The Desk

My analysis on The Desk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_kIyihNd-A

 

 

 

Mise en scene

 

When the clip first starts we immediatly establish he is in a school with how peter looks and how the surrounding characters look. They have rucksacks and are dressed in casual clothes this suggests they are college students.Peter is dressed in a dull green shirt with jeans showing he is a casual ordinary boy. His image is also stereotypical as he has long blonde hair and looks quite buff which again suggests he is a typical ordinary teenage boy. We get the feeling he is a new student because his body language is very closed off and no dialogue takes place between him and the other students he also keeps looking at his piece of paper with his room number on whih again suggest he is new to the school. In the classroom the light is quite low key but is light enough so we can see clearly the room and the other students. I think the posisitioning of peter and the teacher frame the other classmates well so we have to look at all the charicters. Peter's body language suggests that he is a closed off person as he slouches at his desk and still no dialogue has taken place. His facial expression has also been rather blank throughout the clip so far.  When the popular girl walks in the room i see an immediate contrast as she has a bright blue top on which makes her stand out and long brown hair which is completey opposite to his medium length blonde hair. As he rights on the desk we know this is what he wants to really say to the popular girl as he stared and at her before hand indicating he has interest in her. But this writing on the desk indicates he is a very shy boy.In his bedroom it is very low key this may indicate he feels very low and is unhappy in this room the phone call of his friend also indicates he has just moved there explaining why he may not feel comfortable in this room. As his books are knocked to the floor the popular girl is there but does not help him this suggests she is of higher status of him and shows that she is ' out of his league'.  As the conversation begins with him and the desk we see his first smile in the whole clip this indicates that this friendly chat is what makes him happy. His bedroom and the classroom becomes high key lighting and this is parrallel to what he is feeling as he begins to become happier now he has a friend. When the desk replys immediately he is shocked we know this because his eyes become more open which is a stereotypical action for people who are shocked/scared he also falls off his chair which is a clear indication to the shock and fear he feels from the desk talking back. The next morning we see he gets out of bed quicker indicating he is excited to talk to the desk. The different outfits also clearly suggest that days are passing and he is still talking to the desk however he is smiling so he is happy with the fact he has a new friend. When we see him entering the school he swings from the door indicating he is more confident and casual with his surroundings in contrast to how he was on his first day of school. As he walks past the popular girl he doesnt stare anymore suggesting he has nointerest in her and he has a new interest. As he bends over to pick up his book we see the other girl down with him helping him this suggests they are both equal and are of simmilar class and status. At the end they both smile towards each other which suggests they are both very happy to see each other and from her note it also suggests she is the julie he has been talking to.

 

Editing

 

An action match is used as the teach point to where he is sat this makes it easier for the audience to see and follow where he is pointing to.An action match is used as he sits down this is so it makes the action look more fluent and relaxed. Slow motion is used as she walks in this is so we can recognise she is the main focus point in this scene and we can take longer to see her. It may also reflect on how peter feels that he feels he is more relaxed and at ease when she walks into the room and his world just slows down because of her. Through out the scenes shot reverse shot structure is used between him and the desk and the 180 degree rule is also followed these are rules you would apply to two charicters when they are talking therefore this implies that the desk itself is a charicter in this short film. A cut away shot is used to his bag so we can see him opening his bag and getting a pencil out so the audience know he is going to reply. There is a quick cut used to his eyes so they become the main focus point for a split second and so we can see his facial expressions. A long shot is used when he falls so we see all of the movement and we can see how he falls backwards and get the full impact of the fall. A cut away is used to the clasroom number as a reminder to the audience so they can see that julie's reply matches his classroom. fade out is used as his outfits change but they are still quick shots this is so we get the feeling of days passing pay without ecperiencing the whole day with him because its only this part of his day that is significant to him aswell as waking up in the morning to go and talk to the desk. Shot reverse shot structure is used when they both smile at each other and the 180 degree rule is also followed this suggests she is a main character and also further suggests that she is the julie who was writing back on the desk. Also the writing on the desk fades in to suggest a mystical and magical feel to her replying back through the desk.

 

sound

 

The school bell is the first sound we hear to instantly catch out attention to the video and help us establish peters surroundings. Throughout the clip a piano soundtrack is used the piano often connotes to the feeling of love and lust as it is a gentle flowing sound that can have a huge impact on peoples feelings because of the soft sounds it creates. The soundtrack however is non-diagetic so peter cannot hear this music but yet it is always parralell to his feelings throughout the clip. Diagetic sound is used however of the bells ringing and other students talking to keep us linked to the reality of the situation and realise this is a real life story line. At first the piano music is soft and slow which is parrallel to his sadness and lonliness as a new kid. When the populatr girl walks in there is no diagetic sound just the piano music which gets louder suggesting he is in a dream state and cut off from the real world whilst looking at her. The piano music then stops and he begins to write on the desk as we hear the diagetic sound of the stuents. The sound of the piano starts again as he is writing but there is no diagetic sound of the students this is a sound motif of female presence. We have a demonstration of sound motif as the friend on the phone seems louder than what we would really hear. Throughout the whole of the clip the piano music acts as a sound bridge to link the scenes together the sounds of bells also do this wether its the school bell or his alarm going off. There is no piano music as his class ends i think this is to suggest that the female presence of the desk is there again. As he see's the reply the piano music consists of going up the piano notes and this is to build up the curiosity of him trying to figure out how she replied. When he falls the music is silent again i think this is used to again indicate the female presence of the desk. As the days go on with him talking to the desk the piano music becomes a faster tempo suggesting he is happier and enjoys talking to the desk. The music also becomes stronger with nore chords used than single notes creating more of a melody and suggests the building friendship as the music builds up. The musci then becomes more quiet and of a slow tempo again so we can clearly tell that he is upset of not being able to talk to her anymore and is parralell to his sorrow.

 

camera angles and movement.

 

At first an establishing shot is used so we can see that he is at a school. A wide angle shot is used as he walks into the school so we can see the whole of the corridoor. A tracking shot is used to follow him walking down the hallway and this makes it clear that he is the main charicter as we focus on him. A close up is used on his time table so we can see that he obviously is a new kid if he still has to look at his time table. A deep shot is used so we can see a close up of his face nd the students in the background this also follows the rule of thirds so we know his face is the main point of focus. there is a shallow depth of field demonstrated aswell as the students in the background are out of focus which is indicates that he is the main charicter and allows the audience to just focus on him. A close up is used on the room number to highlight and suggest its significance. A wide angle shot is used in the class room so we can see the whole of the room and the students and have an idea of his surroundings in that room. A mid close up is used just on him sat at the desk which singles him out from the rest of the class. As the popular girl walks in a panning shot it used to we follow her this suggests she is a significant charicter. When he is writing on the desk close ups are always used to the writing and his face.  Also a high angle is used so we feel like we are looking at the desk from peters perspective and a low angle is used looking up at peter this suggests the desk has its own perspective aswell and enables the audience to see his facial expresions as he writes on the desk. A tracking shot is used as he walks past the popular girl so we see that she becomes his main point of foucus. A tilt shot it used to follow the books falling which highlights the significance and drama of them falling.A low angle close up is used as he picks them up so we can clearly see his facial expression. A close up is used on his bag so we see him getting out his pencil to reply to the desk. A panning and a tilt shot is used when the class ends so we can follow him walking out of lesson this signals that the story hasnt finished yet in the room as we did not follow him out. A tilt shot is used as he sits down so we feel as though we watch him sit and makes the action look more realistic and fluent. An exstreme close up is used on his eyes so we can really focus on his shock which is expressed through his eyes and allows us to just focus on his eyes as they show us what he is feeling. A close up is used to the room number to remind the audience of its significance in the story. As his outfits change there is a slight zoom used i think this emphathises the fact that he is in his own world talking to his desk. An over the shoulder shot is used a the new girl is stood at the front of the class to make us feel more involved with the siutation and part of the story. A wide angle is also used as they both smile at each other so we can clearly see they are facing and looking at each other and demonstartes the little distance between them both in the frame.