this quote is about educating difficult children, which foreshadows the plot of the film and therefore sets up a narrative to the target audience. Also, the star who made the quote may be idealised by the target audience and makes them feel like they can relate more.
Preferred readings
The soundtrack from the opening credits acts as a bridge from the credits to the establishing shot. Also, the smashing animation transition seems like almost someone smashed it with a blunt object, the it was intentional and can be seen as "rebellious". The sound effect of smashing glass also adds to that effect as it sounds rather brutal, as if it were applied with force.
In the establishing shot, it shows a large building with "Shermer high school" written in big letters on it. This setting has used high key lighting to show the time of day, but also shows that the school is empty so therefore must mean it is early in the morning. The voice over (non-diegetic sound) starts off like they were reading a letter, but also tells us the date, location and time, letting the target audience know information about the setting and details about the setting (for example, the voice over says its a Saturday, which explains why the school is empty). The voice over acts as a bridge, as well as the soundtrack, to which the camera cuts to different shots from around the location that has been set out for the audience.
The first shot cuts to a clock face, from a low angle shot, which tells the audience the time in the current location. It then cuts to a long shot of a hallway, which further tells the audience about the location and gives details about what it looks like. As the voice over starts reading out the letter, the camera cuts to different locations on what can now be established as a school from the first few shots.
There are also certain shots that relate back to the quote that was used at the beginning of the film, such as close up shots of graffiti written on desks or lockers. This further relates to the audience as teenagers, stereotypically, have a sense of rebellion about them which was what was mentioned on the quote in the opening credits, which links back to the graffiti as that's what school children typically do when they are "bored". This further adds to the stereotype of teenagers being "messy" and "reckless" which can be established in certain shots showing litter lying on the floor, or lockers that have been broken into.
In terms of relating to certain groups, or "cliques" within the target audience, some of the shots establish well. The voice over goes on to explain certain groups by giving them names (e.g. the "geeks" are referred to as "the brains" as stereotypes tell us that geeks are smart, and have the sense to use their brains both morally and mentally). With this, the camera then cuts to certain locations as the voice over mentions these group names in which relate to that group type in terms of stereotypes.
When the narrative uses the term "brain" to describe the "geeks", the camera cuts to a computer lab, which is where you would expect someone with a reputation of "brain" to be working or for recreational use. The setting could be considered to be very formal, and laid out like you would expect to see a classroom to be laid out, which links back to the stereotype of "nerds" in that they are well educated and want to learn. The voice over then bridges into the next cut, in which uses the term "athlete" and shows the shot of a sports locker room, typically associated with man sport. An "Athlete" can be associated with someone who was heavily orientated around sports and devotes their lives to sporting, which relates to the props used within the shot. We can tell its a male locker room by analysing the props within the mes en scene. Stereotypically, men are known to be the messier gender, which can be shown in the clip by the use of sports gear lying all over the room. Also, the male gender typically have larger feet, which is shown by the type of shoes shown within the shot.
The voice over then bridges over to the next shot, in which then describes "a basket case". A definition of a basket case would be "a person or thing regarded as useless or unable to cope" in which the description matches the props within the mes en scene. The sign on the desk, for example, says "guidance counsellor" which would be associated with someone labelled as a basket case as if they are unable to cope, then they would be spending a lot of time visiting a guidance counsellors office. In addition, we know this is an office as the props within the scene (such as the pen pot, desk, table and bookshelf) give it an office layout like you would expect to see within an office. The voice over then cuts to the next shot, using the descriptive term "a princess". We can associate the term princess with someone of "royalty" or "higher social class", which we would expect to be (in terms of school environment) someone who was rich, or "popular".
Within the shot, there is a prop of a sign that says "vote for your prom queen", which in a school environment the prom queen would stereotypically be considered "popular" or "pretty". The use of glitter on "prom queen" emphasis the importance of the role and glitter can be associated with royalty as it is shiny and a deep red colour, and red can considered to be the colour of royalty as stereotypes tells us. The voice over then finishes off the list of clique group names in the last cut by using the term "criminal". In this shot, there is a close up of a locker, which tracks down the locker to show the typography and props used within the scene. The use of the term "criminal" in a school environment would describe someone who stereotypically would get into a lot of trouble and doesn't fit into the society around them. This clique nickname relates to the shot as there is a small noose tied to the locker, as well as the words written out "open this locker and you die!" written in big, black letters which tells us that the individual both has something to hide that they don't want others to see and that they would go as far as using death threats to protect it.
The voice over may use these titles (or nicknames) to label the individuals as it may foreshadow the future of the individual being described, as a schools social standards also reflect the social standards set out in the workplace environment. These shots that relate to the nicknames help us introduce the character before we have met the character, so we can get an idea about the type of person they are going to be like and their interests. These shots also link into the next scene when we get to see the characters and match them up to their label. We can do this by analysing the costumes and props used within the scene without analysing the acting.
The first cut in the new scene shows a close up of a clean silver "BMW" badge, and tilts up from a low key angle to a high key angle to show the rest of the car. This already tells us that the owner of the car must have a lot of money in order to afford a good brand label, as well as to keep it so clean, which would already tell us that this may be the car of "the princess".
The costume design reflects on the characters personality and group belonging. the actresses in the car had brightly coloured hair, which tells us she can afford to colour her hair. Her make-up is also very bright and her outfit is stylish and "trendy", which tells us that she likes to keep up with trends and likes to fit in/stay on top.
the camera then cuts to the characters in the next car, in which the camera focus is on the male character. You can't see much of his costume as it is covered up by a big, brown coat, but the orange wooly hat may tell us that the character likes to wear, what is considered to be "dorky" woollen hats, hinting that this character may be the "geek". The camera then cuts to the next car, where (again) the camera focuses on the male to the far left, telling us that he is the more important character. This characters costume consists of a blue jersey with sports badges sown onto it, which is the style of clothing that would stereotypically associated with a "jock".
The fourth character is introduced to us, not in a car, but walking alone into school, which hints that either his parents couldn't afford to take him in financially, or didn't care enough to take him in. In the long shot, we can see that he is huddled over in a big long coat, boats and sun glasses (even though its not sunny) which tells us that he may prefer to keep to himself (the sunglasses may be seen as secretive and mysterious) and doesn't care of what others thinks of him. This may then further tell us that this is the criminal. Also, he didn't even flinch when the car nearly hits him, which further adds to the idea of not caring enough. the final character is introduced to us in the long shot. By default, this character must be "the basket case" but the use of costume adds to this idea. We can see that she wears black, baggy clothing, and black is the colour stereotypically associated as being a "depressing" or "mysterious" colour which may reflect the fact that she may be unable to cope, and may have issues like depression or anxiety. The is also no dialogue with the parents in the scene which may also reflect the issues this character faces with parents, relating the the issues of the target audience and setting up a narrative before the film has even started.
Within the shot, there is a prop of a sign that says "vote for your prom queen", which in a school environment the prom queen would stereotypically be considered "popular" or "pretty". The use of glitter on "prom queen" emphasis the importance of the role and glitter can be associated with royalty as it is shiny and a deep red colour, and red can considered to be the colour of royalty as stereotypes tells us. The voice over then finishes off the list of clique group names in the last cut by using the term "criminal". In this shot, there is a close up of a locker, which tracks down the locker to show the typography and props used within the scene. The use of the term "criminal" in a school environment would describe someone who stereotypically would get into a lot of trouble and doesn't fit into the society around them. This clique nickname relates to the shot as there is a small noose tied to the locker, as well as the words written out "open this locker and you die!" written in big, black letters which tells us that the individual both has something to hide that they don't want others to see and that they would go as far as using death threats to protect it.
The voice over may use these titles (or nicknames) to label the individuals as it may foreshadow the future of the individual being described, as a schools social standards also reflect the social standards set out in the workplace environment. These shots that relate to the nicknames help us introduce the character before we have met the character, so we can get an idea about the type of person they are going to be like and their interests. These shots also link into the next scene when we get to see the characters and match them up to their label. We can do this by analysing the costumes and props used within the scene without analysing the acting.
The first cut in the new scene shows a close up of a clean silver "BMW" badge, and tilts up from a low key angle to a high key angle to show the rest of the car. This already tells us that the owner of the car must have a lot of money in order to afford a good brand label, as well as to keep it so clean, which would already tell us that this may be the car of "the princess".
The costume design reflects on the characters personality and group belonging. the actresses in the car had brightly coloured hair, which tells us she can afford to colour her hair. Her make-up is also very bright and her outfit is stylish and "trendy", which tells us that she likes to keep up with trends and likes to fit in/stay on top.
the camera then cuts to the characters in the next car, in which the camera focus is on the male character. You can't see much of his costume as it is covered up by a big, brown coat, but the orange wooly hat may tell us that the character likes to wear, what is considered to be "dorky" woollen hats, hinting that this character may be the "geek". The camera then cuts to the next car, where (again) the camera focuses on the male to the far left, telling us that he is the more important character. This characters costume consists of a blue jersey with sports badges sown onto it, which is the style of clothing that would stereotypically associated with a "jock".
The fourth character is introduced to us, not in a car, but walking alone into school, which hints that either his parents couldn't afford to take him in financially, or didn't care enough to take him in. In the long shot, we can see that he is huddled over in a big long coat, boats and sun glasses (even though its not sunny) which tells us that he may prefer to keep to himself (the sunglasses may be seen as secretive and mysterious) and doesn't care of what others thinks of him. This may then further tell us that this is the criminal. Also, he didn't even flinch when the car nearly hits him, which further adds to the idea of not caring enough. the final character is introduced to us in the long shot. By default, this character must be "the basket case" but the use of costume adds to this idea. We can see that she wears black, baggy clothing, and black is the colour stereotypically associated as being a "depressing" or "mysterious" colour which may reflect the fact that she may be unable to cope, and may have issues like depression or anxiety. The is also no dialogue with the parents in the scene which may also reflect the issues this character faces with parents, relating the the issues of the target audience and setting up a narrative before the film has even started.
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