Textual analysis of the opening of "Red Riding Hood"

Completed by: Myself (Indiviual Work)

Tayla's analysis of "Alice In Wonderland" can be found here: http://taylaastleyasmedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/textual-analysis-alice-in-wonderland.html
Nicola's analysis of "Twilight" can be found here: http://nicolaastleyasmedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/textual-analysis-twilight.html

I chose to analyse Red Riding Hood because it has a similar plot line to our own film opening and is the same genre we want to do i.e. fantasy thriller. Our idea is to remake a fairytale into a thriller film and make the characters and plot line darker. 

I couldn't find the opening scene I analysed on YouTube but I found the trailer:

Mise en scene

- There are lots of trees which immediately sets the atmosphere i.e. secluded and mysterious.
- Lighting is dim and white as if the snow is effecting the lighting
- Large, grand and mysterious building that we aren't shown a close up of it so it becomes an enigma.
- Shows a wideshot, distance shot of a small town, this helps set the scene as it shows the audience that the film will be set in a small town and that means that the society is different so because of that it becomes more mysterious
- Old style boat on a river that is surrounded by forrest shows the audience that the characters don't live in our modern society. Also shows that the area is secluded as boat seems to be the way to get there.
- "Red Riding Hood" written in red writing which is one of the most emotionally intense colour and stimulates faster heartbeat and breathing. Also it links to the word "red" in the title and also to the colour of the clock that the character is famous for.
-Birds eye shot of water mill shows that the characters live a simple life and that their morals and work ethics would be different from ours.
-Waterfall again sets the scene and gives us a hint as the audience to how the characters may live
- Birds eye of the forrest sets the scene and creates an enigma for the audience as they wonder what and who may be in the forest.
- Wide shot of small village sets a clearer scene for the audience and the lighting on the town is bright which suggests that it is a happy place. This hints that the film will follow Todorov's theory because it starts with an equilibrium.

- Huts with straw roofs show that they live simply and could suggest that they don't have a lot of money

- Close up of windmill could be symbolising that the town is normal at the moment but could change later on to a darker direction.
- Fire in the foreground could symbolise the danger that the town may soon be facing
- The sad face mask that is put on the tree could foreshadow the characters future unhappiness
- Ray of sunshine that the little girl walks through could suggest that there is happiness but the shadows made by the girl could also tell us that the bad times are there, and are waiting to unfold.
-Bucket and chickens show that the village keep live stock which suggests that they live a farmer's life
- Girl's old fashioned clothes show that the film isn't set in modern time.
- Bright lighting shows that this is still the equilibrium
- Boy jumping out shocks the audience
- Dead grass could symbolise that their natural way of life will be coming to an end
- Knife symbolises danger and murder and this makes the scene feel more dangerous and builds more tension.
-White rabbit can symbolise innocence and pureness.
- The girl wearing light clothes whilst the boy wears dark clothes shows a direct contrast in their personalities and makes the audience question if the boy is good or bad.

Sound

- The only noise in the first minute is high pitched music that sounds like a harsher and echoed ticking of a clock which suggests that the characters may be running out of time and also that it's only a matter of time before bad things start to happen.
- The music makes the audience feel worried and tense as the sound is eery and sets a scary tone for the film.

- As the camera moves over the waterfall we hear the sound of the water flowing and crashing onto the rocks which suggests that the setting will be quiet and secluded.
-For the first two minutes there isn't any character interaction so the sound is non-diagetic and then gets mixed with the sound effects of the water crashing and the turning of the windmill.
- Once there is shots of the character there is diagetic sound of the dialogue for awhile before a voice over takes over.
- There is some dialogue in the last thirty seconds but is mainly the score and sound effects of the trap falling onto the rabbit and the sound of the blade as the boy moves it. Also whilst the children are talking about who will kill the rabbit, the only other noise is birds chirping which makes the audience tense as the silence makes the tension grow.

Editing

- Continuity editing is used, the camera is shooting in a wide shot and is closing in onto the next mountain and then there it cuts to a close up shot of it then carries on with an over the shoulder shot so you can see a wide shot of the location behind it.
- Titles appear in time with the music, the names also always appear in capitals which shows their importance.
- Had a close up of a cloud then the next shot is the camera "going through it" and there is another wide shot of the location behind it. The camera tracks the journey across the land.
- You see a boat in the middle third of the screen just of centre and then in the next screen it cuts to a closer wide shot of it and places the boat in the left bottom side of the frame.
- The film title "Red Riding Hood" is placed directly in the middle of the screen and all the words are on seperate lines which could suggest that the character doesn't quite fit in with the other villagers as the lines do not end in the same place. The writing is in capital letters which is bold and makes the title stand out. The font is harsh, with strict lines and is an oldstyle of font so that also helps set the scene and tone of the film.

- Camera tracks the whole length of the water fall from birds eye view which makes it seem like the audience are on a journey so that in turn makes the audience feel more involved in the film.
 - Goes from a high angle shot of the girl to a mid shot that tracks the girl skipping. The cut is fast and seemless so it flows.
- The credits are always either on the left hand side on the bottom third of the page or on the right hand side on the bottom third of the page. This shows the audience that they are serious about their film and they don't want to distract from the film too much. Also the credits are always white in every scene so that is also continuity editing.
- There are a lot of mid shots than close ups when the characters are performing an action i.e. the midshot is used to show the beginning of the action and the close up is used to show what the action is.
- Cuts are used often to show the change of camera angles
- One of the shots was slowed down in editing.
- Used large branches that the children were laying under to frame them in the mid shot of them
- Uses a fade transition to end the opening scene.
Camera

- Starts with an estabilishing shot which sets the scene that the location will be a secluded mountain or forest area
- Over the shoulder shot and wide shot of the area, this makes it seem that the camera is on a journey which makes the audience feel more included.

- Wide shot is the master shot of the first two minutes and this shot is used as the master to set the location, scene and tone of the film.

- The camera moves in 180 degrees curve.
- The opening scene follows the 30 degree rule of slightly moving the shot every time.
- Camera tilts up from a birds eye view of the river and goes up to a low angle shot of the forrest to make the forrest seem powerful. This could symbolise that the forrest its self is powerful, so the creatures and characters that live within it could be too.
- The camera tracks the flow of the waterfall and river from a high angle, birdseye view and the camera seems to circle to track the river which makes the audience feel as if they are following the river too.
- Uses a wide shot, birdseye view of the forrest which sets the size and scale of the forest and makes the audience feel small in comparision.
- Camera shoots along a semi circle line in a wide shot.
- Camera comes closer into a bridge and windmill until it is a close up shot of it and that draws attention to the old structure of these objects which helps the audience determine the society and time frame of the film.
- Mid shot of the girl skipping shows the audience her costume which again helps set the time frame. Also shows that she is dressed in light colours which suggests she's a good character.
-  Two shot used to show the other characters and the positioning of the characters show that they don't have a close relationship as they stand far apart from each other.
- Close up of the pig that they are going to offer as a sacrifice for the wolf emphasizes the innocence of the pig which make the audience feel more guilty for the fate it has.
- Mid shot of girl shows her emotion and body language
- Two shot then close up of girl shows her reaction to the other characters
- Wide shot to show scene and where the girl is in relation to her surroundings.
- Mid shot of girl bending down to collect water
- Close up shot of the bucket collecting water shows the audience what she is doing and also cuts us off to her surroundings so we're not aware of what's going on around her and this makes the audience wary.
- Long shot of boy jumping in front of her shows the audience who the new character is and shows what they are wearing which can tell the audience about his personality. For example his clothes are black which could suggest to the audience that he is powerful.
- Over the shoulder shot where we can see the girl from his point of view.
- Camera swoops in towards the shot of them at eye level which makes the audience feel like more involved in the film
- Close up used of the children to show their facial expressions.
- Point of view shot of the rabbit to make it clear that we are seeing what the character is seeing.
- Close up of the white rabbit to show exactly what they have captured and to show that the rabbit looks scared.
- Close up two shot used to show that the girl, Valerie, is nervous about actually killing the rabbit.
- Ends with a wide shot with the characters placed directly in the middle of the shot.