Representation in The Change Up

The preferred reading of this film is that it's an entertaining comedy based on a man's life in which he struggles with the new-found difficulty of child care. We establish that there is a light-hearted mood because of the way in which the father fails desperately to change his children's nappies which in turn, is emphasized through the non-diegetic music that simmers in the background of his struggle. However his attempts provide amusement to the audience. We also deter that the film is based in the modern day within the same amount of luxury and wealth as the 'average' person (middle class).

The audience is engaged through the use of camera editing techniques such as with tracking, which gives a sense that as the man walks from one room to the next we are following him. What's more, once in the children's room the camera pans so that we see the rest of the room, providing a sense of reality as we can establish the contents of the room as if we were in the shot itself.

Location

It is difficult to establish the location that this film is set within in because the opening scene only happens to show the interior of the house. However based on the cleanliness, comfort and modern quality of the place, as well as the silent buzz of the grass hoppers outside, i can assume that this film is based in either a quiet, urban neighborhood or a rural area. However since the housing in rural areas isn't particularly modern i am more inclined to disagree with the secondary suggestion.

To the left is a long shot showing the babies' room. From this shot we can see that the wallpaper is lined with an assortment of decorative patterns such as flowers and a border enclosing different animals. The blue suggests innocence and along we the animals, helps in establishing that this is a babies' room. The room is clean and laded with a variety of comforts such as the separate cots and mobiles hanging above them, establishing that the family is moderately wealthy. However the furnishings in this room by no means signify great expense.

In this middle long shot we are given a view of the kitchen and part of the living room. The house is fully laden with many home gifts establishing the wealth of the family further. The fact that the living room and kitchen are joined together establishes that this is a modern house, further speculated through the fact the rooms are large reinforcing our reading of wealth. What's more it is a reflection of prosperity.

Sound

As said before, the scene opens with both non-diegetic music and the diegetic sounds of the grasshoppers outside. This is also cut across with the cries of a baby through the baby monitor. So far the narrative is established as it tells the audience that the couple have young children in their care. As the man starts to change his daughter's nappy the music changes slightly as it becomes incidental but returns to the same tune as it was previously. We hear the diegetic sound of the bottle of talcum powder being pressed open which along with the sound of the basket of nappies falling to the ground, makes the scene seem more erratic, reinforcing the reading of the father's struggle to simply change his child's nappy.

A diegetic sound effect for thumping is used when the twin brother hits his head against his cot. This creates a light-hearted atmosphere because the realism of the situation if low, hence why it would be considered a humorous moment.

Incidental music builds as the father changes his baby boy's nappy but as it builds we hear the diegetic sound of his hand grazing the nappies which intensifies the urgency of the situation. It is then that we hear the diegetic sound of the child farting at which point the music is more erratic. Once the father's face is covered the diegetic sound of the babies laughter follows above the change in non-diegetic music to reinforce the reading that the film is a humorous and entertaining comedy focused on the father's difficulty to manage his children.

Mood/atmosphere

In the scene there is no specific filter used except by lamplight. The lighting used is high key lighting for the most part of the scene but more of a low key lighting for the scenes filmed in the dark.This rarely creates a mood worth mentioning for impact. However the use of sound and particularly incidental music towards the climatic moment where the father is covered with his own sons excrement is particularly good at establishing a mood. Through the use of music here as well as the other diegetic sounds that occur at the same time (described above) an atmosphere of tension and suspense is built. But as the music changes and  there is a diegetic sound of the baby's laughter, the mood suddenly changes and becomes jollier, creating a more humorous scene.

Titles

The only information we are given in the opening scene is towards the end at which the title fades in from black. In the background plays uplifting music that almost mocks what the father has undergone. Quite formal typography has been used for the title, not only with the font that has been used but with the formality of having been written in white. Against the black background the title stands out boldly drawing focus into it. Notably, the style is rather unusual in the perception of a comedy movie's typography.