Film Study-Coraline Notes

Opening Scene:

Music - Creepy,Quiet, similar to a music box. Repeated lyrics “dreaming”. 

Perspective (P.O.V) - looking through the other mother’s point of view. We know it's her by seeing her hands that are made out of needles.

Close Up Shots - used to focus on the doll and not the other mother.

Lighting/Colour - It is dark and dim. It only has one source of light which is coloured green. This helps to create a creepy, dark and old atmosphere.

Setting (Pink Palace-Real World):

Music - Gentle, Calming, Happy, Harmonised, Sung by little children and the lyrics are made up words. Makes a happy and calm atmosphere. Then the music started to change and build drama, the music got faster and louder.

Coraline (main Character) - She is sassy, moody, adventurous and stubborn. Coraline stands out because she is always wearing bright coloured clothing and she also has bright blue hair. Her brightly coloured clothing helps us focus more on her in the real world because it shows that she is different than the others in the real world.

Colour/Lighting - Dull, dark, grey, boring. It creates a very moody and unappealing atmosphere, it makes the house in the real world look quite boring and sad. The house itself looks old and abandoned. It's not a place where Coraline wants to be.

Real Parents - They look dull, tired and sad. They are workaholics and that's why they don't spend much time with Coraline.

Dutch Tilt - This shot was used when Coraline was looking for the doll and we were looking through the doll’s point of view. 

The Other World:

Colour/Lighting - The lighting is as bright and colourful as Coraline and that makes for a fun, appealing, warm and inviting atmosphere. Coraline doesn't stand out anymore but she does stand out for a different reason, she is the only one who doesn't have button eyes.

Other Parents - Fun, active, enthusiastic, happy and apart from their button eyes, they look more healthy and energetic. 

Music - the music sounds more suspenseful and creepier, it doesn't really match the theme of the scene that we are seeing. 

The Real neighbours:

Colour - Sad, dusty, boring, grey, Dull Colours. It has a dull, grey and dark colour palette. The colours looked sad and mournful.

Lighting - The lighting looked poor, dark and gloomy, it created a boring and dull atmosphere.

Music - The music was slightly creepy but it sounded quite bland, it was also in a medium pace. The music became upbeat and sounded like Latin styled music.

Setting - The trees in the background looked dead, everything looked old and run down but it also looked quite rustic. The house looked dark because it was in a basement. It looked old and dated.

Characters - Mr. Bobinsky was a "drunk" Russian man who is quite flexible and liked performing but he was also weird and awkward. Ms.Spink and Ms.Forcible argue a lot but they are similar in some ways, they liked performing because they are actresses, they are confident and attention seekers.

Coraline doesn't seem to like them but they are certainly better that writing.

The Other neighbours:

Colour - Bright colour palette, it looked friendly and inviting. The colours was dark but in a good way, everything was shiny and vibrant.

Lighting - The lighting was warm and had a yellow colour. Warm lighting, they used spotlights to focus on the characters.

Music - The music was loud, joyful, fun and playful. it was energetic, fun, and entertaining.

Setting - The houses looked brand new. everything was organised, colourful, bright, fun and joyful. The theatre was clean and tidy, It was grand, large and everything was in good condition.

Characters - Mr.Bobnsky looked a lot more tidy and colourful, it was entertaining and fun to watch him perform, he was nice to Coraline and he finally gets her name right. Ms.Spink and Ms.Forcible transformed into younger, fitter, more attractive versions of themselves, they were talented as well.

Coraline liked them more and is enthusiastic to have them as her neighbours.

The Beldam (Other Mother):

Colour - It was dark but still colourful, there was lots of purple and pink. everything started to fade to white.

Lighting - the lighting was dark, cold and it felt unsafe.

Music - The Music was slower, a lot more quiet and creepy. The music was very quiet and suspicious.

Setting - there were a lot of bugs but mostly beetles, everything was a beetle including the chocolate and furniture. The house transforms from the perfect house to a giant, polluted spiderweb.