Analysis: Juno

We analyzed the opening sequence of Juno (Directed by: Jason Reitman, in the year of 2008.)

We could not find any opening sequences for Juno on you-tube so we had to refer to:
www.watch-movies.net where we got the following full film sequence. But we did not analyze the whole thing.

The film sequence begins with an establishing long-shot of Juno standing outside someone’s home. This is used to introduce the audience to where the film’s surroundings are. The director used this in order to show the main location and character in the film itself. The proxemics gives the audience the impression, which is that she, is not very close to the person that lives there, because she stands well away staring in that direction. Shortly after we see a long shot of her drinking from an orange juice bottle. The way in which she is drinking from the bottle, proves to the audience that she is very immature and lost, as she continues to stare at this house which lies before her. Then, we see a close up shot of the main character Juno staring with what seems to be fear, in the direction of the camera lens, we then realize she was still staring at someone’s home. We then realize it’s her boyfriend’s home, as she is then seen about to have sexual intercourse it is visible to the audience when we see her taking off her knickers as he (boyfriend) lies back on the sofa awaiting her. Later we see an extreme close up of her lips touching his face, this is a very explicit scene as the audience automatically realize that they are doing something they really shouldn’t be at that age.

The music which introduces the opening sequences is a song which was sung by Kimya Dawson. This song helps establish the genre and the type of atmosphere the film creates, it may also be to raise awareness for the US independent – where in which the film was and still is marketed in a successful way. The downbeat love song helps us see the type of character Juno is, this portrays her as innocent and thoughtful, it also reflects the type of film it is for instance, it’s a coming of age story that follows a girl which is on a quest for romance.

Juno is pictured walking through a suburban state in USA, they typical type of village houses with mail boxes standing outside the front porch, all of this works to set up her small world which sets the scene for the opening sequence. We see a pharmacy, a park which she walks through, a few newsagents and what’s called a ‘guitar shack;’ these entirely make up the typical setting of a village. All of this is to show verisimilitude. Soon after we see Juno walking on a path filled with leaves crushed on the floor, and others falling onto the floor, this shows the type of season the crew are filming in ‘fall/autumn’– this will paramount to the film because it links to the fact that Juno gets pregnant later on in the plot.

Juno’s costume is an American style of unisex teen uniform this consists of, normal jeans, a sweatshirt and converse shoes, thus indicating to the audience that she is a bit of a tomboy. The college’ group that are pictured running through the beginning and end of the opening sequence further suggests the type of cliques that USA has, in the world of a teenager and this contradicts Juno as she is seen a ‘loner’ which only has a couple of friends which when in proxemics, the audience feels as though they are not close friends of hers.

By: Miami, Ziad, Adnan, Ali