Textual analysis of Easy A

Opening sequence of Easy A

By Stephanie Batty

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

The shot then pans down into a long shot, showing the location of the film with the institution ‘Screen Gems’ appearing on the left of the shot,

this connotes the importance of the institution as it is repeated again.

The first thing that the audience will see when they are watching Easy A is the shot of the institution ‘Screen Gems’ which is set in the

middle of the screen and blends into the blue sky connotes a calm feeling but automatically

connotes that the film is situated in a hot setting.

Furthermore the next shot cuts away to an American and California Republic flag, blowing in the wind. This also tells the

audience where the film is situated and they know that Ojai is a city in California. Furthermore ‘Olive bridge entertainment

production’ appears on the top right of the shot, in the same white typography as the

previous production company ‘Screen Gems’.

The previous shot cuts away into a mid-shot and cut-away of a sign saying ‘Ojai,

City Limit’. This gives the audience additional information to understand the

setting of the film.

Another cut away is used to show the next shot of an Orange orchard and then again to a close up of an orange, this connotes the season/ time the film is situated in.

Furthermore the same typography is used to introduce Will Gluck film.

The shot cuts into a shot of some trainers and then the film title appears. In this shot

the colour red and white is used which appeal to both sexes, but also white

connotes purity whereas red connotes death, so the colours contrast together.

Moreover the shot cuts into a shot of High school sign which tells the audience more of the

setting of the film being at ‘Ojai north high school’.

The camera pans down and then zooms in and where the cast names appear on the floor in the same white typography. A voice over starts and the camera is filming various people in the grounds of the high school and shows the audience the students and how they look and dress according to their age. Also more cast names appeal in the same white typography on the floor.

The voice over is a female explaining to the audience her life at the moment, this gives the audience more information about the characters before she is introduced.

The camera zooms and focuses on certain people rather than others; this tells the audience which people are likely to play more a part of the film.

A mid shot is used to show the audience a protagonist of the film, which is the girl which is positioned at the front of the group of friends, wearing a white top. As the group of friends

disappear and go different directions, the camera stays focus on the girl in the white top could suggest that the voice over which is heard is her, but this is mistaken when a girl walks into her and takes her

place as the protagonist.

A high angle shot used, causes the audience to feel more superior over the protagonist and

presenting her as a weak character as she is on the floor. Furthermore this could also connote that the protagonist has problems throughout the film

and is always knock down and unpopular

The next shot shows the audience their friendship and that they are not great friends because the

protagonist is on the floor whilst her friends is talking and not helping pick her papers up on the floor.

Furthermore a low angle is used to show that the blonde character is more superior over the

protagonist.

The shot cuts into a shot of the protagonist and is of the girl

speaking in the voice over. She explains to the audience what is to come in the film using the enigma

code.

Then a point of view shot is used to give the audience the feeling as if they are the main character. But also builds suspense because they don’t know whose have stood on the piece of paper that has been

stopped from blowing away in the wind.

A worms eye view is used to show the importance of the male character and his attire and age tells the audience that he is a teacher.

Moreover a shot reverse shot is used due to the conversation they are having but then an over the shoulder shot is used to introduce the audience to

more characters and give the sense of involvement in the conversation with the teacher.

A over the shoulder is used to show where the characters is looking and then a voice over starts

again, explaining to the audience what the protagonist is thinking.

The opening sequence ends of a 2 shot of the main protagonists, this shows their friendship and the voice over carries on explaining about her friend.

Furthermore in the background of the 2 shot is the final typography which is the same font and colour that is has been throughout the opening sequence.