The Representation of America and the Growth of Flash Mobs

 The Representation of America and the Growth of Flash Mobs

There is not a Liberal America and a Conservative America - there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America - there's the United States of America.-Barack Obama. America is a country that all are accepted in. Cultures are so diverse nobody feels left out. Even though in the past this has been used against America for instance in the 9/11 attacks the country still stands strong and has become a better country compared to the rest of the world because of it. Friends with Benefits is a rom-com brought out September of 2011 that includes Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, while trying to avoid the clichés of Hollywood romantic comedies, characters Dylan and Jamie soon discover however that adding the act of sex to their friendship does lead to complications. This film set in the hearts of New York and Los Angeles allow audiences to see two characters from two different sides of America meet to show not a clash but a coming together of two different ways of living. The clip of the film that I have decided to focus on is when Dylan and Jamie are situated in the middle of Times Square, New York having only just met each other Jamie already starts to introduce Dylan to how the ‘New Yorkers’ live. A large amount of people are shown in this scene allowing the character of Dylan who is from Los Angeles to get the real of feel of New York and its people through the use of a Flash Mob.

A flash mob (or flashmob) is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and artistic expression. Flash mobs are usually organised via telecommunications, social media, or viral emails. The term invented in 2003 is designed to surprise passers-by which it certainly does to Dylan in this scene. Low angle shots are used to allow us to see Dylan and Jamie’s reactions to the sudden dancing and close ups are also used specifically on Dylan as he is the character meant to be surprised as well as when the two characters are talking so that the audience concentrate on their conversation rather than the dancing in the mise en scene. At the beginning of the dance, throughout the dance and especially at the end real high angled shots are used so that the audience are able to view how many people have taken part in the dance to emphasise that it is a Flash Mob. As well as shots being focused on Dylan (Justin) for his reaction to the people dancing, a side shot of Jamie (Mila) blurred with Dylan in the background as the focus is used to show the audience Dylan’s reaction/emotion towards Jamie, this shows the start of the romance within the film as audiences know they are watching a rom-com and part of the comedy being the Flash Mob means that the romance is still to come and it starts to brew in this one shot.

The diegetic music used for the Flash Mob is a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s version of ‘New York’. Sung by Ray Quinn feat Ultra Love (FWB Remix) shows the old classic in a modern light, as well as this character Dylan says to Jamie “Oh my God its 1988” allowing audiences to be reminded of that old time with the original sung by Sinatra rather than the new version. This new version having been used rather than the original emphasises to audiences how America has developed to become modern and new, it also shows that the film itself is up to date keeping up with today’s new style of music. As well as keeping up to date the lyrics to the song are ‘New York, New York’ allowing any audiences who weren’t sure of where the mise en scene had been placed in ‘Times Square’, that it is a well-known place within New York.  Other lyrics that are used are ‘I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps’, ‘N.Y how I hate to leave her’, ‘New York’s the place for me’, these lyrics are very persuasive and for any audiences who may listen to them may be intrigued to want to visit there too so as well as boosting the films popularity it can also boost America and specifically New York’s popularity with gaining more visitors. I suppose you could also say this isa sign of marxism as the audience are made to believe that New York is the place to be, nowhere else.

Flash Mobs have become one of the things to do with the rise of digital and new media and the world continually becoming more modern. Other areas of media that have used Flash Mobs are the T-Mobile adverts released in 2009 that included a large amount of business commuters suddenly stopping in Liverpool Street Station as well as Heathrow Airport to entertain guests with their dancing. People who have also tried to attempt ‘Flash-Mobbing’ are Diversity Britain’s best break-dance company. They created a ‘Flash Mob’ in the middle of Westfield shopping centre to try and gain audiences to watch the show ‘Got to Dance’. Another person who has made his flash mobs famous via Youtube is Todrick Hall, a singer and dancer whose flash mob videos in supermarkets, his home and shopping centres became worldwide phenomena’s. Obviously these Flash Mobs are planned and choreographed, however audiences as well as Dylan are made to think that they just happen and aren’t planned as well as everyone just knowing the dance, which can surprise audience when viewing them as for those few minutes that it’s on they are made to believe that, that is reality.  Within this large group of people ‘Flash-Mobbing’ wide moving shots are used to show the audience the audience of the Flash Mob, who are all looking round, mostly in one direction that we automatically presume is to the Flash Mob. This proves to the audience of the film that at this point they are not the only audience allowing them to feel part of the scene with the other audience of the Flash Mob.

The mise en scene that has been used for this scene is Times Square and to most people is automatically recognisable.  Other audiences will also realise where it is when Dylan sarcastically says “Oh you’re showing me Times Square, that’s not touristy at all!”. Times Square is a major commercial intersection in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. Times Square – iconified as "The Crossroads of the World” and the "The Great White Way" – is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway theatre district, one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, and a major centre of the world's entertainment industry. Within the scene audiences are able to view in the mise en scene the lights of Times Square’s advertisements and billboards as well as the shops and hotels situated in that area. Times Square is also known for its long view everywhere and its constant movement, we could say that this is emphasised to audiences with the use of lots of people for the Flash Mob and the audience of the Flash Mob and also of the high and wide angled shots emphasising these people. A pan downwards is also used at the end of the Flash Mob to show the ending but also allows the audience to view more of the shops and restaurants within the mise en scene.

The character of Dylan makes it very clear to the audience via his speech and reactions that he is not from New York, even though he has an American accent. Audiences find out later on that he is actually from Los Angeles which is still situated in America. This proves to audiences that the lives that are lived in America can be very different, someone from New York may not have been brought up knowing the same as someone from Los Angeles or Texas or Florida etc. Within this scene we are able to see that Dylan is learning and learning in fact very fast. He is never made to feel unaccepted in this scene which proves to us that America is a friendly country where no one is out of place, like the quote from Barak Obama said, no matter who you are if you live in the United States you are from the Unites States.

This clip that lasts 1:36 sec allows audiences to view a very positive side to America and specifically New York being represented in a good way. With a large amount of people in this scene not one person is out of place, not even the character of Dylan who we know is not from New York. Even with the song ‘New York’ being used nobody is made to feel overpowered proving to audiences that America is an accepting place that everyone is welcome to. No one is seen as an outsider.

To view the clip go to : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcF1AMace2s