Cinematography:

• Imitating a one shot
• Used a steady cam – fluid, dreamlike
• Wide shot/long shot of all the cars in the traffic is representative of LA (contrasting to the optimistic lyrics of the song)
• Uses a broad colour palette focusing on primary colours
• The use of whip pans to disguise the cuts
• Transition from black and white to colour – binary opposition of old and new
• It’s like the camera is dancing
• There’s a point of view like shot of one of the dancers
• Motivated tracking camera

 

Mise en Scene

• The use of primary colours
• (Accidental) Marilyn Monroe reference with the woman’s dress blowing up
• The traffic jam could be a representation of LA
• From black and white to colour
• Yellow dresses – can have negative and positive connotations
• Red clothing – connotations of passion
• Wide colour palette
• The cinemascape (logo?) cannot be fully seen until the twin wipe and in the process becomes more colourful – binary opposition of old and new
• Vintage font (1920/30s)
• Bright sunny sky

 

Performance:

• They all look at the camera at the end
• They all shut their car doors at the same time – sense of perfection – representation of LA
• Dancing revolves around and started from mundane actions
• Only one bit of completely synchronised dancing
• Not the best dancers/singers – the film is about ordinary people like Mia and Sebastian
• Each person is like the protagonist but of their own life
• Lots of different types of dancing – diversity, individuality

 

Editing:

• The camera work hides the cuts in whip pans
• One singles shot looks magical and perfect – representation of LA
• Ratio change – links to classic and old films

 

Sound:

• Foley footsteps on the rooftops
• Everyone shuts their door at the same time
• Lyrics – harsh reality of making it in Hollywood
• Car horns – first things we hear, reality
• Different people’s music – individuality
• Shift between diegetic and non-diegetic sound

 

 

Genre

• Musical: colourful, instruments, dancing/choreographed dance and mass choreography (ensemble performance)

 

Messages

• The connotations of the colours

 

Themes

• Ambition
• Optimism
• Individuality
• Nostalgia
• Independency
• Compromise (left her date to pursue her dream)

 

Spectatorship

• Passive – happy
• Active – negative representation of LA contrasting the optimistic feel
• Irony of the situation

 

Ideology

• Old vs new