Wild Child Analysis

Wild child is a typical teen drama targeted at females aged 12+; the film was released in 2008. In the opening scene there are credits of the main people involved in the film that displayed (e.g. actors, editors, directors etc.) which was accompanied by some non – diegetic calm music. The camera helped display the sub genre, binary oppositions and stereo types; in the very beginning the camera lead us to a young females room which was made clear through mise en scene as the room was filled with posters, pictures, bold/bright colours, which was shown through a long shot the camera zoomed into a close up of the main character (Poppy Moore) when she is asleep which is when the non – diegetic sound switched from calm to loud pop music as her eye’s opened and she spoke.

When moving onto the next part of that scene there was a match cut between the bedroom and the kitchen when there was a two-way dialogue from the sisters, the camera is used to show over the shoulder shots this makes it clear who is talking to whom. There is another form of editing used to which is match cut to introduce a new scenery viewed through a mid long shot of outside the house with all of Poppy Moore friends which is clarified through mise en scene showing the big white house, greenery, pool, moving van. There is also diegetic sound of shouting, screaming and dialogue that show how the main character is the rebel of the film, the camera is also used again as a low angle shot to show the sister looking down to her big sister in disappoint displaying typical characteristics of a teen drama.

There is a match cut for when the father is introduced into the scene through tracking the diegetic sound becomes quieter and you hear more mutters and sighs. Mise en scene is then used as the father is wearing a shirt; sunglasses and dark dull colours show a binary opposition from the teens vs. parent. When the father and daughter (Poppy Moore) are talking it is over the shoulder to show who has a higher authority the tone of voice also suggests that the father is fed up. Sound, mise en scene, editing and camera all add up in this particular part of the opening scene as is displays the typical characteristic of conflicts between parents and children.

Binary oppositions is shown very boldly when Poppy Moore is sent to England, there is a cross cut from the beautiful sunny America to the rainy and gloomy England where all the pupils and students are in dull, dark and smart clothing to suggest this is boring and also the weather reflects the mood of Poppy. When showing a long shot of the boarding school there are very obvious cliques; younger students (1^st year), good/smart girls and the evil kiss up’s. When the main evil kiss up who is also the head girl of the school goes to approach Poppy she is shown through a close up camera angle which is joint with the non – diegetic sound of music with tension to show she is evil and up to no good, there is also diegetic sound of footsteps which increase in sound as she comes closer.

In the opening scene the audience of females gets a vague idea of who the main cliques are and who is good or bad. Binary oppositions are shown throughout by the main factors of CAMERA, EDITING, SOUND AND MISE EN SCENE.