Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko

Editing and Camera

In the opening scene of Donnie Darko there are different camera and editing shots that have been presented to create different effects, helping us understand and relate to the characters.

At the beginning of the sequence there is a tilted shot of a bus which adds to the dream like vision that is presented as the sequence continues.

As the characters are introduced the camera is slowed down so that we as the audience have time to analyse the characters, the camera introduces the characters and portrays their appearance.

There is also a rapid pan, which mimics a persons eye looking, which makes us feel involved with whats going on in the scene, this is also supported by the camera being at eye level.

The pan is also sped up which condenses the time and skips to whats important. It also speeds up when people are walking so that time isn't wasted. This is also used as the camera is continuos which makes it seem that the audience is there following the characters. 

There is a fade to a white screen before going outside and then a fade back when entering the classroom, which divide the two different worlds. 

Mise-en-scene & location

The locations of the opening of the Donnie Darko film are the students first arriving on a school bus. Travelling and arriving form a key part of the opening of many teen dramas. It allows us (the audience) to travel with the lead protagonists to arrive at the location.

The opening scene is a school bus arriving at the school & bringing all the characters/students to the school.

The next scene is in the hallway, showing the teachers and the students. It shows the difference in costume between the teachers and students. The students all wear a smart uniform, a white shirt and a seemingly optional black jumper over it. The costume of the students and teachers reveal a lot about the characters. For example, you are "cool" and/or rebellious if you don't have a bag or your shirt done up to the top button. The teachers costume also shows that they are in position of authority because they do not wear the same costume as the students and are wearing smart & dull coloured clothing.

In addition, the costume allows us to see the differences in positions between the teachers because all of the older female teachers have their hair up, but the younger female teacher has her hair down just like the students, suggesting that they are similar and age and power level.

The next scene shows the school playground. The costume of the larger girl suggests that she is very studious and secluded because it is unlike the others as she has a cardigan on like most of the teachers and unlike the other students.




The next location is in the classroom, where there is a clear difference between the teacher & students.

Characters in Donnie Darko

In Donnie Darko, there are many different characters with different charactersitics in order to portray the different types of representations in this Teen-Film. Given just the opening of the film, I analysed the different types of characters and putting in consideration what their stereotype looks like? their labels, furthermore the narrative information.

Donnie
Donny is the main character of the teen-film. Donny looks like an average high-school pupil. In this shot we can see that he has got a close friend who normally tags along with him. Donny is the protagonist in the film. We can prove this due to the fact that his name is in the title/ident of the film 'Donny Darko'.







Bad Guy

In the opening sequence, we see an high school pupil who is conveyed in this opening sequences as 'rebel'. We can prove this due to the fact that he sticks his tongue out a other peer pupils as well as teachers. He is also a main character in Donnie Darko. we can tell this as he gets several shots in the opening scene pot raying his rebellious acts.







'Unattractive' English teacher

In the opening sequence there is a shot of the conventional of the 'Strict teacher'. We can see this by her facial expressions as she has a stern and straight posture and hair tied back. Furthermore we can see that she is unattractive due to the fact that she is old roughly aged 40-50. the stereotypical view of this age group is boring, unattractive and observant.








The 'Attractive' English teacher 


In the sequence, This teacher is seen as the 'Dream Teacher'. She is seen as a the attractive woman. In comparison to the other teacher she has more dominant shots in order to portray her beauty.