Research Technical Analysis: Burlesque (2010)

This is my analysis of the 2010 film Burlesque: 
Genre: Musical, Romance

Gross Box Office - worldwide $89,519,773 (15 May 2011)
Director - STEVE ANTIN
Awards - 5 wins and 13 nominations

In the opening clip we see two waitresses and their boss in the bar they work in moaning about there pay and the conditions they work in, which then pushes one of them to make the decision of taking the money out of the till and quitting her job.

 The first thing shown in the opening 3 minutes is 'Screen Gems' which is an Ident, this signifies that it is the production used for the film and that they want to show this first as it is important. After about 5 seconds of this being shown of the screen it fades to black to then start the motion picture. 

 This is the first element of the film and it fades up from black which finishes the transition form the opening Ident. Spreading over this clip and the Idents clip there is a non - diegetic soundtrack that is country themed which signifies that the opening scene is set in the american country / ranch.

As the camera pans down, it establishes the scene as it shows the name of the bar (Dwight's bar), this also connotes that it is a small town as it is a small business that is named after the owner. This foreshadows that the theme of the film is probably about someone from a small town, finding their big break in a big city. This shot also has the non-diegetic sound continuing from the beginning.

This screenshot is a picture of the first face we see and this signifies that she is the main character. As the camera cuts to this shot the non-diegetic soundtrack fades out as the digits ambient sounds fade up, these ambient sounds consist of glasses clinking together, doors opening, and the sound of someone spraying and cleaning surfaces, this also signifies that the bar is empty and so they are preparing for the busy time which means that viewers will focus more on the actions that the characters are undertaking.

These three screenshots are of the moment when over shoulder shot and eye-line match were used. With the eye-line match it also incorporates the 180° rule which emphasises the connection formed between the two characters. These shots also includes an over shoulder shot and this has been used in a very clever way as it emphasis even in a two way conversation wo the main character is and who the viewers should be focusing on.

This shot consists of the editing term match n action, which reveals to the viewers what the character is looking at, in this case it allows the viewers to see that the character is taking money out of the till. In most of this opening 3 minutes it is quite dark lighting which could imply that the main characters life is quite dull and boring and that they want it to change.



As the opening credits start there is a focus pull on the pair of heels that she wears, this emphasis that the characters personality brings glamour to the dull bar that she works in and that she might hope for a more glamorous life, which foreshadows the meaning of the film.



As the titles begin the background is a montage of clips from a Burlesque club, and the main character singing and packing. This signifies that she is leaving and that she will most likely end up working in a Burlesque bar. The order of the titles tells us a lot as well:

• Screen Gems Presents (Production company is first)
• A DE LINE PICTURES production
• a film by STEVEN ANTIN
• CHER
• CHRISTINA AGUILERA
• BURLESQUE
• other actors and actresses in order of importance to the film
• Producers and directors in order of importance

The way that they only give two actresses names in the opening credits before the name of the film emphasis that they are the two main actresses in the movie. They are also most likely to be the most known actresses to star in the film and for the people who haven't heard of it and are just watching the beginning, seeing those two names might interest them more into the film.