Mean girls – Opening TitlesThe opening sequence to mean girls begins with the camera panning down slowly onto the clouds to connote a dreamy atmosphere, as stars and clouds connote dreams. Non-diegetic classical music fades in to represent the conventions of fantasy that may be used in the narrative. The non-diegetic classical soundtrack and the shooting stars in the sky connote that the narrative will have a narrative that will offer the teenage target audience escapism from their everyday lives (uses and gratification theory)

The stars are shown swirling around whilst the camera pans out, revealing the film institution that the film is distributed by. The non-diegetic soundtrack continues to play here however the tempo increases here, which increases the pace. This creates an enigma for the teenage target audience (Barthes enigma code) and leaves them wondering what will occur next in the narrative. The fact that the mountains appear in the clouds connotes a dystopia, representing that the narrative will be of the fantasy and chick flick genre. The font appears slowly, and neatly which represents that the narrative will mostly be joyful, meaning there will be an equilibrium (Todorov’s equilibrium) The typography is white which connotes purity, this along with this fancy font, which connotes femininity, represents that it is aimed at a female teenage target audience. This is because purity is stereotypically associated with how females should be. This gives the female teenage target audience the information (uses and gratification theory) that they will be able to identify with the female characters (uses and gratification theory).

A non-diegetic soundtrack is used of up-beat pop music to represent that it is aimed at a teenage target audience, this is because teenagers are stereotypically associated with liking pop music. The distribution company is repeated here, however this time in blue bold font which connotes youth and represents that it is aimed at both sexes, as blue is a unisex colour.This would attract a teenage target audience as it grabs their attention through the blue standing out against the black background. This would offer a teenage target audience the information (uses and gratification theory) that this film is fun and youthful.

A sound bridge is used onto this scene, the continuation of the same soundtrack connotes that the whole film will have a narrative that will appeal to a teenage target audience. The same font is used to represent to the audience that Lorne Michaels is the producer of this film. The fact that the font is in yellow here connotes that this producers film is youthful and that it appeal to a teenage target audience. The presence of the colour yellow connotes that the narrative will be full of excitement and will offer the teenage target audience entertainment (uses and gratification theory).

Non- diegetic classical music is used in the background, this is juxtaposed by the youthful connotations the bold green font give of. Binary oppositions can be identified here as the classical music which is stereotypically what adults listen to, is a juxtaposition of the youthful font used to represent the protagonist, Lindsay Lohan. The classical music used, connotes that it also appeals to an adult audience, this may be because they may be able to identify with the stereotypical characters as their child may be similar to one of them (uses and gratification theory). A teenage target audience may be attracted to watch this film as they may be a fan of Lindsay Lohan’s and may see her as a star (Dyers star theory). They may therefore be attracted to watch the film so that they can identify with her character (uses and gratification theory).

The rule of thirds has been used as the we can identify the film title has been placed in the center to ensure the teenage target audience do not miss it. The white colour of the word ‘’MEAN’’ is a binary opposition as white connotes purity. The word ‘’girls’’ is in a dark pink which represents to the teenage target audience that something bad may occur in the film and creates an enigma (Barthes enigma code)for the teenage target audience. This will offer the teenage target audience escapism(uses and gratification theory).

A low angle shot of Cadys parents has been used here to connote that they are superior in comparison to them and to represent that her parents still see her as a child. A teenage target audience would find this entertaining (uses and gratification theory) as they know Cady is sixteen. This represents that the parents characters are prop characters, who are stereotypically found in chick flick films. Non- diegetic angelic music is used to connote that her parents are godlike which also adds the comedic genre. This will offer the teenage target audience entertainment (uses and gratification theory).

The camera pans up and transitions to an over the shoulder shot where we are able to see a high angle shot used on Cady, this along with her innocent facial expression connotes that she is inferior in comparison to her parents. This offers the teenage target audience the information (uses and gratification theory) that she is the geeky character in the narrative, which is an example of prop 8 stock characters.

Stereotypical prop 8 stock characters can be identified here, as the parents are represented as being the hero’s whereas Cady is represented as the damsel in distress. This is also a representation of binary oppositions as Cady is the weak one, whereas her parents are the powerful ones. The fact that the father character is taking a picture of Cady on her first day at school adds humor to the film and offers entertainment to the teenage target audience (uses and gratification theory).

A high angle shot is used on Cady to show that she is weak and innocent in comparison to all the other characters, this would attract a teenage target audience as some of them will be able to identify with her unpopular status at the school (uses and gratification theory).