Research for EARNEST - Easy A (2010)

Inspired by the classic Romantic-Gothic, The Scarlet Letter, I felt that Easy A was another relevant choice for me when analysing movies. There are plenty of similar themes running throughout Easy A and The Importance of Being Earnest: lying, personas, reputation, society's expectations, rumours and romance. Directed by Will Gluck, Easy A was released in 2010 to critical acclaim and is one of Emma Stone's, the leading actress, most famous roles.

Easy A follows the story of Olive, an unpopular, unknown girl in high-school who lies about losing her virginity to her best friend, and faces the consequences. It's a funny, romantic adaption, ticking a lot of boxes for me when it comes to finding a movie similar to The Importance of Being Earnest to analyse. I'd never seen it before watching it to study it, and I really liked it. Not unsimilar to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I like the comedic twist on a famous, but not necessarily hilarious, romantic novel.

The target audience of this movie is older teens or young adults, and the audience expectation is for a fun, entertaining movie with a lot of laughs, yet a deeper message underneath about spreading rumours and being yourself. Most of the characters in this movie are straight and white, though there is one gay character, who experiences bullying at the hand of his peers. It's tokenism, with a hint of what high-school life is like for minorities. It's meant to be a movie for anyone who has ever felt that the rest of the world needs to mind their own business, and conveys it's messages with sombreness when necessary, and comedy where appropriate.

                             Types of Shots

Close up

- The close up to Olive, placed side-by-side with her name in the credits, is a nice intro, and very neat. We also get an understanding to her nature, as even though she's been knocked over and dropped everything, she's annoyed, not embarrassed. 

Two Shot

- The first time we see Olive, she gets knocked to the floor by, what we can assume form her following and mood, is a very popular girl. This automatically gives us an insight to both of their characters. 

Over the Should Shot

- Olive's favourite teacher is shown favourably as a likeable, funny man who doesn't take offence of their somewhat scandalous language. The audience feels drawn to him due to his easygoing nature, and this is helped along with the natural framing between the two girls' heads. 

Camera Angles

Low Angle 

- A character who only just enters is established as a teacher, or at least some figure of authority, by using a low angle, elevating him above the students, and making him intimidating. It also adds to the disapproving tone of his voice, and the way the girls react when they realise he was listening. 

Camera Movement 

Tilt

- This movie could nearly be classified as a 'slice-of-life' given the setting and the age of the characters, so the first camera shot is a tilt down onto a small town. This 'small town' is later important, as it adds to how quickly the rumors spread about Olive. 

Track

- The continuous track across the schoolyard shows off the students body, giving insight to the number of kids that will eventually turn on Olive. It adds to the atmosphere and the realistic nature of the school, giving the story some authenticity.

Zoom

- The zoom on pivotal characters before we even know their names lets us know that they'll be important later on. It's a very smooth shot, going seemingness form the track into the zoom, and when coupled with the narration, adds to the continuous feel of the movie. 

Reverse Zoom

- Used to keep the single long shot going, a reverse zoom is needed to keep in front of the actress. Her aloof attitude, and the way the girls behind her drop off one by one is well conveyed here, and we get a feel for her character.

Framing

Focus Pull 

- To keep our attention on the protagonist, but make us aware of what's going on in the background and the overall environment of the school, a focus pull is used as Olive is picking up her dropped papers. 

Editing 

Visual Effects

- A fun way to show off the credits whilst starting the movie, the names of actors and people behind the making of the movie are placed at different intervals across the screen, and at different angles. 

Sound

Dialogue 

- The dialogue in this movie is modern and casual - it's meant to make you feel like you're in the movie, with the characters, and is filled with relatable, believable scenarios with all lead up to the dramatic climax Olive finds herself in. 

- The dialogue is naturally paced and given he right tone for the natural setting between friends. Olive and Rhiannon have good chemistry, and their friendship is believable. Even though Rhiannon calls her a "selfish bitch" Olive doesn't even blink, as it is in real life when your friends casually slander you to your face.

Direct Address

- The first movie I've analysed so far to use direct address, it works very well int his movie. It's got a tone of confession, it's Olive telling her own story, after all. Looking into the camera and speaking directly to her audience makes sense, as she's supposedly telling her story on the internet, and letting everyone know what happened. 

Nondiegetic Sound

- This movie is for teens, and is marketed as an upbeat comedy, so the fats paced guitar at the start and the pop song creates the expected mood as soon as the movie starts. This satisfies the audience so they know they're at the right movie. 

- The comedic opening dialoge from Emma Stone's character Olive gives us clues about the plot and the character's life before the movie is even properly started. 

Synchronous Sound

- The 'squelch' noise in this scene is just really gross, and makes Olive's discomfort more than believable. 

Mise en Scene 

Location/Setting

- The 'small town' feel is well achieved, everything had a sense of town pride, as everything we see is named after it's home. We're even given a population to the city, and a glimpse at the school's front. 

Makeup and Costume 

- The clothing in this movie is fairly standard and modern, it's set in present day after all. A nice touch of continuity however is having some of the students in school colours. 

- Despite the sunny weather, Olive wears a long of layers, and keeps her arms and legs covered. This gives us a clue to her self-conscious nature. 

Props

- The extras are carrying typical school supplies to emcees their roles - books, files, bags, the occasional football. 

- A funny prop used to lay down the basic plot of the movie in a few seconds, and shows off Olive's tough, straight forward character. The handwriting, and the fact it's written on a fly block, all adds to Olive' student status. 

- Rhiannon's hippie parents are very comical characters, and the line "Want some dessert?" just as her dad hands Olive a drug bong works well. It also shows off how Olive never really feels totally comfortable where she is.