La La Land Opening Scene - Questions
1. The camera tracks along the traffic jam at the beginning of the scene. This is the characters' reality of life in LA. What might this signify about the dreams and ambitions of the characters that are striving to 'make it' in Hollywood?
While the camera tracks alongside the traffic jam, from the very beginning it show's all different people and personalities. It's easy to see this by the fact that each person has different cars and are listening to a variety of different genres of music. The cars have been perfectly positioned so that the audience can see each person and see how different they are compared to one another. In addition, none of the cars are like sports or super cars, thus showing that they cannot afford all these luxury things even though they live in LA. It shows that all these people are competing against each other to become the most successful and live their dreams like they hope they do. A lot of the people in the cars could actually be struggling to keep their dream alive, in terms of money and mentally, and thus it really reflects what LA is like. In addition, even though everyone comes together to song, dance and have a good time while stuck in traffic, everyone then gets back into their car once the song is over. In fact, the very first time the two main characters meet is a rude interaction, showing that actually people will fight one another to get to their dreams and succeed.
2. What is significant about the use of camerawork and editing in the sequence? Why do you think that Chazelle opted for this technique?
What is significant about the use of camerawork and editing is that everything flows and looks extremely precise and neat. It's one long take, meaning that there are no cuts until we meet the main characters. This type of camerawork could reflect how 'perfect' and 'wonderful' their lives may seem, as everything in musicals is very colourful and happy; there's no faults to anything. Even if they dropped something, they would pick it up in a very elegant or flamboyant way. The camera also tracks all the dancers as they move around, giving the audience a sense that they are also involved with everything and alongside the dancers at that moment in time.
3. In what ways does the camera act a another dancer during the scene?
The camera acts as another dancer during the scene as it does not stop moving. It's constantly on the go, panning left, right, up or down at the dancers and tracking them as they move, much alike the backing dancers. This gives the audience a sense that they are here and involved too as direct eye contact is continued throughout as well. As the viewer, we join them on this journey as they collect more people from the traffic jam to dance with, and the same could be said throughout the entire film as well. We join the two main characters on their journey both together and alone. The camera is also always very precise, focusing directly onto another dancer without making a mistake; this could be said about the dancing too as none of the dancers make a mistake while dancing, showing their level of talent that is unrecognised.
4. The music at the beginning of the scene is diegetic because we hear the various songs coming from car radios. However, it becomes non-diegetic when the main song begins and the characters start singing to an imaginary soundtrack. What does this imply about the musical moment?
Due to the fact that when the main song begins and it becomes non-diegetic, it implies that the moment was very spontaneous but they felt like they needed to do it. The same could be said about them moving to LA to pursue their dream; they felt like it was their dream or fate that they should take the risk, with hope in all of them that they might succeed. It also shows that even though there were many different genres of music while the diegetic music was playing on the radio, all of them came together to sing about their lives and dreams, which are very much alike one another. Due to the fact that they came together to sing in a lively way, even if they liked listening to rap music, it could mean that they are all from very different backgrounds trying to go after this dream that they all share; to be successful.
5. What do the lyrics of the song communicate about the characters?
The song they sing is about the struggles of trying to come to LA to pursure their dreams, but still having hope that they'll make it. Some of the lyrics in the song they sing are: "Without a nickel to my name, Hopped a bus, here I came, Could be brave or just insane." It shows that even though they didn't have any money, they wanted to at least try and become successful in LA; this shows that they all have an enormous about of hope in pursuing their dreams. However, "could be brave or just insane" could hint at the fact that they might be regretting their decisions as a lot of people will not be able to become successful in LA even if they tried their hardest, and thus their dreams are broken.
6. How does the the musical performance reflect the optimism and aspiration of the characters?
The musical performance reflects the optimism and aspiration of the characters as everything is very colourful and happy. The audience can immediately tell this by listening to the lyrics, looking at the colourful clothing they're all wearing or even just looking at their faces, as all the dancers are very happy and hopeful about their dreams. The lyrics alone talk about how hopeful they are and that even if they get knocked down, they'll get right back up again. The dancing is very flamboyant and engaged too, as the dancers help each other out of their cars and dance with them, showing that they are willing to help strangers and be kind to one another.
7. How is the reality of LA signified through the use of mise-en-scene?
The reality of LA is signified through the use of mise-en-scene by the use of establishing shots towards the end of the opening scene. The audience is able to see everyone still dancing, but can thousands of cars in the distance, all in a large traffic jam that would take hours to get through. This could hint at the fact that a lot of people from all around the world are moving to LA in hopes that they will become famous and successful, but while more people move there, things become a lot harder and more busier, like represented by the traffic jam. The opening scene, however, could show that these people are used to it or are not bothered by it due to the fact that they're still hopeful and happy to be there.
8. Chazelle has said that he wanted the film to be a love letter to LA. How does the opening sequence achieve this?
9. How does the scene create a sense of escapism for the viewer?
While the camera tracks alongside the traffic jam, from the very beginning it show's all different people and personalities. It's easy to see this by the fact that each person has different cars and are listening to a variety of different genres of music. The cars have been perfectly positioned so that the audience can see each person and see how different they are compared to one another. In addition, none of the cars are like sports or super cars, thus showing that they cannot afford all these luxury things even though they live in LA. It shows that all these people are competing against each other to become the most successful and live their dreams like they hope they do. A lot of the people in the cars could actually be struggling to keep their dream alive, in terms of money and mentally, and thus it really reflects what LA is like. In addition, even though everyone comes together to song, dance and have a good time while stuck in traffic, everyone then gets back into their car once the song is over. In fact, the very first time the two main characters meet is a rude interaction, showing that actually people will fight one another to get to their dreams and succeed.
2. What is significant about the use of camerawork and editing in the sequence? Why do you think that Chazelle opted for this technique?
What is significant about the use of camerawork and editing is that everything flows and looks extremely precise and neat. It's one long take, meaning that there are no cuts until we meet the main characters. This type of camerawork could reflect how 'perfect' and 'wonderful' their lives may seem, as everything in musicals is very colourful and happy; there's no faults to anything. Even if they dropped something, they would pick it up in a very elegant or flamboyant way. The camera also tracks all the dancers as they move around, giving the audience a sense that they are also involved with everything and alongside the dancers at that moment in time.
3. In what ways does the camera act a another dancer during the scene?
The camera acts as another dancer during the scene as it does not stop moving. It's constantly on the go, panning left, right, up or down at the dancers and tracking them as they move, much alike the backing dancers. This gives the audience a sense that they are here and involved too as direct eye contact is continued throughout as well. As the viewer, we join them on this journey as they collect more people from the traffic jam to dance with, and the same could be said throughout the entire film as well. We join the two main characters on their journey both together and alone. The camera is also always very precise, focusing directly onto another dancer without making a mistake; this could be said about the dancing too as none of the dancers make a mistake while dancing, showing their level of talent that is unrecognised.
4. The music at the beginning of the scene is diegetic because we hear the various songs coming from car radios. However, it becomes non-diegetic when the main song begins and the characters start singing to an imaginary soundtrack. What does this imply about the musical moment?
Due to the fact that when the main song begins and it becomes non-diegetic, it implies that the moment was very spontaneous but they felt like they needed to do it. The same could be said about them moving to LA to pursue their dream; they felt like it was their dream or fate that they should take the risk, with hope in all of them that they might succeed. It also shows that even though there were many different genres of music while the diegetic music was playing on the radio, all of them came together to sing about their lives and dreams, which are very much alike one another. Due to the fact that they came together to sing in a lively way, even if they liked listening to rap music, it could mean that they are all from very different backgrounds trying to go after this dream that they all share; to be successful.
5. What do the lyrics of the song communicate about the characters?
The song they sing is about the struggles of trying to come to LA to pursure their dreams, but still having hope that they'll make it. Some of the lyrics in the song they sing are: "Without a nickel to my name, Hopped a bus, here I came, Could be brave or just insane." It shows that even though they didn't have any money, they wanted to at least try and become successful in LA; this shows that they all have an enormous about of hope in pursuing their dreams. However, "could be brave or just insane" could hint at the fact that they might be regretting their decisions as a lot of people will not be able to become successful in LA even if they tried their hardest, and thus their dreams are broken.
6. How does the the musical performance reflect the optimism and aspiration of the characters?
The musical performance reflects the optimism and aspiration of the characters as everything is very colourful and happy. The audience can immediately tell this by listening to the lyrics, looking at the colourful clothing they're all wearing or even just looking at their faces, as all the dancers are very happy and hopeful about their dreams. The lyrics alone talk about how hopeful they are and that even if they get knocked down, they'll get right back up again. The dancing is very flamboyant and engaged too, as the dancers help each other out of their cars and dance with them, showing that they are willing to help strangers and be kind to one another.
7. How is the reality of LA signified through the use of mise-en-scene?
The reality of LA is signified through the use of mise-en-scene by the use of establishing shots towards the end of the opening scene. The audience is able to see everyone still dancing, but can thousands of cars in the distance, all in a large traffic jam that would take hours to get through. This could hint at the fact that a lot of people from all around the world are moving to LA in hopes that they will become famous and successful, but while more people move there, things become a lot harder and more busier, like represented by the traffic jam. The opening scene, however, could show that these people are used to it or are not bothered by it due to the fact that they're still hopeful and happy to be there.
8. Chazelle has said that he wanted the film to be a love letter to LA. How does the opening sequence achieve this?
9. How does the scene create a sense of escapism for the viewer?
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