This document analyzes the opening scenes of the film "Clueless" through its mise-en-scene and cinematography. It summarizes that the protagonist is portrayed as an upper-class, desirable teenage girl through shots that depict her wealth, popularity, and focus on appearance. The fast pacing and upbeat elements like music, lighting, and color palette reflect the film's romantic comedy genre and positive feel. Teenage society is represented as carefree through wild party scenes shot with a fast-cut rhythm without safety precautions.

1. CLUELESS
Opening Analysis

2. • Upper class/ affluent
• Genre (romantic comedy)
• Narrative surrounding young people
• Desirable protagonist
• Concern with appearance
• Teenage society

3. • Protagonist is portrayed as upper class
• Excessive amount of shopping bags connote wealth and a
careless attitude towards spending
• Shots consist of low angles and are of large locations such as
mansions with staff and their owners who look small in
comparison, which represents them as affluent
• The proxemics between her and her father are close and her
body language is very assertive and confrontational which
shows she is spoilt
• The voiceover describes the protagonist as “teenage” and she
owns a large car which signifies affluence at a young age.
• Long shots show the father as larger than the maid (someone
of lower status) and therefore connotes higher class

4. • Medium shots and long shots with both genders which signifies the
relationship between boys and girls as a common theme as no
matter how close or far away both genders are present. The use of
close ups of these gestures are suggestive (e.g. feeding is a
connotation of intimacy, also cherries have sexual connotations) and
also connotes the protagonist as desirable.
• Diegetic Laugh sound creates an upbeat, fun atmosphere, this along
with a large use of extras connotes that the protagonist has a large
number of friends and is popular therefore signifying that the
protagonist is desirable.
• There is use of fast cutting rhythm over the suggestive shots, this
signifies that the protagonist’s promiscuity is not a large side of her
personality and represents this as an underlying sexual tone rather
than a main theme.

5. • The shots signify that the protagonist is pre-occupied
with her looks, given the camera angles shot at a low
angle to show she thinks highly of herself, and she is
using props such as a hairbrush which makes her seem
vain
• The close up of the computer shows “MIS-MATCH!” Is
use of of hyperbole and
• There is a fast-cut rhythm of the protagonist with her
possessions, to signify she spends vast amounts of
money on looking good regularly, and the camera is shot
from a low angle to represent her as confident, which
reassures the audience that she is proud of this

6. The shots are fast-cut which reflects the protagonist’s
upbeat mood and lifestyle
The mise-en-scene includes lots of pinks and reds
which connote romance
The lighting is high-key, even in dimly lit rooms, which
reflects the positive feel of the film
The music is upbeat, uplifting and feel-good which is
typical of romantic comedies

7. Teenage Society
• Teenagers are represented as wild
• The shots are fast-cut which gives a sense of the
atmosphere of a party
• The girls are are all cramped in the car without
seatbelts which shows that they value partying
more than safety therefore they appear as
carefree