Continuity Sequence Analysis

Mean Girls

Watch from the beginning of the clip - 1:59.




In the two short conversations in this clip, one between Jason and Cady, and one between Cady and Regina, a lot of the important continuity sequence rules are observed. The most obvious is the 180 degree rule. In both conversations, the camera never crosses over one side of the 180 degree line formed between the two characters in question. Although this is not as significant in the clip in question, as there aren't many instances were there was the opportunity for this concept to be broken, the cameraman never breaks the '30 degree' rule either.

Although both conversations are constructed mostly through over-the-shoulder shots of each character, they both follow the convention of cutting frequently back to a main shot of the conversation which shows both characters. The director would probably have filmed three versions of each conversation - one from each character's point of view, and one more displaying both characters in the shot. Also, both conversations occasionally cut back to a master shot of the whole canteen table, to create a feel of context. These master shots would have all been filmed at the same time, and then cut up and positioned through out, as opposed to everything being filmed in the order of occurrence. There is also one instance where the camera cuts right back to show not only the whole canteen table, but several of the surrounding tables in the rest of the canteen - a version of the whole scene was probably shot from this perspective too.

The cut-up shots of Regina interrupting and speaking to Jason during his conversation with Cady were probably filmed at the same time as her conversation with Cady was filmed, as it would have been time-consuming to film these as two separate scenes.

Also, as this clips does not show the whole conversation between Jason and Cady, ( It starts halfway through, I had trouble finding the whole clip on Youtube), we cannot see an example of this, but the director does also include an establishing shot of the whole canteen at the start of the scene. The only other rule we do not see displayed here as far as I can point out is a match-on-action shot.