Little Miss Sunshine Feature Analysis PDF

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Little Miss Sunshine Step by Step Feature Analysis...

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ACM 350: Feature Analysis Little Miss Sunshine Name: Date: 5 September 2018 ACT I: Meet the Harvey’s The Set-Up: What is the premise? What is the story about and what do you think the main theme is? Who are the main characters and what do they want/need? Where and when does the story take place? What genre or style of movie is it? The main point of this story revolves around this idea that “there are winners and there are losers…” and that this statement paints this idealistic picture for you. We’re given images of a young girl trying to reflect herself off of winners seen on TV. The main characters involved are Olive, a 6 year old girl who is obsessed with being in pageants with her main goal being to win one , specifically in this case the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. Richard, the father, is a motivational speaker who is the speaker behind the idea of, “there are winners and there are losers…” He is the one who is painting this image of what a winner looks like. Then there is Frank, a homosexual suicide survivor who was a the #1 Proust Scholar that fell in love with his grad-student. His character, as a suicide survivor, is very unhappy with the world and people as is his nephew, Dwayne. Dwayne is a 15 year old who has taken a vow of silence until his goals are reached, which is to be a fighter pilot from the Naval Academy. And finally we have the Grandpa, Richard’s father, an elderly man who’s a little bit rough around the edges. He finds himself living with his family from a retirement home that he’s gotten kicked out of, with that being his fourth one. He is a wild card as he snorts heroin and is sexually promiscuous. This story takes place in Maryland, where the Harvey’s live. The genre of the movie seems to be a comedy family drama. The Catalyst or Inciting Incident: What is the specific event/action that sets the whole story into motion? The inciting incident that starts to set the whole story into motion is when the girl above Olive gets disqualified from the finals due to diet pills. She finds herself filling her spot and begins having talk about going to the finals in Boca Raton. The Central Question: What is the central dramatic question established in Act I? The central dramatic question seemed to be whether or not The First Turning Point/Plot Point 1: Act I should come to a turning point between page 25 and page 35. What is Plot Point #1? The first turning point in this screenplay was that on this journey to Olive’s pageant, who was going to come along with her. As the dialogue moves along, it ends up with the

whole family coming out with her, bringing along all their own personal issues to start the story of this family adventure. ACT II: The Road Trip Obstacles: Be sure to list and describe some of the obstacles in Act II of the screenplay. How do they raise the stakes for the main characters? List at least 5 obstacles: 1. The first issue at stake is that Sheryl, the mother, has gotten the bus clutch broken, therefore possibly delaying their arrival to Florida for another 5-6 days. 2.

Richard receives word from his (manager, publisher type) that his teachings will no longer be published. Therefore leaving the family in a financial crisis.

3. As the night passes, and Olive is asleep in the duo motel room with her grandpa. She comes into her parents room in the morning to say that her grandpa won’t wake up. This then leads them to the hospital. He is then pronounced dead. 4. After the death of the grandfather, the next obstacle is how the family will get to Boca Raton by 3, which is deemed impossibly by the nurse. After losing hope and Sheryl mentioning Little Miss Sunshine for the next year, Richard comes up with the plan to take the grandfather along with them. 5.

The next obstacle that arrives to the family, is a single problem that Dwayne comes to realize. He is colorblind which means that he can’t be a pilot. After his vow of silence, he breaks it by yelling out and screaming.

The Second Turning Point/Plot-Point 2: This comes at the end of the second act, usually somewhere between pages 75 and 90. What is Plot Point #2? The second plot-point is when Olive looks into the mirror as she is in her bathing suit and sucks in her stomach, a first time that she’s ever done this. She then returns back to her natural form and finds that she doesn’t like what she sees in the mirror. Another first for her. She is for the first time doubting herself. ACT III: The Beauty Pageant The Third Turning Point/Plot Point #3: This turning point raises the stakes again, emphasizes the central question, and drives us to the climax of the film. What is Plot Point #3? The third turning point in this story is when after even starting to doubt herself and get nervous, Olive contemplates whether she should go on even though her father and brother are both now saying that she should not go out onto the stage. The Climax: This is the final conflict. What is the climax of the screenplay? The climax of this screenplay comes out to when Olive finally goes out onto the stage

and busts out moves that no one has ever seen in a pageant before. She pays her homage in her performance to her wild grandpa. While this is a huge risk for her, she takes it and ends up getting the crowds love in support. The Conclusion/Resolution: Audiences have become accustomed to movies ending within 5 minutes after the climax. If a movie takes longer to wrap up loose ends, they tend to lose interest. Also, is there a final image that visually shows a change has occurred within the main character? Describe the resolution. Olive has always faced a presence of what an ideal beauty pageant star looks like and while she never cared and went about her own business she was always faced with doubt from others. She never gave into these doubts until it was time for her to onto the stage, while we’re given this image that she is doubtful of herself for the first time. She shocks the audience and the readers that she is proud of who she is and truly enjoys doing what she loves no matter how others look at it. Character Analysis and Development: Now that you have read the script and analyzed the story structure, it’s time to examine the development of the characters. Make a list of the main characters. Describe the following: What is their role in the story? Are they the protagonist, antagonist, best friend, mentor, love interest, partner, catalyst, comic relief, etc? Make sure to answer the following important question: What is their objective, main need or desire in the story? You need to know what is driving each character. What do the characters do to get what they want to fulfill their needs? Objectives rise out of the needs and feelings of the characters. How are they changed in the end? Also include important scenes where you feel important character arcs and development were revealed. How does the screenwriter reveal character? Find examples that use both action and dialogue. Include analysis for Olive, Richard, Sheryl, Frank, Grandpa, and Dwayne. Olive : ● ●

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The protagonist of the story Her goal is the central of the story although it is accompanied by many other goals of the family ○ Her desire in this story is that she wins the Little Miss Sunshine pageant and is on her way to becoming the next big star. This is seen as she mirrors the way that Miss America winner’s act. On her journey to competing in the pageant, she is faced with the reoccurring issue that is not “ideal” or not the right image of a beauty pageant contestant. ○ When she has doubtful moments, she stays true to herself, but still tries to contain this “perfect” image of a beauty queen.

■ She overcomes this doubtfulness and sense of perfection by breaking all social norms at the Little Miss Sunshine pageant and receiving much praise for it. Richard : ●

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The antagonist of the story ○ Although he is supporting of his daughter, he also is intensely into the idea of perfection. He is the main voice behind the notion of “there are winners and there are losers…” and gives his image of what those two things should look. His goal in the story is to always be a winner in any case scenario; to be the father of a winner, to be successful in his his motivational teachings, etc. ○ His main desire that occurs is that he will become successful with his teachings of motivation and success, The Nine Steps. On his journey to becoming successful and having a set plan in mind, he comes to the realization after trying and trying that his teachings will not be published to the public after his manager/publisher deems it unsuccessful in the market. ○ He overcomes this by realizing that there is no perfect image of a winner and that winners come in all shapes in forms when he goes on to openly supporting his daughter.

Sheryl : ● ●

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A side protagonist ○ From Sheryl, I saw support to everyone and everything. The only goal I saw from Sheryl was that she wanted to please everyone and everything ○ Her main desire to have everyone get what they want although it is unclear if there is anything she actually wants for herself Although I did not see any growth to Sheryl’s character, she is always supporting Olive even through the doubt of her family members

Frank : ● ●

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A side protagonist Although we do not see it, his main goal at the time was suicide, which he failed in. ○ Throughout the majority of the beginning he is goal-less as he is being held against his will with his family as it seems. ○ His goal then turns into finding happiness, I believe as he sees his old boyfriend with another person He overcomes this by bonding with Dwayne and finding that he can help others and use that to help himself.

Grandpa : ● A side protagonist ● An elderly man who is extremely out of the image of an old man ○ he is very carefree as he believes he’s lived his life and can do as he pleases ● He is very supportive and I find tuai to be his goal in this story.

○ he is always cheering on Olive and telling her to break the rules and that’s his idea of a winner ● Although he does, I believe he gets his message across to Olive and that’s why she performs the way she does in the end of the story, therefore completing his ongoing goal Dwayne : ● A side protagonist ● His main goal and desire is to enlist into the military as a pilot and go through the Naval Academy ○ He’s goes along this goal by taking his vow of silence until he completes his goal and is constantly working out to be the best he can be ● His obstacle includes his dream being shut down when he discovers he is color blind and can’t go on to do what he wants ● He overcomes this goal by spending time with his uncle and realizing there’s more to life that just his lifelong goal ○ He comes to know that there is a way to do anything and seems to have a more open opinion on life...