Setting
The film begins with Bridget walking up to her parents’ house in the snow. This is a traditional English setting as it looks very picturesque and the American audience may like this as it is very English.
She then enters the house which is over the top and decorative. This may reflect her parents’ attitudes and show the audience what they are like in advance.
When entering the house the audience gets to meet a range of different characters who are all very different.
Body language
The audience can see Bridget’s body language change as she talks to the different characters in the scene. When talking to her mother she seems relaxed and laid back although this is contrasted when the audience sees her then talk to her ‘Uncle’ as he comes very close to her and invades her personal space. In this scene she looks down a lot and tries to avoid eye contact with him.
Mark stands tall and looks over Bridget as she talks to him. This reflects his authority and dominance which makes Bridget seem a bit uncomfortable. He seems uninterested in her attitude as he looks away when she speaks.
Bridget holds her drink in front of her body which could suggest that she feels out of her depth and self conscious.
Lighting
The lighting in this film is supposed to look realistic as it is a traditional everyday party. The lighting doesn’t show particular people in different ways as it is meant to be an ordinary event. The normal tones and lights that are shown in the scenes are boring which could reflect Bridget’s attitude to the party. This is contrasted with the diegetic music which is played whilst the characters talk. The lighting is not dramatic or theatrical as it doesn’t flatter people, a technique seen in many romantic comedies.
Costume
At the beginning of the film Bridget is wearing quite dark and covered up clothing. This suggests that she feels self conscious about her body and wants to hide behind her clothing. When her mother asks her to change into something she has picked out for her she automatically goes upstairs and changes even though she doesn’t like it. This indicates that her mother has authority and is in charge.
Mark is wearing a jumper which has a reindeer on it. Bridget judges him by this when she first meets him. This shows that Bridget stereotypes people on their appearance. This jumper shows that Mark maybe doesn’t care what people think of him and is controlled by his mother. This is one thing that Bridget and Mark have in common.
Camera shots
The film begins with a mid shot of the main character, Bridget Jones, walking up to her parent house. This immediately shows the audience who the main character is and means that they focus their attention on her through the next scene.
You then see an establishing shot of the village in which Bridget’s parents live. This gives the audience a little more information about the character as they see where she has lived and where she comes from.
Whilst Bridget and her mother are having a conversation the camera switches between them using a close up of their faces. This shows detail to their expressions and means that the audience feels they know the characters better. It also makes the audience feel they are being involved in the conversation.
The close ups of Bridget’s face also show how sad and lonely she is as she talks to her mother. Many women may be able to relate to her as they could have been in a similar situation; this means that the audience are on her side right from the beginning.
The use of close ups and low angle camera shots of Bridget’s ‘Uncle’ make him seem creepy and intimidating. This adds to his character and shows why Bridget feels the way she does.
The close ups of Mark’s and Bridget’s faces when having a conversation add to the awkwardness of the situation and show their uncomfortable expressions. The mid shot of both of them shows their contrasting characters as they look so different. This causes the audience to believe that nothing could ever happen between them.
Editing
At the beginning of the film a fade out transaction of the shot is used. This links the scenes together and shows they are connected.
A shot reverse shot is used between Bridget and the people she talks to at the party. This shows their faces and their facial expressions to the audience which means they can see how they react.
A jump shot is used when Mark Darcy is talking to his mother about Bridget. This causes the audience to feel sorry for Bridget and highlights her disappointment.
Sound
When Bridget is walking up to her parents’ house there is non diegetic mood violin music playing in the background. This sets the scene of calmness as the camera shows the village in which her parents live.
There is a non diegetic narrative voice, by Bridget, which is effective at the beginning of a film as it makes the audience feel as if the main character is addressing them personally. This immediately draws the audience in and gets them to understand her past. This is aimed mainly at single women who are just like Bridget who can relate to her, “Once again, I found myself on my own and going to my mother’s annual turkey curry buffet.” This tells the audience that Bridget has been single for a long time which will make them feel sorry for her. It also tells the audience where she is going.
Bridget’s mother seems to insult her casually whenever possible as they have a conversation, for example when her mother opens the door she says “there you are dumpling” and “you’ll never get a boyfriend if you look like you’ve wandered out of Auschwitz .” This indicates that they don’t have a very good relationship and that her mother isn’t very proud of her.
She then enters the house and the music changes to diegetic music which is playing at the party. It is up beat and reflects her mother’s attitude.
When Bridget goes to talk to her father the relationship between them is clearly better than her mother’s. When Bridget asks her father how it’s going he replies “torture.” This highlights his personality and his comical attitude towards her mother’s parties.
In this scene there are a lot of questions asked which means the audience gets to know the characters at the beginning of the film. It also draws the audience in as it makes them interested in what may happen next. This grabs their attention and causes them to carry on watching.
When Mark Darcy turns around to talk to Bridget and her mother non diegetic uplifting music is played whilst Bridget’s voiceover says “maybe this was the mysterious Mr. Right I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet”. This suggests that he is perfect for Bridget and is her ‘Mr Right.’
The conversation between Bridget and Mark is uncomfortable for the audience as they watch. This is because they have come to relate to Bridget and want her to do well. Mark answers Bridget’s questions with one word answers. This causes the audience to feel even more sorry for Bridget and discomfited.
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