Film Language Analysis

We had to analyse the film language used in the first six minutes of the 1991 film, Boyz n the hood. During the opening scene, there are many symbols put across to us. The film starts with a grey screen as there is speech over the top, the people speaking sound like they are in a gang of some sort as they are about to perform a drive-by, one of them clarifies who it is to shoot, then the use of audio added in post adds the screech of a car wheel followed by multiple shots being fired. This is shortly followed by screams of what sounds like, people nearby. One of the people (a child) says "they shot my brother" as well as other phrases. All this happens whilst on screen text is displayed stating a fact about Black-American Male murders. This clearly tells us that one of the films purposes is teach us that this needs to stop, as well as giving us an insight of a child's life in this lifestyle. Another use of semiotics is when the screen cuts from the grey background to a pan in of a 'Stop' sign, also symbolising to us that these murders need to stop. The film opening also suggests that it is going to tell us about the tough lives children have to deal with. The children appear to have not done their homework, by the way the children talk, we can assume that they are also not very literate. As well as this the children are clearly exposed to their harsh surroundings as they investigate a crime scene. The transition from crime scene is also clever in that one of the children ask why the blood turns yellow, another child answers and the clip transitions with a fade into the classroom scene. The next shot shows some kid's drawings which show a man in a coffin, followed with a fade transition of a black man being stopped by the police, also followed by a picture of a helicopter with LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) drawn on the side shooting down at a car. The camera then pans round to the classroom where a class is taking place, the teacher is very laid back and clearly does not have much care for the children's education, as a result, their efforts are minimal too. One of the children makes a joke then is told to teach the class due to their arrogance, also showing the lack of care and attention the children have towards their education. Two of the children begin to argue, with the camera cutting from one to the other, they then begin using foul language and start to fight emphasising the influence their surroundings has on them, the camera cuts to a view of the fight from the back of the classroom with all of the other children cheering them on. This is a clear contrast to how the children will feel about violence in the future.