The Hunger Games - Textual Analysis

The Hunger Games is an adventure film based in the post-apocolyptic future. It revolves around a televised annual event in which boys and girls (a boy and a girl from each district) fight to the death. The boys and girls are picked from a reaping, and they're sent to a city named Panem. 

Visual Codes

• We see the character Katniss calmly running around a run-down area. Could be trying to escape from the troubles at home.
• We see her duck under a barbed wire fence to get to the other side. The camera briefly shows a danger sign, so we're under the impression that she shouldn't be there because it's dangerous.
• She sits down with a character named Gale, they talk closely like friends, but could be possible love interests.
• A big blimp appears and the leaves around the forest whirl in the wind - represents danger and vulnerability. Katniss and Gale have confused/worried expressions.
• Big gathering (probably of whole town/district), everyone's in formal clothing, smart event.
• There's armed, uniformed guards scattered around - tells us there could be danger, puts the audience in a curious mindset as to why they're there.
• Katniss and her younger sister Primrose are holding hands - they could be worried about the event so they're consoling each other.
• Eye contact is made between Katniss and Gale who were seen together previously - shows there's care between the two, audience is given the impression there's more than friendly feelings between them.
• The guards are holding back a screaming Katniss because Primrose was picked in the reaping - her sad screaming makes the audience feel sympathetic for her.
• Worried look between Katniss and fellow contestant Peeta - shows they're in it together, but worried for what's to come.
• High speed train sets the scene - futuristic, modern - contrasts between the previously seen setting. The shot of the city Panem is very modern, so the audience knows this city is an overall wealthier one than the district.
• Interview between the man Caesar and Katniss is awkward - Caesar is smiling but Katniss is glum - shows she's nervous about the games.
• Small, young girl Rue shies away from the rest of the contestants. Katniss smiles at her - may remind her of her sister Primrose.
• Combat practise scenes - shows which contestants know how to fight. Violent skills - shows some contestants have previous knowledge of how to fight.
• Peeta and Katniss bond alone together - could be the start of a love interest between the two.
• Light cast behind Katniss walking gives the audience an intense feeling.
• Mockingjay badge is shown - represents freedom - something some of the contestants wish they had.
• Movie symbol is shown as the Mockingjay at the end of the trailer - its denotation is a mockingjay, but the connotations of that are freedom and defiance. The mockingjay is on fire, which shows the lack of freedom there is in the film.

Audio Codes

• Eerie constant low sound, sounds vacant and mysterious, non diegetic. 
• Blimp makes a huge whooshing sound which is unsettling, diegetic.
• Katniss talks to Primrose with a hushed tone to calm her down.
• Non diegetic ticking sound as name is picked out at reaping, very tense.
• Single banging noise as name is read out, a hard hitting noise, like it's hit the audience that Primrose was called out.
• All sounds stop when Katniss volunteers - very serious, lets the audience focus just on Katniss.
• Non diegetic ticking noise builds up again as both names are read out, like a rising heartbeat. Builds up tension.
• Man's voice echoes like a loudspeaker, shows he's important with his voice booming over everyone. 
• Makes the man seem like a narrator because he talks over numerous shots.
• Metallic sounding piercing noises as contestants throw spears emphasises the violence ensued in the film - diegetic noises.
• Hushed diegetic voices between Katniss and Peeta shows intimacy, love interests. 
• Non diegetic music becomes more electric as shots are cut faster, more tense, like a sped up heartbeat. 
• Booming, echoing diegetic voice counting down creates tension for what's to come - no background music now, audience concentrates on the countdown.
• Crashing non diegetic sound as the countdown gets to 0, very jumpy.
• Eerie whistle at the end of the trailer, symbolises something. Entices audience to watch the film and find out what it means. It echoes slightly which makes it creepy.

Technical Codes

• Long shot of Katniss running, sets the scene instantly.
• Handheld shot of Katniss running - more realistic, puts us in the scene.
• Close up shots of faces, used a lot in the trailer, used to focus on the character's expression.
• Extreme long shot on area Katniss and Gale are in - sets the scene again.
• Aerial shot on Gale and Katniss when the blimp flies over - makes them appear inferior to the blimp.
• Camera pans on the crowd at the reaping to emphasise how busy it is.
• Close up on Primrose's name on the paper, focuses the audience's attention on it, more dramatic. The camera shows it before the character says it, so the audience is superior and knows more than the characters.
• Peeta's P.O.V is briefly used, puts the audience in the scene with him, makes it feel more personal, like it's happening to us.
• Camera points up at Peeta and Caesar after their interview, makes them superior and the audience inferior.
• Handheld camera shot in training - shaky, makes the scene edgier.
• Tracking shot on Katniss' arrow through the air which emphasises how fast it's travelling.
• Extreme close up on mockingjay pin, shows it's important so it focuses the audience's attention purely on that. It's iconic in the film, so focuses the audience's attention on it is important.
• Extreme long shot, then a medium shot of Katniss walking towards the camera, more importance on Katniss.
• The trailer starts off with fairly slow cut shots, with a few fast cuts where the screen very, very briefly blurs. As the trailer progresses, the shots are faster, especially when the countdown is going on. It's a different shot on a different character related to Katniss in some way at each number said, shows how each character is dealing with Katniss being in the games.
• The lighting is mostly very dark because it's a gloomy themed film. The lighting is brighter on the train and in the makeup room, both of which are much more upper class locations, so it's brighter in locations that are wealthier, and gloomier in the run down district.

To conclude, the visual codes of the film show that it's an overall dark film, with the mockingjay being on fire and the glum facial expressions throughout the trailer. The audio code of music is effective in the film because it sets the mood a lot. The ticking noise which built up that was reminiscent of a heartbeat added a lot of tension. Technical codes were effectively used with the shots which were included fast cutting towards the end. All the codes work together to produce a very effective film which will instantly tell its audience a lot about the film's themes and characters.