Here I have analysed the opening of the first musical: Chicago (1975)
Location: On stage, in Chicago (in the musical)
Sound: Diegetic music while actresses and actor sing.
Dress: Red suit for actor and white and purple lingerie with one black and red stocking for each actress.
Props: Red surrounding stage, black theatre screens with rims of light bulbs, a cigar for the actor, and a hand feather hands for the actresses.
Camera: Mid shot of stage, camera zooms out as actresses disperse, camera follows movements of synchronised dancing, camera fades to still shot of dancers with an above the stage shot slightly to the right, fades into close- mid shot of the two characters in particular as they are sitting/ laying, the full body's are seen, the camera zooms out as the characters start dancing, the camera then stops as spotlight exposes a silhouette however, the next shot is a close-mid of the character and the camera follows the character walking towards the stage, the next shot is a full body shot of character and again zooms out as character moves forward and stops, the next shot is then a close-mid of the character, the camera then moves slowly following the character and moves with the character, the next shot fades into a a full body -mid of the character and moves with the character. As the character is moving the camera moves slightly forward. Next shot is the close-up of the character as the camera follows the movement of the character, a full body shot follows as the camera follows the characters movements, the camera then fades into a close up of character before flicking to a full body shot again andstill following the character, the camera then slowly moves towards the main character. the next shot is again a full body shot while following the character and slowly zooming out. The camera then moves back in slightly, then to a close up of the character again with the cameras following the characters movements, the ext shot is of all characters on the stage, as the characters move in, the camera zooms in and stops so that all characters are in view of the full body shot but main character's is in the middle of shot, the next shot is again a close up following the character, the camera than flicks back to a full body shot of all the characters on stage while following the character’s movements e.g. as character strep back, the camera zooms in, next shot is then again a close-up of character while following the character. The next short is a full-body shot following the character but then moves back as actresses spread out on stage and moves back as song finishes.
Storyline: The dancers start in a seductive pose and while moving slowly and singing "where is Billy?".The dancers are looking at the camera and audience at all times while singing. The dancers then spread across the stage slowly and move to a sitting position on the stage floor, the dance moves of the dancers are then in sync and move into a position laying on the floor stage, the camera then focuses on two characters in particular and as the dancers stand up while including dance moves the dancers split into two groups on both side of the stage. The stage screens move apart revealing a silhouette of someone standing from the side in a suit and hat, lighting a cigar. The spotlight shines on the mystery silhouette revealing a man wearing a red suit, a smart hat with a moustache smoking a cigar, he walks towards the centre of a stage. Addressing the audience and camera before singing, the dancers come back on stage with big coral feather fans and move around the main character. While singing to the audience the main character starts undressing and continues whistling and singing with the dancers surrounding him with the big coral feather fans, the main character undresses until in his underwear (vest and boxers) shortly after, the song finishes.
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