1. Craig Newton
Analytical filmreviewof the Force Awakens
Mise en scene
Shot1: Close upof Rey,directtoaudience.Hasfeaturesrelatingtothe stormtroopers,tuskan
raidersandjawa.
Shot2: Longshotwide shot.Climbing/scavenginginsideaship.Inthe engine room, showingshe
knowswhatshe’slookingfor. She’sonherown.
Shot3: High angle shot,manoeuvringdownachamberon herown,brave willingtotake chances.
Shot4: Longshotto showhowinsignificantandtinyshe is.Relatestothe storyof how the firstorder
ishuge comparedto the rebels.
Shot5: Reyis shownwithouthermaskandhas the staff in the openingshot,allowinganaudience to
recognise her.Clothesare similartoLuke’sandthe shot issimilartoLuke’sbeginnings.She’sfemale.
Audience recognise arebel droiddue tothe patterns.
Shot6: Genre conventionspace shipflyingthroughthe air. Wide angle,onherown.
Shot7: Mediumshot,Hardworkingyoungfemale,human,she canhandle technology,brave and
Look of longingforthe future.
Shot8: Mediumshot,contrastingred againsta grey and white colourpalletecreatesconnotations
to that of a Nazi rally.Immediatelysignifyingwhothe villainsare.The uniformlookof stormtroopers
alsoadd to thisand excite fansof the franchise as theyare instantlyrecognisable andareal indicator
that theyare watchinga Star Wars filmthathas remainedtrue tothe originals.The numberof
Stormtroopersalsosuggestthatitis a powerful army.
Shot9: Close up,redfingerbloodstainssignifythisstormtrooperasspecial,astheyare always
immaculate inall of the scenesseeninthe franchise sofar.Oldfanswill alsorecognise thatthisis
the firsttime a stormtrooperhasbeenseenwithhishelmetoff makinghimspecialandkeytothe
narrative. He is alsoblackand a leadrole whichisuncommoninmanyblockbusterfilms,therefore
attractinga widertargetaudience.
Shot10: Trackingshotleft,thisstickstothe codesandconventionsof Sci-fi showingaTi-Fighter
spirallingoutof control inspace.Thisadds tonostalgia as itis recognisable fromthe original films.
Shot11:Longshot of Finnoutof the stormtrooperuniformshowshow he isbrave torebel against
the firstorderand is holdingajacketthat isnot part of the firstorderuniformssuggestingthatitis
importantas he isholdingontoitdespite beinginthe middle of adessertwhichhe isvisibly
sweatinginthe heatof.
Shot12: Close up,showshisdeterminationandexhaustioninthe heatof the dessert,whilstalso
allowingthe audience togeta properlookat what isa clear protagonistinthe film.
Shot13: Dollyzoomonto KyloRensuggesthisimportance andallegiance tothe darkside withthe
redlightingtheme inthe shotwhichisprevalentinthe FirstorderandEmpire. Thisimmediately
allowsanyaudience of ittoestablishhimasthe villainof the film.
2. Craig Newton
Shot14: Close up, the helmetaddsasense of mysteryashe losesall humanfeaturestherefore
creatingfearof the unknown.Tofansof the franchise thisisnostalgic asthishelmethas clearlinksin
designtothat of Darth Vaderinthe original filmsof the franchise.
Shot15: Panningupwardsclose up,thiscreatesexcitementforfansof the franchise asthey
recognise thistobe the helmet of Darth Vader.The darkcolours of the setcontrastedby the single
lightbeingshone onthe helmetalsohelptosignifyitsimportance.
Shot16: Close up,thisbeingimmediatelyafterthe shotof Darth Vader’shelmetsuggeststoan
audience thatthe twocharacters are relatedin some form, andthat ithas real significance.The
audience hasnotseenKylo Ren’shanduntil thispointwhichsofaris the onlyidentifyingfeature
that he is a human.
Shot17: Close up, thisclose upof Poe Dammeretshowsthe clearpainhe is in,KyloRenbeingthe
cause of thispain portrayshimas the villainandstaystrue tothe codesandconventionsof Sci-fi as
there isa clear goodand evil.
Shot18: Longshot,the forestbeingblownapartagain indicatesthe styleof filmtoanaudience.
Shot19: Followshot, thiscreatesasense of nostalgiaasfansof the seriescanrecognise the shipto
be that of the millenniumfalcon,the settingof thisshotstaystrue to the C&c’sas it displaysa
dystopianfuture.
Shot20: Wide shot,showsthe actioninthe filmandoldfans will recognisethese chase sceneswith
the falconto be like manyinthe original films,asHanSolowouldalwaysgetintotrouble,thisagain
createsnostalgiaasthiscreatesthe possibilitythatHanSoloand Chewbaccamay still be inthe story.
Shot21: Panleft,thisindicatesthe styleof filmandisSci-fi due tothe spaceshipsanddogfights
Shot22: Mediumshot:PortraysReyand Finnwithclose proxemics,suggestingthattheyare close to
one anotherand are friends.Finnisalso now wearingthe jacket thathe was holdinginshot11. The
setis alsorecognisable tomanyfansasthe inside of the millenniumfalcon creatingnostalgiaasthis
was keytothe original films.
Shot23: Close up,showsthe characterof Han Solothiscreatesnostalgiaashe was a character from
the original filmsof the franchise andstaystrue tothe story. The character havingagedalsoshows
the time inwhichthe filmissetafterthe original films.
Shot24: Establishingshot,thischange inspeedtothatof “Lightspeed”craftsnostalgiatothe original
films.Also,stayingtrue tothe codesand conventionsof the sci-fi genre.
Shot25: Crabbingrightlongshot,thisshowsthe falconatlightspeed whichagainestablishesthe
genre as Sci-fi
Shot26: Longshot,KyloRenisstoodwitha redlightsabre againconveyinghisvillainyandallegiance
to the dark side,the raincreatesa sense of patheticfallacyalsoindicatingthis.Whilstthe dead
bodiesaroundhimalsoaddto this.
Shot27: Mediumshot,focusingonKyloandhislightsabre portrayhow he hasan original lightsabre
that has neverbeenseeninthe seriesbefore.Himbeingsurroundedbyuniformedmeninblackalso
highlighthismenace andcreate connotationtothatof the Nazisagainas theyare like the Gestapo
or SS whilstStormtroopersare like regularNazi soldiers.
3. Craig Newton
Shot28: Crabbingrightwide angle, thisshowsacollectionof X-Wingswhichtofansof the originals
can recognise as Rebel fighters.The clearlushforestandlake inthe setalsosuggesthow the rebels
are fightingforthe goodside.
Shot29: Crabbingrightmediumshot,Stormtroopersanddestructioninthe backgroundsuggesthow
the firstorderare evil whereasthe rebelsare tryingtorestore peace towhat wasan idyllic location
featuredinthe lastshot.
Shot30: Establishingshot,thisshotconfirmsthisandshowshow the Firstorderhas caused
devastationtothe area.
Shot31: Trackingshot, suggestshowFinnhasnow joinedthe rebelsandPoe hasescapedKyloas
well asthe rebelsbeingthe goodside due tothe greenhillsandtreesevenatthe base fora war.
Shot32: Highangle tracking, Again,show the destructionof the Firstorder.
Shot34: Longshot,thisshowshowFinn,ReyandBB8 are all friendsandhow destructive the First
Orderare withthe Ti-Fighterinthe sky.
Shot35: Mediumshot,showsReybeingdefensivewithherweaponprotectingFinnandBB8this
againshowshowRey isstrongand brave.
Shot36: Longshot,showsFinn,BB8,Han Soloand a droidthe brightlycolouredflags suggesthow
thisarea issafe for themto enteraswell asthe grassindicatingthisthe colour palate alsodoesasit
doesnotfeature the coloursassociatedwiththe FirstOrder.
Shot37: Close up,thisisnostalgicformanyoriginal fansasthisis a returnof anothercharacter from
the original films.The hoodedfigure isnotimmediatelyidentifiable,howeverisheavilyhinted
towardsbeingthatof Luke Skywalkerdue tohisrobotichand.Whichagaincreatesexcitementfor
original fansasthisis the returnof anothercharacterfrom the original films.
Shot38: Longshot,thisagainconnoteshow the Firstorderare the villainsasthe backgroundisfilled
withblack smoke andthere isfire and lotsof stormtroopers.
Shot39: Thiscrabbingleftshotalsohighlightsanew characterwhichhas the appearance of a
stormtrooperhoweverthe armourisdifferentcolouredtothe restsuggestinghow thischaracteris
significantinsome way.Aswell asherbeingacaptaindue to the clothon hershoulder.
Shot40: Thislowangle shotsuggeststhe powerof Kylomakingthe audience feel small compared,
threatenedbythe lightsabre of his
Shot41: Close up,thisisthe firstshotin whichReycan be seento be visiblyupsetanddistraught,
the dark coloursof the setand lightingalsoconnote thisemotionthatshe portrays.
Shot42: Crabbingright,thissuggestshow the charactersHan Solo,ChewbaccaandFinnhave wound
up introuble.Whichishumorousformanyfans as thiswasoftenthe case forHan Soloand
Chewbacca.Thiscan be inferredfromthemholdingtheirhandsbehindtheirheadsandthe fire
belowthe treesinthe background.Suggestingdestruction.
Shot43: Close up,thisdepictsBB87 inan X-wingbefore the onslaughtof anattack froma squadron
of Ti-fighters,manyfanswill recognisethistobe like R2D2 inthe backof Luke’sshipinthe original
films.
4. Craig Newton
Shot44: Highangle,thisdepictsawar betweenthe Rebel squadronsandFirstorderinanother
desolate landscape
Shot45: Lowangle,depictsthe exitof seeminglyendlessstormtroopersfromashipwhich creates
the ideathat the Firstorder isseeminglyunstoppable.Itfollowsthe same colours
Shot46: Close up,ShowsRey forthe firsttime visiblyangryfiringalaserpistol inwhatisa wood.
Shot47: Mediumshot,showsastormtrooperbeingdefeated byarebel X-wingthis provesthatthe
Firstorderis defeatable if nothardto achieve.
Shot48: Close up,depictsKylousingthe force staringatthe audience tomake themfeel weakand
threatenedbyhim.There isthe reoccurringtheme of coloursusedbythe darkside inthisscene too,
as well ashislightsabre beingakeyiteminthe frame.
Shot49: Showsexplosions anddamage beingcausedbybothsides,makingmore destructionlike
that seeninthe firstshot in the wreckage Reyisclimbingthrough.
Shot50: Longshot, Showsthe destructionof animperial cruiser,thisagainhighlightsthe war
betweenthe twofactionsandhowbothtake heavylossesinthiswar.
Shot51: Close up,showsPrincessLeiawhichcreatesexcitementfor original fansasthisisthe return
of yetanothercharacterfrom the original films,itshowedherbeingcomfortedbyHanSolowhich
presentsthe qualityof theirrelationshipbeingveryclose toone another.
Shot52: Mediumshot,shows Finnholdingalightsabre inthe recognisable fightingstance creating
speculationastowhetherhe isa Jedi or not.The lightingiscraftedinaway that youare forcedto
focuson the lightsabre andFinnsface whichisvisiblyaggressive and readyforbattle.
Shot53: Mediumshot,showswhatcan be assumedtobe KyloRenaboutto attack Finndue to his
lightsabre and,Finnis visiblyscaredinthisharshwinterenvironment.Thisisthe firstshotinthe
trailerinwhichKyloRenhas appearedwithouthishelmeton.Although,hisface isnotvisible sohis
age cannotbe confirmed,yetthe colourof hishairmaysuggestthat he is younger.Itbeingblack
may alsosuggestthe evil thathe containsdue to the connotationsof the colouroftenbeingdeath
and emptiness.
Lonelypianochordsthat ECHO UNACOMPANIED,ONLYINTERUPTED BY DIALOGUE. Buildingin
intensityasthe timpani drumsechothrough.
