22 Jump Street

In the very beginning, we see the title ’22 Jump Street’ shown to us in a red and blue colour. This is to make us immediately think of the police, as there are flashing lights also. This represents the comedy-crime genre which is shown throughout. The dark background is used so that the red and blues are shown, and stand out more to the audience.

At first, we see a close up of a tablet with a man speaking on it. We do not know why this is yet, but the fact that it’s a close up, may suggest to us that it is going to be important in the future. We then see a panning shot used on a mid-shot of the two men, presumably main characters where we see them sitting on a car. At the next part, there a small piece of dialogue which goes “Let’s report.” We do not know why at this point, but assume this means they are stating something, which is why a piece of non-diegetic music begins in the background. This is to set the scene and make us realise that it is going to be a comedy, as we then go on to see these two men open a case with guns in it, and begin to dance around with them. This makes us feel like we don’t know what is going on, and makes us question who are they really? The camera then goes to an establishing shot with the two men still in the shot but in the middle of the frame. This is used to show us as the audience where the film will be set, and it still shows us the main characters. In this shot, we also see the sun breaking through the buildings in the background. A type of back lighting is used to show the two characters, has some sort of meaning which is to show the light and humour of the scene.

We then see a series of shots used as an example of montage editing. This is when they are loading up their guns and dancing around happily with them. Within that montage, we see a low angle shot of the men, again showing that they are going be protagonists, and we feel that we are below them, and they have more power than us. We also see them doing a number of strange actions together, which makes us feel like it will defiantly be a comedy, as they look awkward and uncomfortable. We also see them wearing very basic clothes. This is to make us feel like they are really new to this, and they are very average people, who have found themselves in a negative situation. We again hear some dialogue when one of the men say “Surprise! There’s two more arms.” This tells us that he is very comedic, as it is obvious that there will be two more arms when there’s two people. We again see a low angle shot of the men with their guns, as showing that they have a significant amount of power over us, although it may be fake. Next, we see the camera stationary, with the two men walking into the wide angle shot with the car following. This is unusual that no one is in the car, making us think that they are jokers, which of course, they are.

We then move into another establishing shot of some docks next to the sea. We do not know why, apart from the fact that the next shot will be somewhere within that shot. We then see a panning shot, move into a tilt shot, of the car drive into the open space. We then see a point of

view shot from one of the men in the car, man he looks out to the people inside the garage. We then see a two shot of the people in the garage having a conversation. This then cuts back, meaning it’s a shot reverse shot, to another two shot, this time of our two protagonists. We then see them talking to each other and we learn that the bigger man is the dumber one, and the other one has to always correct him. We then see the dumber character repeatedly say “Total Silence” as he needs to “Get into character” this again shows their relationships, as one has more sense of the other and is the one to direct the two in what they do. We then see them step out of the car, to learn that one has dressed up and put a bandana on his head, and sunglasses on. We now know that he has dressed up and we can see that he is now in character, re enforcing his dopey, comedic character.

We then see the two of them walk into this garage to deal with people we assume are antagonists. Now, there is the use of a crane shot, and this is make us feel like we are focussing down on the action, and we can see the two men walking up to deal with the two men we earlier saw from a point of view shot. Next, we see an over the shoulder shot of our characters who begin putting on accents to talk to the antagonists.

We then see a conversation between the protagonists and antagonists where they use many over the shoulder shots. The antagonists are represented as stereotypical drug dealers. This is because we see them in leather jackets talking with Mexican accents. The fact that they’re hidden away doing things in the back of a lorry again puts that drug dealing image in our minds. We then see the less intelligent character start making things up, and the other has to react in front of these antagonists. This gives us the image that he is the one who is full of comedy and there other one is more serious and more of a sideman.