Moana Trailer

Moana is a story of the daughter of the chief of a Polynesian Island. She is chosen by the ocean to reunite a mystic relic with a goddess, in order to break the curse that has been put over her Island.

Unlike Disney’s classic female protagonists, Moana is presented as a heroic character in the trailer. She does not need a prince to come and save her, instead she is shown as an equal to the male character, Maui, when they work together to break the curse.  We see Moana in a MS, steering her boat towards a stormy sea, looking determined and powerful. This positive representation of women sends out an important message to the young female audience, showing them that they are just as strong and capable as men. Additionally, the transformation from Disney's typical female protagonist reflects society’s changing values. As society has become more accepting of women being as strong and powerful as men, Disney have adapted the way that they present their characters. The strong female lead can also be seen in Disney’s frozen, as Anna saves her sister without the help of a man.

The male protagonist, Maui, attracts a large adult following as he is played by Hollywood legend, Dwayne Johnson. Dwayne has been in multiple comedy films and so from Disney's choice to hire him, they are connoting to the audience that the film will have funny elements that they can enjoy. An example of one of his funny moments comes towards the end of the trailer when he is hit in the bottom with blow darts and slowly falls to the ground.

Disney has also become more ethnically diverse by choosing to create a film with Polynesian protagonists. This widens the audience appeal as it is good to see ethnic minority groups being represented positively and accurately in the media. This strengthens Disney’s like-ability as it shows how the brand keep up with the ever changing, multicultural society and try to include everyone in the magic of their films.

Although Moana’s character subverts the audience’s expectations in many ways, it also conforms to classic Disney conventions in other aspects. For example, the theme of ‘good vs evil’ is very apparent in the trailer. At the beginning, we see a montage of wide shots to establish the Island setting. It is portrayed as the perfect place to live, as the vibrant colours of the water, land and sky connote that the Island is a place of serenity and happiness. However, the sense of tranquility created by the setting is juxtaposed by the fast paced, dramatic music that is playing in the background, which suggests to the audience that something bad is going to disrupt the peace on the Island. The audience can then infer from this that a battle between good and evil will take place during the film.

Furthermore, there is a sense of Magic in the trailer, shown when Moana is carried onto her ship by the magical ocean. Additionally, Maui is a demigod who can transform into different animals. This is seen when he jumps off a cliff and shape -shifts into a large bird, before transforming back into a human when he lands of Moana's ship. The sense of the supernatural appeals to the hardcore Disney fans who enjoy the magic and creativity in all Disney films.

Reflection on Practical: TV Drama Still

Final Still Image

The completed storyboard

To prepare for our photography practical, my group had to decide on a certain genre of TV Drama that we wanted to signify in our still images. We eventually chose the 'western' genre.  

We then discussed the typical codes and conventions of the western genre. For example, we knew that western dramas are usually set in abandoned, dessert settings or saloons. We also talked about the typical narratives of western dramas, which usually include shoot-outs, drinking, smoking and lots of crime. 

Talking about the appropriate conventions helped us to decide on the costumes that we would need to wear and the props that we would need to use in the shoot. it also really helped us to visualise the narrative moments that we would try and portray in the stills. 

My still is a MS of a man playing an old, wooden piano. He is wearing a checkered shirt, a leather waistcoat and a cowboy hat. This is a genre signifier for the audience as this outfit is typical of cowboys in western shows. Furthermore, the cigar and whiskey bottle props are used to anchor the western genre as men used to drink and smoke quite heavily in the late 19th century.

From the bold highkey lighting we can infer that this character is  possibly dangerous. This can also be connoted from the way that the character is positioned facing away from the camera. Furthermore, because we cannot see his face, we can assume as an audience that he is quite mysterious. 

I intended for the audience to recognise the typical iconography of the western genre. I was attempting to create a narrative moment in a saloon with a cowboy playing the piano. The dark and intense lighting connote that the character is dark and dangerous and this could set up certain enigmas for the character as we wonder if he could be a potential antagonist.

I am really happy with the location that we used and the piano that we were able to access. I feel like this really helped with signifying the genre to the audience. Furthermore, the mis-en-scene really connoted the genre to the audience as the costume and props are really recognisable as western props. 

Overall, I am really happy with the way that the shot looks. However, if i were to repeat this activity, i would reposition the piano in such a way that the door on the right was not in the shot. The juxtaposition of the old, grand piano and the bright blue door ruins the consistancy of the old western feel to the image. Additionally, I would frame the shot from a lower angle to make the character seem more powerful.

TV Drama Still Analysis

Queen Elizabeth from 'The Crown'

Queen Elizabeth dominates the centre third of the image, instantly asserting her authority and signifying to the audience that she is an important character. Additionally, she stands directly in-front of everybody else in the shot to suggest that she is the most powerful character. This strong, powerful female lead is both shocking and intriguing to the audience, as women in the 1950's were typically presented as passive and weak. However in this still, the Queen is purposefully standing in the foreground to connote that she has the most authority. This is refreshing for the modern day audience as the show is not conforming to old stereotypes and presenting women in a positive light. The way the light falls directly onto the Queen, leaving the other characters submerged in darkness, further connotes her superiority as she demands the audiences attention.

Contrary to this point, the Queen also conforms to certain negative stereotypes as she is wearing an extravagant silk and fur outfit, with her hair neatly pinned back and lots of make-up on. This could be suggesting that women are very materialistic and self-obsessed. However, the directors may have purposefully made this decision to conform to the conventions of costume drama. This makes the show more realistic so that it is easier for the audience to believe and relate to.