Textual Analysis by Matt Arden

Deep Cover 1992
Genre - Crime/Thriller
Structure of opening minutes:
. Slow Motion start showing one man with a crack pipe smoking marijuana whilst another man laughs next to him. Both look shabby and unwashed.
. Gradually fades into the next scence where a car is driving towards the camera. Conversation ensues between a father and son. Father is killed very graphically after unexpectantly running into a shop and robbing it. He is shot from behind with a shotgun and his blood sprays on the car window where his son is sitting. The son is the main character, and we find out this is a flashback from his gritty past.

Camera Angles:
Close up - to show the reaction to the events that are unravelling
Point of View - The characters point of view is shown quite frequently

Setting the scene -
. The main character was witness to the death of his father's murder, so in the first minutes you can tell that the main character will have to survive in dire circumstances on the streets just to make ends meet.

Classic rag to riches story but with a twist - the main character moves over to the Police Force and off the streets therefore going Deep Cover.

Not a great deal of detail in the first 2 minutes but compelling enough to make you want to keep watching.



Superbad 2007
Genre - Comedy
Camera Angles:
. Camera on bonnet outside car looking at Seth.
. Conversation switching so camera changes from person to person as a telephone conversation is occuring.
. Over the shoulder showing all 3 characters in the scene.
. Two shot showing seth and Evan in car talking
. Camera follows car's movement using the tracking technique.



Enemy of the State 1998
Genre - Spy/Action/Thriller
Camera Angles:
.Close up of an old man in his 60's maybe 70's
. Two shot of old man with an agent
. Long shot to show the view and horizon
. Over the shoulder every so often when the opposite person is speaking
. Close up of a syringe when it is stabbed into the old mans neck
. Camera tracking car as it rolls down the hill with the deceased man in it to make it look like suicide.
. Last shot of dog howling - Medium long shot

Matt