- The movie can be seen as very relatable when it comes down to the representation of friendships because even though things (boys and "trying to fit in & be a part of something, being seen as someone, rather than just as "the other one") comes between friendships groups, they will always fight/ignore each other and think they are better off without them but then at the end they always come together as even closer friends.. Which is very relatable in this day and age within high school and this movie shows exactly that.
[ Teachers ]
- The teachers are not seen as something that would be stereotypical, because one of the main teachers Mr Arthur talks to the students like if he is the student, he understand the teens humour and also uses it against them. Mr Arthur also doesn't make a fuss when the student swears or makes a sexual joke, he is represented as a calm and doesn't take offence so easily, which totally opposite to how teachers are in "real life"
- Why is the subject being represented in this way?
- All the subjects above are being represented in this way because typically thats what high school and "teen life" are stereotypically are seen like, this movie does reinforce this but also makes us aware of "The DUFF" this could in "real life" make people more aware of this stereotype or it could be something now high school students don't care about anymore.
- The movie shows what people want to see about the teenager life: friendships broken/healed, boys, dating, drama, school life.
- Is the representation fair and accurate?
- Most of the representations does seem accurate only because i have see actually seen it happen in high school and how these stereotypes are fair to make because it does happen, it is the reality of high school life but i think the movie exaggerated it more than it actually is. As sad as it is I think the representations are made do seem fair because they actually happen, and are not made up scenario.
Media Languages and Forms
- What are the denotative and connotative levels of meaning?
- What is the significance of the text’s connotations?
- What are the non-verbal structures of meaning in the text (e.g. gesture, facial expression, positional communication, clothing, props etc)?
- The positional communication between the cast were mostly quite upfront and close, this suggested the close friendships and bond the characters had within themselves, but there was one close up shot of "Madison" coming in front of "Bianca" to intimidate and scare her, this communication between the two characters showed their status in terms of how has the power. Other positional communication was quite distant from each other, this was in one of the scenes with Bianca and her two friends, within the middle of the movie we see that their friendship has been broken so they both are looking far into distant and across the hallway, not completely ignoring each other but still wanting their distant.
- What is the significance of mise-en-scene/sets/settings (CLAMPS)?
- the settings of the overall movie set is significant because really does allow the audience to see the realistic view of the situation that is happening but also it compliments with the narrative. For example, when the two main protagonists are at the shopping centre, Bianca (female protagonist) is trying on the clothes while her male friend is giving his opinion. The setting is realistic and relatable for some of its target audience which allows the setting to be significant throughout the movie, this is also suitable for the school/classroom settings.
- The costumes of the cast members where also significant because most of the clothing were trendy especially for the female cast costumes, not forgetting this movie was made last year but the clothing is still worn today which may could also add attraction and create significance in the movie.
- What work is being done by the sound track/commentary/language of the text?
- The movie includes various of music genre into their scenes, music that is parallel to the scene, so the music can compliment the scene, giving the audience another way to understand what is going on. The music that were being played through some of the scenes were quite similar, this was because the genre of the music can fit into the genre of the film, but also to their target audience.
- What are the dominant images and iconography, and what is their relevance to the major themes of the text?
- The dominant images and iconography for majority of the scenes were quite passionate and romantic.
- What sound and visual techniques are used to convey meaning (e.g. camera positioning, editing; the ways that images and sounds are combined to convey meaning)?
The sound was parallel to the scenes at parts in increased the atmosphere that the scene was going for and it allowed the transitions between the scenes to go smoothly. The visual techniques were quite natural so the audience could be able to relate but also find the scenes realistic, this is through the medium close ups. There's is one part of the scene were edited fireworks and music of celebration which forces the audience to either celebrate with the protagonist about her bravery, or either it makes the audience realise they are watching the movie and not actually in it.
Narrative
- How is the narrative organised and structured?
- The narrative is organised and structured to show that labels don't matter, they are always going to be people that are better than yourself but you have to accept it and know that you are special in your own way.
- How is the audience positioned in relation to the narrative?
- The audience are consistently positioned consistently at the front so they know everything, at some scenes they know something before the main protagonist which is to create dramatic irony. Allowing the audience to be positioned allows them to clearly follow the linear narrative.
- How are characters delineated? What is their narrative function? How are heroes and villains created?
- The characters are shown as what you would expect them to be like typically in high school, but with a twist. For example in the movie the girls who are pretty and partially every guy wants to date aren't b*itchy or arrogant as represented in stereotypes, but they are rather smart and kind in the movie. Although the popular girl (Madison) and her "friends" are seen as villains; always trying to get into other peoples business and then using that as a threat. In my view i think both the two main protagonist - Wesley & Bianca - as the two heroes; Bianca because she saves herself from all the humiliation that she received from the videos the villain exposed to the whole school but Bianca also overcame the challenges she faced throughout the movie and the end she is finally happy with who she is. I also think that Wesley can be also seen as a hero because he is the one who stuck by Bianca and helped her throughout the times she needed him.. He recuse the princess.
- What techniques of identification and alienation are employed?
- The narrative of the movie overall allows the audience to create identification, with the romance, the school drama. The angles also suited well with the genre of the movie, which allows the audience to easily make that identification.
- What is the role of such features as sound, music, iconography, genre, mise-en-scene, editing etc within the narrative?
The role of the sound allows the audience to keep interested and help them identify with the music either with emotions and feelings. The role of mise-en-scene allows the audience to create identification with the teen life. Even though the editing is pretty straight forward with the straight cuts but it allows the audience to easily follow through the narrative, however at the the start of the movie, during the introduction part, the editing seemed quite interactive and informing the audience in a creative way, to highly the introduction of the characters from the protagonists point of view. Overall at some point of the movie, for example when Bianca was pointed out the DUFF in each friendships groups, the use of the 3D arrow edited in the movie created more attractive to watch.
What are the major themes of the narrative? What values/ideologies does it embody?
The major themes of the narrative of the duff is mainly romance, comedy, high school drama and the lives of teens. The ideologies/values the movie holds mainly is self importance.
Genre
- To which genre does the text belong?
- Comedy & Romance
- What are the major generic conventions within the text?
- The major generic conventions of The duff that it shows it is a comedy is by the use of the bright places and the locations used in some scenes like shopping centres and parties (social events) highlights the genre.
- The camerawork is naturalistic and the characters are filmed in a way that it shows that none is better.
- The lighting is another convention that it shows the genre, as bright and happy colours are used.
- What are the major iconographic features of the text?
- The customers worn by each and individual character because it does hint out there character personality.
- The use of language spoken by the characters, to each other.
- What are the major generic themes?
- romance, comedy, high school drama and the lives of teens.
- To what extent are the characters generically determined?
- The characters shown are generically determined to change the stereotypes of people have against them and not be labelled this is what the main message is by the end of the movie, for the hero, as he is a popular kid in high school, the end of the movie he doesn't care about the popularity but rather have the girl he starts liking. The characters are generically determined to change other peoples thinking about the stereotypes or negative high school drama thoughts.
- To what extent are the audience’s generic expectations of the text fulfilled or cheated by the text? Does the text conform to the characteristics of the genre, or does it treat them playfully or ironically?
- The audience generic expectations of the text were fulfilled by the text because as a typical teen movie the movie did follow the codes and conventions of a comedy and a teen movie. The movie had filled the audiences expectations but also had a twist, for example for the popular girl who are wanted by every guy are smart and school focused rather than being dumb and b*itchy. Furthermore, the text playfully hints out the genre because it isn't a comedy where throughout the movie you would laugh but they are areas in the movie that would make you giggle.
- Does the text feature a star, a director, a writer etc who is strongly associated with the genre? What meanings and associations do they have?
The director himself -Ari Sandel, he has also directed other comedy movies such as, West Bank Story, When Ee First Met. Ken Jeong is another big star that is strongly associated with the genre, he has done movies such as "Hangover part 2" "Ride Along 2".The characters in the movie have also came in some other comedy movies but they are not strongly associated with the genre.
Media Institutions
- What is the institutional source of the text?
- In what ways has the text been influenced or shaped by the institution which produced it?
- Is the source a public service or commercial institution? What difference does this make to the text?
- Who owns and controls the institution concerned and does this matter?
- How has the text been distributed?
- Capelight Pictures
- E1 Films Canada
- Eagle Pictures
- Lionsgate
- Odeon
- Capelight Pictures
- Eagle Films
- Future Film
- Netflix
- Red Apollo Group
- Telepool
Media Values and Ideology
- What are the major values, ideologies and assumptions underpinning the text or naturalised within it?
- The ideologies/values the movie holds mainly is self importance, knowing that your special in your own way and shouldn't be labeled according to what characteristics you hold within High school. Within the text the assumptions are the stereotypical views about high school and what teen are like in each "social group", but the movie has slightly twisted it so it is not as exaggerated as other movie but still reinforcing the stereotypes that are created, to maybe then show their end of message.
- What criteria have been used for selecting the content presented?
- 12A
Media Audiences
- To whom is the text addressed? What is the target audience? (Demographics, Psychographics)
- The target audience would be teenage girls and young adults possibly, (13 - 22 years old)
- More female audience than males, i would say 80% of females and 20% of males just because the movie is quite filled with female cast but the male audience could enjoy and find the male humour funny that is mentioned through the movie.
- The audience would be most likely students.
- Psychographics groups would be mainstreamers, reformers and aspirer.
- What assumptions about the audience’s characteristics are implicit within the text?
- Audience characteristics that would be implicated within the text would be open minded, funny humoured people.
- What assumptions about the audience are implicit in the text’s scheduling or positioning?
- Teens are open about making sexual jokes and don't mind being quite intimate with one and other as the positioning of the characters are mostly quite close.
- In what conditions is the audience likely to receive the text? Does this impact upon the formal characteristics of the text?
- The audience could possibly catch the phrase of "The duff" but it wouldn't effect what they would think about this in their social groups just because now teens can look past that, but it wouldn't impact the characteristics of the text.
- What do you know or can you assume about the likely size and constituency of the audience?
- I think the size of the audience could be fairly big due to the big stars that are in this movie for example, Ken Jeong, Bella Thorne, Styler Samuels etc. The cast members do have big fan base so potentially it does have a chance of a large and consistency of the audience for the movie.
- What are the probable and possible audience readings of the text?
- Not to label people and see self-importance in yourself.
- What are the audience pleasures, uses or gratifications? (Refer to theory).
- personal relationships and identities can be created as the cast members are acting like their age and referenced made in the movie are something the target audience can create personal relationships and identity.
- How do you, as an audience member, read and evaluate the text? To what extent is your reading and evaluation influenced by your age, gender, background etc?
- As a audience member, i find that the text has some parts that i enjoy but some parts are not something i like to hear. For example the sexual jokes or the explicit scenes aren't something I'm comfortable watching, although the relationships between the two main protagonist are something that intrigues me into the movie, as i do find the relationship cute. My age, gender and background are something that has influenced by evaluation, i haven't grown up to see explicit/sexual jokes as something so openly, which is something that puts me a little bit of the people but majority of the text i think it is quite interesting to watch since high school is a stage where a lot of those things happen that are mentioned in the movie.
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Information links/evidence
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1666801/?ref_=nv_sr_1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Duff
http://screenrant.com/duff-movie-reviews-2015/
http://www.bbfc.co.uk
http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/news/celebrity/2015/03/25/the-duff-film-review-starring-mae-whitman-and-bella-thorne
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/duff/review/ http://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/1075963/the-duff-book-vs-movie
