Shyanne Sanders

Angus, thongs and perfect snogging- opening sequence

The silent opening forces the audience's attention to the film's institution, Paramount. The stars connote value and high ratings and the fact that their trademark includes the top of a mountain above the clouds suggests films in which dreams come true. After a brief pause, mysterious staccato music begins to play and slowly the screen fades to black. This indicates an enigma and leaves the audience in anticipation.

Slowly, what looks like splashes of orange paint moves towards the camera. This has the connotation of children and as the image of the nickelodeon trademark appears this idea is emphasised. The fact that this film is associated with Nickelodeon suggests themes suitable for a young audience. The orange colour connotes joy, happiness, creativity and stimulation whilst the bold white writing is neutral and unisex.

Adding to the enigma, a closeup shot cuts off the protagonist's head making the audience question who she is and why she is dressed like that. The way in which her arms hang out of her costume is to make the audience see the comedic element to the character and therefore to entertain the audience (uses and gratification). The tracking shot involves the audience, making them feel as though they are in the car with the parent watching her and the action. The character says that she doesn't want to get in the car because she doesn’t want her costume to get crushed, and then walks into a lamppost. This is for the audience's entertainment (uses and gratification) and highlights the idea that this character will be made to look stupid. The protagonist calls her dad a “stalker” and this is so that the young teenage target audience can identify with her, saying anything to make you feel independent and to get rid of the feeling of embarrassment.

A wide shot reveals the protagonist's face. The font on view is supposed to reveal just how idiotic she looks. The director has made it look like she is talking to a car, as you can't see the other character's face, highlighting the comedy element of the narrative. The last line of this shot is “I want to make an entrance” and

expectations of this genre automatically suggest that it will all going to go very wrong for this character. The font of the text is swirly and the fact that the first work of the sentence is not capitalised connotes that it was written by someone young, fitting with the narrative.Sharply all the characters turn their heads to the camera and diegetic gasping noises bring the background music to a stop. This wide p.o.v shot creates enigma as the audience are unsure about what they are looking at. The fact that the whole room of character's are looking straight at the lens of the camera puts the audience in the protagonist's position and allows them to identify with her

embarrassment (uses and gratification).

This slightly high angled shot puts the protagonist in the vulnerable position, exactly how she is feeling. By positioning the audience within the crowd, the director is making the audience feel sympathy for the character. The bright green of her costume stands out amongst the light pink colours that the other female character's are wearing connoting that this character is quirky and

contrasts with the stereotypical, girly female character usually featured in films within this genre.

A mid shot reveals a group of girls laughing at the protagonist. The blonde hair and bitchy comments is a stereotype often included in films of this genre. Expectations to do with this character includes lack of intelligence, bad attitude, picks on the main character and is very popular with boys.

The shot quickly cuts to a three shot of three girls looking embarrassed yet genuinely worried for the main character. The immediately indicates that they are her friends (hyperdermic needle). Conventions of this genre include the protagonist's main group of friends, who usually stick by the protagonist and help them through their issues. In this case their worried

faces suggests that they may have created the problem but their guilty facial expressions allow the audience to understand that they are good character's.

When the protagonist comes over to her friends, the story behind this situation is revealed and the fact that the other character's can't look at the protagonist in the eyes highlights their guilt and embarrassment. This mid shot separates Georgia from her friends and presents her in the way that she feels. The teenage audience could identify with the the feeling of being let down by friends or the being exposed to bullying (uses and gratification).

After laving the party in a rush and banging into everyone creating chaos, Georgia is seen running through the streets in her costume. This connotes that she feels as though nothing can be more embarrassing than what had just happened and that she has nothing to lose. A modern song (She's so lovely- scouting for girls) is playing and the lyrics mock the situation she is in but

highlight the teenage genre and themes.The fact that you can only see her legs moving and the rest of her body is completely trapped in the olive costume, allows entertainment for the audience (uses and gratification) and makes the character seem clueless.

Slowly the shot moves away from Georgia and pans up to the

top of a statue. This establishing shot shows tranquility without the sight of Georgia's chaos. There is a pause in the music and for a second this shot is still and calm, added in to contrast massively with the frantic manor of the main character.

A tracking shot follows the action of the narrative and makes the audience feel involved and interested in what might happen next. It is unknown by the audience where she is going as the camera is focused on the character rather than what is ahead of her (enigma), but expectations of the genre include character's running home to their bedrooms when feeling upset, angry and alone. The swirly font of the text is similar to handwriting and this time the

grammar is correct to emphasise that this is the title.

The reactions for an elderly group is added in for entertainment (uses and gratification) and connotes that wherever she goes she always seems to embarrass herself. This makes the scene seem more naturalistic and the embarrassment unavoidable. The fact that all the character's seem to be mocking her makes the audience join in.

A close up of the protagonist's face singles her out and draws focus to her facial expressions. This allows the audience to feel sympathy towards the character. The bright red hat and top makes her stand out even more but her facial expressions show that for once she wanted to go back to being invisible. The fact that all her hair is covered makes

her look unfeminine and connotes how little she thinks of herself. The teenage target audience will be able to relate to the insecurities felt by the protagonist at this point (uses and gratification). The red also connotes comic relief and embarrassment and allows the audience escapism, becoming emotionally connected with the protagonist.

This bird's eye view shot connotes that she is unmissable and the director used this to entertain the audience (uses and gratification). Red and green are contrasting colours, and the plain brown floor makes them stand out, connoting the character's conflicted thoughts about her friends, her anger (red) and jealously of the other girls (green). This shot emphasises the size of the costume next and almost looks like a bowling ball about the know over the pins connoting that character's destructive thoughts.

The low angle shot finally put the protagonist in the

power position connoting that she is taking control of the situation and fixing her problems. Positioning the audience almost beneath her feet makes it seem as though she is stamping on everyone who once laughed at her. The red top connotes her frustration and the soft pink walls of her house in the background connote that it is the protagonist's safe base. A teenage audience will be able to identify with the comfort of being at home (uses and gratification).

A new character is introduced in a mid shot. This character is smiling which contrasts greatly with the feelings and emotions of the protagonist connoting conflict between these two characters. Siblings are a common convention of a film within this genre and expectations to do with this character include arguments and mischief, both indicated in this shot.

Another character who is immediately identified as the mum (hyperdermic needle) is introduced in a wide shot. Conventions of this genre include relationships between parents falling apart and separating, leaving the protagonist with a broken home or having to choose between the parents. There is no suggestion of this in this shot, but it is expected to happen later within

the narrative.

A close up shot of the cat connotes that it is an important part of the narrative. Later in the plot he is identified as “Angus” and him going missing brings Georgia and her love interest closer together. His prominence is emphasised with a still shot of him sitting up straight seeming powerful.

A mid shot displays Georgia standing along in her room. The fact that she is starring into space connotes that she is thinking about something, leaving the audience in suspense. She continues to tear down pictures of her when she was younger and throw away teddies in order to make her look more grown up. This theme can be identified with by the teenage audience (uses and

gratification) and are a usual convention of this genre.

A sense of defeat is emphasised in this low angle shot of the protagonist. The audience can see that she has given up and broken down into tears. The teenage audience will be able to identify with this feeling (uses and gratification) and the high positioning of the camera makes her seem vulnerable and alone, creating empathy.

The opening sequence ends on establishing shot which pans down to display the peaceful setting in which the film is set (equilibrium) and the soundtrack gradually faced out. This connotes optimism and the clam image of the sea and the emptiness of the streets connote that the issues have been resolves and the narrative has moved on.