Analyasis on the supersize vs super skinny documentary.

1. Supersize vs Super skinny
textual analysis
BY
KIRSTY MITCHELL

2. Opening sequence
The opening sequence shows a range of different sized people. This makes the
audience create an opinion of different sized bodies at first and then can
adapt throughout the documentary how they cope being there size. The
opening sequence shows what the program is going to be about and
emphasises the contrast and the audience can see straight away that it is quite
an open documentary. These frames show that this is an open documentary
and let the audience create there own opinion on what looks better, being
either super sized or super skinny. This opening sequence also shows a contrast
of imgaes as though it’s a mirror imaging, reflecting the fat and the skinny from
each other. Not only the images but also the font used represents the size as
well as the supersize is bold and the super skinny is thin.

3. Christian Jessen is the presenter of Super size vs Super skinny. Having him to
present the documentary is great because he is a professional and gives
professional advice which will have a big affect on the audience and trust his
opinion that is shared, also Christian Jessen is a very likeable character which
interests the audience into watching the programme. Documentaries are
factual so having a doctor on the programme involves the audience more and
then can be interested and also shocked by the facts they are hearing. Also the
people who are in the programme will feel reassured because they are being
given the correct information and not just an opinion. The image on the left
shows Christians power using a low angle shot and putting him right in the
middle of the shot, this shows how important he is.

4. Eating Disorders
In the programme there is a scene about a girl who has an eating disorder.
Nowadays eating disorders are a massive problem especially for
teenagers. The scene is based around the girl who has suffered from an
eating disorder and use flashback slips of her when she was going through
her disorder. During this there are bits of texts going over the screen to show
the facts of eating disorders, this makes the audience want to continue
watching and entice them. Additionally this is a real issue and they aren’t
just highlighting the facts of eating disorders but they are also influencing
people away from it.

5. MISE-EN-SCENE
The mise-en-scene in this show has
used this shot to make Christian Jessen
the main focus of this shot. But in the
background there are people eating
unhealthy food. This has been done
because the producer wants to show 2
polar opposites. Also this image shows
the contrast of the different bodies as
Christian is fit which a great looking
In this documentary the producer has used a
swipe edit which switches between different
scenes. The have used this because it swipes
from a woman in America talking and then to
someone in the UK, this shows that obesity is
not only in the USA.

6. MISE-EN-SCENE
A long shot has
been used in part
of the starting
clips. This
programme is
called ‘Supersize
VS super skinny’ so
they will use this
shot because it
focuses on the
parts of the title.
Using a long shot
shows what being
overweight.
The producer has got the people who are
involved in the documentary to wear nude
coloured underwear, to emphasise the
point of the programme. This shot shows
the audience the extreme outcome of
having an eating disorder and also reflects
on the name of the programme. By using
nude colour underwear this desexualizes
them making them all seem the same.

7. MISE-EN-SCENE
A close up has been used to show the
audience how the women is feeling. This
means that the audience will be able to
connect with her better as it is clear to see
she is upset, by using this close up.
This is a focus shot. The man is faded in
the background and the pizza is the
main focus. This image shows what she
is not used to eating and by putting him
in the background shows that this is
what he usually eats.

8. Summary
In this documentary, over all it is clear that it is a reflexive documentary. The
presenter really gets involved with what people who are invited have to say
as people who are in the documentary are open and honest about what
they think and have to say about how they feel. This makes it more believable
for the audience watching. The main focus on this programme is to promote
a healthy lifestyle. Additionally using people completely different one another
show the contrast between different peoples lifestyles.