Analysing shot types of a School-based drama- Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

George Lawrence

Extreme Long Shot

‘Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen’ opens with theestablishing shot of a New York Cityscape. This is impo--rtant as it instantly sets the scene and allows the viewer tosee where the beginning of th--is story will take place. The bright pink and bold titles sta-nd out against the monotone city in the background and hi--nt at a happy and friendly atmosphere. Initially sending out enigmas for the audience that this place once represented happy times. It obviously doesn’t just blend in to the background making it stand out and a surreal sight over the bleak New York City. Its bright pink colour is possibly used to try and change the opinions of viewers that New York is just a dull and boring city and the extreme long shot portrays how it is vast, dominating and busy.

Close Up

This is one of the first shots of the protagonist and a closeup has been chosen in order togive the viewer a chance to conjure up any preconcepti--ons. Her emotions are clearand we can see that she is clearly sad and emotional ab--out leaving her beloved city,‘New York’. This makes the audience sympathetic towardsher and instantly gain a connection. It has been shot from an eye-line level in order to create a common ground between the character and the audience. All of these methods have been used to get the viewer feel involved and are regular conventions used in school-based dramas in order to instantly get the audience on the protagonists side. It’s a classic school-based drama story where the protagonist (here named Lola) moves towns worried and apprehensive of what she might find in the next.

Cutaway/Point-of-View Shot

We now experience the movefrom Lola’s perspective furt--her connecting the characterand us. This shot is of a welc--ome sign establishing the newtown. Beneath this sign is a long stretch of road possibly an enigma of the long road andjourney Lola will be going th--ough in her new town. Look--ing at this sign from such a low angle makes its feel intimidating and that we or Lola are inferior to this town and its going to be a tough up-hill journey. This sign is extremely significant as it marks the start of Lola’s new life and the end of her previous one in New York. In comparison to the long-shot we are first greeted with at the start of the film of the cityscape we can identify just how different things are going to be for the characters.

Canted Angle/Point-of-View

At this stage in the opening, Lola is on her way on a bike to her new school; as she ridesshe examines her new surrou--ndings and while being dist--racted crashes into a tree andfalls off of her bike. This is the shot to follow. The canted angle demonstrates her dis-orientation in her new surrou--ndings. The sprawl of belon-gings on the grass is possibly used as a metaphor of the mess Lola’s life is currently in. She has been forcibly moved from the city she loves and now has moved to an unknown and completely different environment to what she has grown up to be used to. This mirrors the narrative at this current point in the film when she expresses her shock that she can get to school for free.

Long Shot

Here is our first glimpse ofLola’s new school. It uses the classic conventions of a sch--ool based drama such as us--ing imagery like the all-ame--rican yellow school buses anddiegetic sounds to match. Th--ese sounds include studentslaughing, shouting, screaming and running, the big engines of the buses and tooting of horns and finally the usual school bell which is extremely reminiscent of schools. As the shot isn’t as clear and clean as it possibly could be it implies that it could also be a Point of View shot as she makes her way there. The blue skies and colourful vehicles contrasts again to Lola’s original home, the dull and bleak New York representing a new and fresh start for her.

Pan/Wide/POV Shot

Another convention of schoolbased dramas is the introduct--ion and representation of the different cliques within the school such as the jocks, ne--rds, cheerleaders and goths. This film has done this by oneclean and thorough point-of--view, pan shot flowing thro--ugh the different groups; this also demonstrates how everyperson in the school has a place and group where they belong and reinforces the idea that Lola doesn’t fit into any of them. The shot appears busy and full of staring people showing the they instantly recognize her as an outsider and also provides the viewer with the typical school scene that they would expect.

Wide Shot

Lola is in the centre of the shot showing how she natura--lly demands attention yet also shows how much she stands out amongst the crowd.There are many bikes in this scene yet hers is the only onethat the audience can see that is a bright and vibrant colour; from this we can see that Lola is not a shy person, this idea is further shown through her choice of outfit which this shot shows of well. The average person would try and dress subtly for their first day of school if a uniform was not required in order to try and fit in, however, this shot shows how Lola is not interested in trying to be like everyone else and follow the crowd. A majority of the students around her are wearing casual t-shirts and jeans while Lola opted for an all crème 70’s outfit including flared trousers, flowy blouse and a retro bandana.

Two-Shot/Wide

Here is a long two-shot of Lola and a new character bothlocking up their bicycles. They have been positioned in the shot to be directly opposite each other with a type of mir--ror line going through the centre. It appears as a mirror line as they both completetheir actions at the same time.The viewer instantly recogni--ses the similarities between the two and is an enigma to the friendship they may develop. For example, both are standing by their bikes looking into their bags and about to pull a book out all at the same time and with the same hands. Their similarities and shared interests are further developed and revealed in the shots to follow.

Extreme Close-Up

The extreme close-up of thebadges belonging to the two characters informs the audien--ce of the shared interests of these two characters. They both are big fans of the same band and gives them a com--mon ground on which they can build a relationship and friendship upon. This shotalso allows us to get a betterclose-up look of the characters clothing and sense of style. The badges are the main items of this shot and show a clear representation of who these people are: one badge shows the name of the band, the other shows the faces of each of the members of this band and the final largest badge is what the viewer takes to be this girls favourite member of the band.

Mid/Three Shot

Finally, here is the introduct--ion of the antagonist. The mid-shot reveals just enough so that we can see the style ofthe characters, which are hererepresented as well dressed, aswell as the body language. Th--eir body language appearscold and intimidating, yet in unison to one another with their hands on their bags sho--wing that they are one intimidating unit. It is clear that from their facial expression’s (made clear from the shot) and by the way they represent themselves that they are the mean popular girls that will pose as the barrier that will stop Lola from achieving her dreams and getting on well in her new school just like these characters always do.

To Conclude

In conclusion, from looking at these shots from the school based drama film, ‘The Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen’ I can see the types of

shots commonly used by this genre in order to make a good and professional production and this research and analysis has helped me greatly to decide the

types of shots I will be using.