Textual analysis - My sister's keeper

Analysis from beginning to 2:36

The first shot the audience see is a medium long shot of the main character. The character is sat on a picnic bench looking out over a lake which we can see in the right of the shot. The mise-en-scene is used to signify the emptyness in the character's life which we soon find out is due to the death of her sister. The non-diegetic sound is a piece of piano music that connotes the sadness and emptyness the main character is feeling. By experiencing these emotions the audience feel more connected to the character.

The film opens with a montage of clips and still images which feature images of the main characters and events from their life. All of the images appear to be shot on a personal video camera and are sequenced as if they are in a photo album. This allows the audience to feel connected with the characters on a personal level as photo albums often feature images to remind people of an event in their life. The images are in a random pattern which suggests that the main character is confused with what has happened so far in her life. The montage is narrated to tell the story so far so the audience can follow what has happened so far.

Editing is used throughout the opening to emphasise the feelings and emotions of the main characters. For example the opening shot lasts for aproximatley 15 seconds. This shot is used when the main character is sat looking over the lake. The length of this shot not onlly makes the audience emphasise with the main character but also makes them feel slightly awkward. Also the style in which the montage is edited allows the audience to feel a deeper relatinship with the character.