Coraline: Plot

For this activity we had to create a timeline with key plot points and explain why they are important in the film.

Workshop 4: The Other Mother

Gradual change-slowly changing

Subtle-not obvious

a. 

Physical- real mum, short, curved hips

Costume- long sleeves, little skin showing, pants, warm, cosy, comfortable, mum clothes.

Lighting- artificial, warm, orange

Feel- safe, happy, relaxed

Director- Shows the Coraline feels at home

b. 

Physical- short, curved

Costume- long pants and sleeves, red/black, white

Lighting- warm, orange, artificial

Feel- safe, happy, relaxed

Director- Shows the other mother is changing

c. 

Physical- way more pointy elbows, neck head

Costume- greys, better fitting, more skin showing, tighter, beetle shell shape on the back

Lighting- darker, artificial

Feel- sketchy, untrustworthy, off

Director- Shows the audience that something is wrong withe the other mother

d. 

Physical- Pointy elbows, head, long neck, skin and bone, much taller

Costume- dark black and red, more bug like

Lighting- warm, orange, artificial

Feel- unsafe, scared, uncomfortable, intimidating

Director- Shows us that the other mother isn't perfect like Coraline thought.

e. 

Physical- no skin, metal skeleton, needle fingers, extra legs, looks like a giant metal spider.

Costume- dark, rags, ripped and dirty

Lighting- artificial, dark, green

Feel- grotesque, evil, terrified/horrified

Director- Grabs attention, shows the other mother is evil and wants to steal Coraline's soul.

The theme of looks can be deceiving is shown through the gradual change of the other mother from a honey sweet woman to a vinegar sour metal spider. At the start of the film the other mother appears short, curvy and wearing the same clothes as Coraline's real mother. This makes the audience feel safe, happy and relaxed towards the other mother. The dircetor did this to show us that Coraline feels at home with the other mother in the other world. However, the other mother changes slowly throughout the film until she finally becomes a skeletal, metal spider who wants to trap Coraline in her other world. When we frist meet the other mother she is in a warm oragen light that makes her feel safe, but by the end she is surrounded by a dark and green light which makes her seem evil, grotesque and horrifying. Selick shows these changes to help the audience to be and this shoes the theme looks can be desiving.

Coraline: Character Challenges

For this activity we had to use coogle to make a character web with four main characters, and write about some of the challenges they went through during the movie and their relationships with other characters in the film.

Workshop 3: Colour

Colour Palette - The colour used in the scene

Prominent - most obvious

Theme - looks can be deceiving, courage and bravery.

a. Real World Study

Cold natural light

grey, white, dull, blue

Cold, large, lonely, boring, cluttered, old, cramped, dark

Show us Coraline is unhappy there Shows us the real father is too busy to spend time with Coraline.

b.Other World Study

Yellow, vibrant, red, orange,

Orange, artificial, warm light

Happy, safe, warm, clean, perfect,

Coraline is happy there.

Show us the other father wants to spend time with Coraline.

 Colour is effective in helping to create the two worlds and show the theme 'looks can be deceiving'. The real world study uses a colour palette predominantly of greys, whites and blues. This creates a cold, lonely and boring atmosphere. The directer did this to show that Coraline is unhappy in the real world and that her real father is too busy to spend time with her. The use of a cold natural light re-enforces this mood. Juxtaposed to this is the use of colour in the other world study. Vibrant reds, oranges and yellow make the room feel warm, safe and cosy. Selick used this palette to show that Coraline is happier in the other world where the other father has time for her. This shows that looks can be deceiving because Coraline mistakes the bright perfect world for a safe place when really it is a trap.

Workshop 2: Lighting

Atmosphere/Mood: They way you feel in a situation
Juxtaposed - the complete opposite

Real World Kitchen;
Outside- rainy, windy, misty, cold, miserable.
Natural light.
Cold, white light.
Small, cold, boring, sad, lonely.
Shows that Coraline doesn't like it here and is unhappy.
Wants to leave doesn't feel like home.

Other Kitchen;
Warm, orange light.
Artificial light, from bulbs.
warm, happy, cosy, welcoming, safe.
Feels like home, better home.
Feels like a family.
Coraline is happy here.
The other world is the prefect web/trap for Coraline

Cold light:
white/blue
makes you feel cold/clinical

Warm light:
Orange, yellow,
makes it feel warm / safe

In the kitchen scenes lighting is used effectively to enhance the story and shows the theme 'looks can be deceiving'. In the real world kitchen a natural cold light comes through the rainy window which creates an atmosphere of boredom, sadness and loneliness. The director did this to show us that Coraline doesn't like it here and is unhappy. Juxtaposed to this is the kitchen in the other world. It is lit by a warm, organ, artificial light that makes the space feel warm, welcoming and safe. Selick used this to show that Coraline is happy and feels at home in the other world. This help show the theme looks can be deceiving because Coraline feels safe but by the end of the film we will discover that the other world is a perfect trap designed to catch Coraline.

Coraline: Themes

For this activity my friend and I chose to discussed two of the themes in the movie, we recorded it in this blog post.

Neglect

Coralines parents neglect her and don't pay attention to her often leaving her alone for their own lives and work. As an only child Coraline didn't have any siblings to keep her company, so she annoys her parents most of the time, when they have  important things to do like work. They often see Coraline as a roadblock as she often gets in their way. Growing up Coraline would have had to try to entertain herself, this shows in her love of exploring. 

Versions of Reality

The differences between the other world and reality look very alike but different in some ways. For example, reality is boring and without much light. But the other world is bright and exiting. This show Coraline's perspective of the respective worlds, reality is dull because Coraline finds it dull, and the other world is bright and colourful because it's new and exiting. But by the end reality is brighter and cleaner because it is less boring, and the other world looks creeper as the truth is revealed.

Coraline Character Characteristics

For this activity we had to find two-three characteristics for Coraline and another character from the movie and write about a time in the movie that they showed this. I chose to do Other Wybie. 

What am I learning?
I am learning to understand how characters are developed in film.
How does this show my learning?
This shows that I understand character traits and characteristics.
What am I wondering?
Why are some people more empathetic than others?