Nine Frame Analysis Film: Cinderella (2015)

Frame 1

Frame one is a long shot establishing the characters in their location. We are shown what appears to be a Lady and a Gentleman in a meadow. The Lady and Gentleman are looking into a moses basket which implies they have a baby and must be husband and wife. In the back is a huge farmhouse which must belong to them and so must the meadow. This puts the impression that the couple are wealthy. They look happy together which is supported by the bright colors and lighting used.

Frame 2

This frame is a birdseye view of the farm house previously shown in the last frame. The colour green is dominant in this shot, the colour green is used in nature which symbolises growth and harmony, this links back the first frame where we see the small family, this shot implies they live in harmony. The house itself stands out as it is the only object apart from the sky which is not green, the house is a shade of blue which symbolises wisdom and heaven. The grandeur of the house makes it dream like which suits the genre of the film.

Frame 3

Frame 3 is a two-shot of what we suppose is the baby in the moses basket grownup (Cinderella). The light is focused on Ella which causes the audience to be watching her. She is smiling which shows she is enjoying what is presented as a golden childhood. There is a distance between Ella and the man shows he is not close family. The sky is bright and clear supporting their happy mood. She is holding a paper butterfly which is iconic as the symbol is used throughout the course of the movie. The butterfly symbolises freedom.

Frame 4

The frame is a mid shot, showing the audience cinderella’s mother putting her to sleep, with her father waiting for her my the door. The scene represents Ella’s family as a caring and gentle. The lighting is soft reflecting the personality of her family. Her mother is cradling a storybook, she obviously treasures these moments with her daughter. The room is spacious and well decorated which shows the effort the parents have made in the upbringing of their daughter. The fact the father stands at the back waiting portrays him as a good husband as well as a good father.

Frame 5

The frame shows a close up of Ella’s feet, her heels are not in her shoe. She is fidgeting which suggests she is nervous or anxious. It is also ironic as it is known that the Cinderella story involves her losing her shoes. The fact she is sitting on a chair fidgeting implies she is impatiently waiting for something. The use of the colour blue, which is a colour that is meant to calm stress, is a direct contrast to the fidgeting which suggests anxiety.

Frame 6

The mid shot shows the small family again, this time they aren’t happy. The moth is lying back on a chair looking sick and tired. She has tears in her eyes whilst looking at her daughter. Ella is also crying which suggests the mother is at her final stages. Ella’s father is unfocused in the shot though he is there. He doesn’t intervene the bond between the mother and daughter. Ella’s mother has a apologetic face almost as if she is asking her daughter to forgive her. There are rays of light which connote hope, which could relate to the hope Ella has that her mother recovers.

Frame 7

The long shot shows the Ella and her father walking away from the camera dressed in black. Ella’s mother has obviously passed away and now it’s only the two of them left. The lighting is dull like a gloomy morning, it supports the characters feeling as they’re mourning over the death of a wife and a mother. The meadow is a direct contrast to the first frame in which we see a meadow with fresh green grass and brightly coloured flowers. The Grass has lost it’s colour almost blending with the colour of Ella’s hair which has also turned dull. The shot has a cold atmosphere like early winter.

Frame 8The long shot shows the inside of the family farm house across the room from where the characters are. The camera being far away is like giving the characters some space. The fact the family is so close together in such a big house shows the strength of their love for one another. Ella and her Father are below her mother which show that Ella’s mum is an important person in their lives. The candles in the chandelier show that this film is set before the light bulb was created and judging by the production design the story would’ve been set in the 18th century.

Frame 9

The frame shows a mid-shot of a grownup Ella. she is holding a book, she likes to read which links back to her mother looking so passionate whilst reading to her. We know it is Ella as she is the only girl in the family alive and also because she resembles her mother. Her hair and dress are similar to how her mother would dress. She is smiling which makes her seem gentle. The lighting highlights the her blonde hair and makes her stand out from the rest of the house.