The Paramount logo flashes up just as a soundbridge is used to link this to the mid-shot of Cady as she looks awkward, meeting stereotypes of new school students. This stereotype is created by her innocent, tentative facial expression, unmatching and unfashionable clothes and tied back hair, all building a humorous image that can be related to by the target audience of teenage girls. The teacher “welcomes” a black student in the class, having been told there is a new student from Africa, introducing humor in the racial association. All the students are dressed in various characterisation clothes, for example, there is one male in a dark green top, representing laziness and possibly ill care for his appearance connoting to gamer. These are all stereotypical representations of the different groups of people in high school that are often addressed in Americanised films.
A flash of white transition then introduces a reel of film and the characters’ memories from Africa, wearing green and beige clothes stereotypical of Africa. There is then animated credits of the actress playing this character, in pink and red, representing the gender and possibly indicating the person she aspires to be. The voiceover, voiced by this actress gives a background information and generally explains how she ended up in american high school, cut as a soundbridge and with a sting as the shot cuts to a dolly of her walking towards the camera in America.
Shot reverse shot shows the two characters introducing themselves. The female (Janice) is immediately represented as an extreme goth through the use of mise-en-scene including extravagant dark makeup, greasy black hair and fashion. She is clearly the leader of the duo as she introduces Damien, just as the shot cuts to him humorously dancing and therefore used for characterisation. The set in the background is out of focus and clearly shows a school by the display boards and plain walls. The characters are then shown through a mid dolly shot pushing their way through crowds of talking teenagers in bright, wide American school corridors that will be familiar to a young teenager audience.
A pov shot is shown of a hand drawn “map” of the cafeteria, which is then zoomed in on in a rapid zoom, giving the sort of sense of a whip pan. This is then again elaborated on by whip pans around the real life version of the map as the camera visits each of the various lunchtime tables of each cliche. Each group has individuals who share a particular characteristic through mise-en-scene and are a clear exaggeration of real life cliches in school for humour. This then stops at “the plastics” who are seen interrogating Cady. By stopping at this table, it is representative of how every gossip can be traced back to them and how they always get extra attention. They are pretty and appear to be sexualised through their revealing clothing, just as Janice says they are “the worst” group in the cafeteria, immediately setting up an opposition which drives the film. As the camera focuses in on their table the upbeat soundtrack comes ot a sudden stop, almost as if the world is stopping to focus on them.
The use of the term “shut up” is used as an exclamatory here which is a mickey-take by Cady being unable to understand it. A profile shot is used faced slightly towards the three girls, therefore placing Cady as separate from the group, separated by many things but visually represented. This allows the audience to see that there is a tanned girl and two blonde girls, both stereotypical features of “popular girls” in high school.
The shot once again cuts to Janice in a mid shot with a contrasting skin care shop being her, showing where she works. This is interesting as it shows she has access to skin care, yet chooses to dress a completely oppositional way, developing the idea that she is proud to be who she is. She says, through gritted teeth, “the plastics”, which then proceed as a soundbridge commentating the plastics as they walk down through the school corridor. This is an iconic long shot and then close up of their feet, slowed down for effect and in order to make their breasts stand out. The other students move out of their way as they strut down the hallway in sync, a desire of possible audience who can relate to being pushed and shoved in school hallways.
They are then individually introduced by the same voiceover, with Karen in a mid shot and skimpy school P.E vest, making her breasts stand out. Her blonde hair is down and looks styled, connoting to caring of her appearance even in school P.E. This then cuts to a shot reverse shot of her talking to Cady and Cady sarcastically going along with her dumbness. This is the representation of a stereotyped “dumb blonde”. Gretchen is then introduced with a long shot of her on the phone, wearing a cropped version of the P.E shirt, representing how she believes she is above the rules and has better people to talk to than those in school. A close up shot is shown of another mixed race girl who looks less popular (indicated by her lack of extravagant makeup, brown shirt and tied back hair), talking about the amount of bags Gretchen owns, as though it inspires her. This is an exaggeration of the suggestion that girls look up to other girls that are more popular than them. The lighting is above her as if she hopes to one day be like Gretchen and the background is of the outbuilding of a school, in keeping with the theme. This shot as a whole is made to feel like an interview as though the camera operator is creating a video diary of being in high school, therefore drawing on the relatability of the audience who can relate.
Finally, Regina is introduced in a long shot with shallow focus on her in the middle third being carried in by a posse of boys who seem eager to touch her, implying that she is the focus of sexual desire and bragging rights. She is therefore positioned literally above them, representing visually how she feels she is above all of them in terms of social status. She wears a skort and her hair is down and bouncing around her shoulders as she enters in a slow motion shot. She then thanks the boys by blowing them a kiss in a very exaggerated motion. Her hair is blonde and she is thin, representing the stereotypical conventions of the “queen bee” in high school. She is then shown clearly doing an exaggerated whisper into the ear of the person next to her and then with a manipulating smile, representing how she is able to control the people around her due to her social status.
Gretchen and Regina smile down at Cady as if they are doing her a favour and it is an honor to sit with them at lunch and as if they are worth more than her. A profile shot is used of the 3 popular girls in Regina’s car as she beeps the horn. This shows she wants to draw attention to herself and feels that she has the authority to call Cady a loser, even if it is only joking. By goign shopping the girls are stereotyping this demographic as shopaholics, almost as if they are teaching Cady how to be one of them. Establishing shot of massive house, from behind a bush as if imitating another student who is jealous of Regina’s house. This is then complimented by Cady, to which Regina agrees humorously.
As they are walking, Cady falls into a bin which is humours and also symbolises the way they feel about her and how she will never fit in. Gretchen can be seen in an over the shoulder shot talking about boys as if it is a massive secret. She wears pink along with Cady although Cady is clearly copying and trying to fit in. Her hair is still tied back and she still seems to have some sense of her own fashion. Profile shot of Aaron makes him look angelic and a close up is used of Cady with a face of awe looking at him.
A split screen is used with Cady and Regina on the phone. Regina ia wearing a skimpy vest whilst Cady has a dark green one and her hair down, implying she is learning more and more about the rules of the “girl world”. Regina wears a leotard and bunny ears at halloween and flirts with Aaron in an over the shoulder shot. This implies that due to the context and Regina’s sexual appeal, she is all he sees. Aaron wears an American football kit, demonstrating how this is aspirational to the boys and is what they believe girls like. A whip pan is used and then slowed down as Regina kisses him, just as Cady gasps and a close up is used of her reaction. There is then a mid, profile as Cady pounces on Regina, followed by a long shot of them fighting on the floor like animals whilst other students cheer them on whilst taking on the personas of various animals. This is then used as a contrast to the passive aggressive “girl world”, where the pace of editing is slowed and the tone is much calmer. Cady here has her hair down and volumised, implying she is becoming more and more like Regina. She even wears a low cut pink top and an identical necklace to Regina but with a C rather than an R.
A long shot is shown of Karenn trying to zip up Regina’s dress, whilst this is humorous as it doesn’t fit, it also shows how the power is distributed as Karen is acting as a servant of Regina’s. It is interesting that in the next mid then close up, pov tilted down shot, regina is covered up in an unflattering pink bomber jacket and has little makeup with her hair tied back at the nape of her neck. She has food between her teeth and is generally made to look unattractive. This reflects how she viewed Cady at the beginning of the film and possibly implies that they have switched places. The camera being at a tilt down shows differentiation in the power balance and how she is being forced to look up to others now. As a fast beat is used, a fast paced editing is used synchronous to the beat, of Cady kissing Aaron, as if it is showing her reward after orchestrating Regina’s downfall.
A shot reverse over the shoulder shot is used of Regina giving Cady the evils and Cady looking scared and almost apologetic. Here Regina wears a black off the shoulder, diverging from her usual red and pink, implying she has lost her style and her queen bee status. Her hair is also tied back however, Cady wears the same hoop earrings and necklace as her. There is then very fast paced editing as the soundtrack builds up to a climax and there are shots of girls leaping on each other like animals.
Finally, there is a flash out to a white screen and then a soundbridge of Karen saying sorry and then being caught by a crowd of girls looking at her. This is then followed by another girl and then Gretchen. The soundtrack stops as she apologises for people being jealous of her and Karen being the only one to catch her. Karen has a naive happiness on her face as if she looks up to Gretchen no matter what she says and appears to have a rainbow covered view of the world. Another white screen flashes up saying “Mean girls” in red and pink font, before dollying round at the halloween party. It ends with the paramount logo and the distribution credits, conventional of trailers.
A flash of white transition then introduces a reel of film and the characters’ memories from Africa, wearing green and beige clothes stereotypical of Africa. There is then animated credits of the actress playing this character, in pink and red, representing the gender and possibly indicating the person she aspires to be. The voiceover, voiced by this actress gives a background information and generally explains how she ended up in american high school, cut as a soundbridge and with a sting as the shot cuts to a dolly of her walking towards the camera in America.
Shot reverse shot shows the two characters introducing themselves. The female (Janice) is immediately represented as an extreme goth through the use of mise-en-scene including extravagant dark makeup, greasy black hair and fashion. She is clearly the leader of the duo as she introduces Damien, just as the shot cuts to him humorously dancing and therefore used for characterisation. The set in the background is out of focus and clearly shows a school by the display boards and plain walls. The characters are then shown through a mid dolly shot pushing their way through crowds of talking teenagers in bright, wide American school corridors that will be familiar to a young teenager audience.
A pov shot is shown of a hand drawn “map” of the cafeteria, which is then zoomed in on in a rapid zoom, giving the sort of sense of a whip pan. This is then again elaborated on by whip pans around the real life version of the map as the camera visits each of the various lunchtime tables of each cliche. Each group has individuals who share a particular characteristic through mise-en-scene and are a clear exaggeration of real life cliches in school for humour. This then stops at “the plastics” who are seen interrogating Cady. By stopping at this table, it is representative of how every gossip can be traced back to them and how they always get extra attention. They are pretty and appear to be sexualised through their revealing clothing, just as Janice says they are “the worst” group in the cafeteria, immediately setting up an opposition which drives the film. As the camera focuses in on their table the upbeat soundtrack comes ot a sudden stop, almost as if the world is stopping to focus on them.
The use of the term “shut up” is used as an exclamatory here which is a mickey-take by Cady being unable to understand it. A profile shot is used faced slightly towards the three girls, therefore placing Cady as separate from the group, separated by many things but visually represented. This allows the audience to see that there is a tanned girl and two blonde girls, both stereotypical features of “popular girls” in high school.
The shot once again cuts to Janice in a mid shot with a contrasting skin care shop being her, showing where she works. This is interesting as it shows she has access to skin care, yet chooses to dress a completely oppositional way, developing the idea that she is proud to be who she is. She says, through gritted teeth, “the plastics”, which then proceed as a soundbridge commentating the plastics as they walk down through the school corridor. This is an iconic long shot and then close up of their feet, slowed down for effect and in order to make their breasts stand out. The other students move out of their way as they strut down the hallway in sync, a desire of possible audience who can relate to being pushed and shoved in school hallways.
They are then individually introduced by the same voiceover, with Karen in a mid shot and skimpy school P.E vest, making her breasts stand out. Her blonde hair is down and looks styled, connoting to caring of her appearance even in school P.E. This then cuts to a shot reverse shot of her talking to Cady and Cady sarcastically going along with her dumbness. This is the representation of a stereotyped “dumb blonde”. Gretchen is then introduced with a long shot of her on the phone, wearing a cropped version of the P.E shirt, representing how she believes she is above the rules and has better people to talk to than those in school. A close up shot is shown of another mixed race girl who looks less popular (indicated by her lack of extravagant makeup, brown shirt and tied back hair), talking about the amount of bags Gretchen owns, as though it inspires her. This is an exaggeration of the suggestion that girls look up to other girls that are more popular than them. The lighting is above her as if she hopes to one day be like Gretchen and the background is of the outbuilding of a school, in keeping with the theme. This shot as a whole is made to feel like an interview as though the camera operator is creating a video diary of being in high school, therefore drawing on the relatability of the audience who can relate.
Finally, Regina is introduced in a long shot with shallow focus on her in the middle third being carried in by a posse of boys who seem eager to touch her, implying that she is the focus of sexual desire and bragging rights. She is therefore positioned literally above them, representing visually how she feels she is above all of them in terms of social status. She wears a skort and her hair is down and bouncing around her shoulders as she enters in a slow motion shot. She then thanks the boys by blowing them a kiss in a very exaggerated motion. Her hair is blonde and she is thin, representing the stereotypical conventions of the “queen bee” in high school. She is then shown clearly doing an exaggerated whisper into the ear of the person next to her and then with a manipulating smile, representing how she is able to control the people around her due to her social status.
Gretchen and Regina smile down at Cady as if they are doing her a favour and it is an honor to sit with them at lunch and as if they are worth more than her. A profile shot is used of the 3 popular girls in Regina’s car as she beeps the horn. This shows she wants to draw attention to herself and feels that she has the authority to call Cady a loser, even if it is only joking. By goign shopping the girls are stereotyping this demographic as shopaholics, almost as if they are teaching Cady how to be one of them. Establishing shot of massive house, from behind a bush as if imitating another student who is jealous of Regina’s house. This is then complimented by Cady, to which Regina agrees humorously.
As they are walking, Cady falls into a bin which is humours and also symbolises the way they feel about her and how she will never fit in. Gretchen can be seen in an over the shoulder shot talking about boys as if it is a massive secret. She wears pink along with Cady although Cady is clearly copying and trying to fit in. Her hair is still tied back and she still seems to have some sense of her own fashion. Profile shot of Aaron makes him look angelic and a close up is used of Cady with a face of awe looking at him.
A split screen is used with Cady and Regina on the phone. Regina ia wearing a skimpy vest whilst Cady has a dark green one and her hair down, implying she is learning more and more about the rules of the “girl world”. Regina wears a leotard and bunny ears at halloween and flirts with Aaron in an over the shoulder shot. This implies that due to the context and Regina’s sexual appeal, she is all he sees. Aaron wears an American football kit, demonstrating how this is aspirational to the boys and is what they believe girls like. A whip pan is used and then slowed down as Regina kisses him, just as Cady gasps and a close up is used of her reaction. There is then a mid, profile as Cady pounces on Regina, followed by a long shot of them fighting on the floor like animals whilst other students cheer them on whilst taking on the personas of various animals. This is then used as a contrast to the passive aggressive “girl world”, where the pace of editing is slowed and the tone is much calmer. Cady here has her hair down and volumised, implying she is becoming more and more like Regina. She even wears a low cut pink top and an identical necklace to Regina but with a C rather than an R.
A long shot is shown of Karenn trying to zip up Regina’s dress, whilst this is humorous as it doesn’t fit, it also shows how the power is distributed as Karen is acting as a servant of Regina’s. It is interesting that in the next mid then close up, pov tilted down shot, regina is covered up in an unflattering pink bomber jacket and has little makeup with her hair tied back at the nape of her neck. She has food between her teeth and is generally made to look unattractive. This reflects how she viewed Cady at the beginning of the film and possibly implies that they have switched places. The camera being at a tilt down shows differentiation in the power balance and how she is being forced to look up to others now. As a fast beat is used, a fast paced editing is used synchronous to the beat, of Cady kissing Aaron, as if it is showing her reward after orchestrating Regina’s downfall.
A shot reverse over the shoulder shot is used of Regina giving Cady the evils and Cady looking scared and almost apologetic. Here Regina wears a black off the shoulder, diverging from her usual red and pink, implying she has lost her style and her queen bee status. Her hair is also tied back however, Cady wears the same hoop earrings and necklace as her. There is then very fast paced editing as the soundtrack builds up to a climax and there are shots of girls leaping on each other like animals.
Finally, there is a flash out to a white screen and then a soundbridge of Karen saying sorry and then being caught by a crowd of girls looking at her. This is then followed by another girl and then Gretchen. The soundtrack stops as she apologises for people being jealous of her and Karen being the only one to catch her. Karen has a naive happiness on her face as if she looks up to Gretchen no matter what she says and appears to have a rainbow covered view of the world. Another white screen flashes up saying “Mean girls” in red and pink font, before dollying round at the halloween party. It ends with the paramount logo and the distribution credits, conventional of trailers.