Story line: The story follows the plot to murder a mutual friend of several teenagers in Florida as a vengeful act against the continual abuse and psychological torture he pressured onto others. The teens soon learn that along with their actions come very serious consequences. Based on a true story.
Director: Larry Clark
Stars: Brad Renfro, Nick Stahl and Bijou Phillips
Opening: The film beings with the title credits with no sound. After this we see a close up of who we believe to be the main character on the phone at home, making two sexual comments to whoever is on the other end of the phone call. Urban, electric music begins to play and the setting changes; the audience are now shown a moving, establishing shot taken from the view of a car's side window of the surroundings of the location of where the film will be set throughout: urban suburbs, stores, roads and a sign post saying 'Hollywood'. The setting changes to a medium shot of a car containing two teenage girls pulling up into the car park of a store, making references to how carrying out sexual acts and working hard enough, you can get you exactly what you want. The setting changes to inside the store where the two girls are being served sandwiches by the previous main character we met before and his friend. Here a conversation is held between the group about meeting on a beach later on in the day.The location changes to the beach where the two guys finish surfing and invite the two girls watching to a party within an exchange of close up and medium shots. The next scene shows all four of the teenagers in a car driving through the urban suburbs where they pull into a different car park.
Setting: Urban suburbs - rough side of town, certain issues regarding negative influences addressed throughout film.
Props: cars, cigarettes - suggests growing up too fast, trying to mature and fit in with stuff before you're physically and mentally ready - represents a common theme throughout film.
Camera shot types/angles: close ups - suggest which characters will be dominant throughout, suggests ideas of what character's background is and how audience should react to each character. Establishing/long shots - shows setting of where film is most likely to be throughout, gives audience impression of what to expect from rest of the story line.
Lighting: natural - suggests film will show true representation of teenage life and what the main characters have to go through - can relate it to certain situations.
Casting: group of teenagers - suggests film will deal with the issues surrounding growing up and trying to 'fit in with the crowd' stage - true representation of teenage life for some individuals.
Costume and make-up: topless, bikini - minimal clothing - suggests a true, bare representation of the lifestyle some teens live. Top and trousers - stereotypical clothing for a teen - typical issues will be dealt with and themes throughout, i.e. smoking, drugs, sex, alcohol etc.
Movement: pushed into objects - element of overpowering, bullying present, character just takes it - suggests the bullying has been happening for a while, used to it.
Music:gangsta rap, hip-hop - suggests a tough and upbeat lifestyle - could also represent tough decisions that could be made later on in the film and upbeat, fast actions that need to be taken, sets 'edgy' atmosphere for opening of film.
Positives: the setting of the film is made clear by the use of establishing shots and sign posts, all four of the main characters are introduced, the dialogue between the main characters gives the audience a sense of what they are like.
Negatives: audience are not given a clear idea of background for the main characters.
Why I chose Bully: Bully is based around the lives of a group of teenagers, the age range of the majority of the cast I would put into my coursework and the impacts of alcohol, drugs and sex, again the topics I plan to face in my film opening. Bully centers around the genres of Crime, Drama and Thriller, three of the genres I plan to base my opening on.
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