Ratrix hero Analysis

Annimated French Spoof of The matrix and winner of a number of short film awards:



Camera: – distance, angle, movement…: Establishing extreme long shots, long shots mid shots close ups, high angles, tracking,panning, zooming and low angles:The variety of shots help establish the futuristic, sci fi genre of the piece, there are a variety of shots from els of the dark alley where we begin to close ups of the rat in the iconic glasses and suit with superpowers as seen in the matrix movies. The short film also uses the same green computer coding to change the scenes or settings similar in the movie, which shows the similarities between both films. The use of the dark city shown in long shots and the rat in close ups suggests that he runs this city and because of the mise en scene used the city is shown as a dangerous place. We also see a few close ups of a chicken with a basket of eggs and we connote this as she is innocent because we assume that she is the mother. There are also variety of angles especially on both th rat and the chicken the rat is shown in lower angles which connotes importance and power in the extract however the chicken is shot from high angles connoting weakness and possibly even helplessness. The use of zooming also helps show which characters are important good bad etc. Finally the use of tracking and panning helps speed the pace of the extract and keeps the audience interested and in suspense. overall there are a similar number of angls shots and effects used in this short film as there are in scenes from real feature films.

Editing: – speed, style: cutting,fading,The symbolic computer programming, slow motion: The use of the symbolic computer programming helps the audience to establish genre as a sci fi as well as adding suspense to the piece. The use of the variety of cuts adds a fast pace to the scene as well as adding suspense and tension especially if the rat is fighting or flying etc making the rat the main character and clear hero of the story. Finally the use of slow motion is also used the same way as it is used in the matrix films themselves. This keeps the audience in suspense and interested and helps show different angles of characters e.g. rat slow mo in mid air about to punch shows power and control where as slow mo of chicken falling also shows weakness etc. Overall the use of editing is pretty similar and in some cases almost exact to those in the matrix feature films.

Sound: – effects, musical score…: Non digetic sound: The non digetic sound is parallel as it is up beat rock style which matches the piece as again helping to add pace, suspense and tension as well as establishing the character. However it is more the music you are likely to find in an action film however similar music was used in the matrix as it is a hybrid film (its both sci fi and action).

Mise-en-scene: – props, costume, setting, lighting, colour:The dark city, The dark train, the rats clothes, the chicken. The use of mise en scene helps establish the characters and settings especially the use of the dark city and the train because the use of these as the use of the darkness connotes danger. The rat’s clothes are also important as this is a spoof and to fit in the same category as the matrix the main character follows the same iconic conventions as the main character “Neo” in the matrix where the rat is wearing the same clothes, this helps reinforce the genre as well as subverting it as you connote suits with action films such as james bond etc. Finally the use of the chicken and it’s eggs are also important despite the fact that this is a spoof as we connote the chicken as being innocent however the director has subverted this connotation where actually it is evil. The mise en scene is slightly different to the origional feature films, however this is due to the fact that this is a spoof.

Titles: – font, colour, placement, over black / over clip…:The use of the green font similar to the colour. The use of the green font is important as this is a spoof and it uses the closest font to the symbolic computer programming in the real movie which again is helping to establish the genre of the film.