Film Techniques of ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’

* At the beginning of the film, she is very upset because she was different and of different culture to the kids in her school, but then the movie gradually shows that it is actually a positive because that is what Ian liked about her. * In the opening segment, there is the use of voiceover, which is a reflective technique. * What she said when in the first scene, she said she wanted to be blond girls, that later Ian likes her because she is different and not blond. She didn’t want to go to Greek school but that was what Ian liked. During the scene with her in Greek school, there was Greek music playing in the background which emphasises how distinctly Greek she is. * When it shows their house, it pans across the street and there is a medium shot of the house. Their family is mono-culture. Gus has very set beliefs and he is so convinced that all of the human accomplishments have been because of the Greeks, that’s why he wants her to marry a Greek. * The main thing is humour.

It conveys the message of this film in an interesting way. * The film introduces the usage of repeated motifs with the Greek language, Windex and the idea that you have to get married, have babies and feed everyone. * We are showed that when she was young, she was embarrassed by her parents. The irony that when she was young, she didn’t want to be Greek but in the later years, this is what was made her special. They brought her grandma, just because they weren’t weird enough and the ironic part is that her weirdness is what attracts Ian to her. * There was slapstick humour such as when Ian was at the window of where Toula was working and making weird movements and expressions. * Juxtaposition of the scenes was used to compare the two scenes. The scene when they were on their first date is juxtaposed to the opening scene, because on their first night, it was a romantic night, wine and a fancy dinner and it was a beautiful night while in the opening scene, it was rainy and miserable.

An awkward pause is also used when Ian asks her what her family is like which shows the audience that she is wondering what to say and if he will not go out with her again if she tells him the truth. * Close up shows the expression of Ian, and he doesn’t look like what Toula would have expected disgusted and repulsed, but he looked amused, intrigued and curious. * Romantic music is played in the background to set the tone or mood of their first date together, it is very * Humour (satire) is used when Ian’s parents are made to look ignorant about their knowledge of different cultures. And when the parents confirmed the person they thought was Greek then Armenian was actually Guatemalan. And when the mother asked whether Armenia was close to Greece, Toula in both instances looked shocked, unbelieving and taken aback. There was a close-up of her face to show her expression more clearly. * Humour was again used when Ian Miller is unable to pronounce ‘Thank you” in Greek, and Gus muttered “When my people were writing philosophy, you people were still swinging from trees in Greek, which excludes Ian from knowing a secret.

In this case, subtitles are also used. * When Ian and Toula meet for the 2nd time, it is a bright day, her clothing is very bright and fashionable. When Toula was talking to a customer on the phone when Ian walked past the window of the travel agent she worked at, Ian and Toula looked at each other for a few times, but when Toula looked back up, he wasn’t there, instead the camera panned across to the door, and Ian walked through it. The camera then shows close-ups of the face, as they were smiling, both very happy. After Toula fell, Ian and Toula get to talking and we get to see a close-up which shows the audience how when they are together they are much happier. When the audience gets to see both Toula and Ian dressed up, Toula looks completely different here than from the start of the movie, which shows the view how much Toula has changed since she had met Ian. * When is Ian baptised the camera pans across the faces of Toula’s direct family members’ faces and their expressions, then it stops at Toula and Nick talking, a close up shot was used to show Toula’s insecurity about Ian leaving her because of the struggles of being Greek, but Ian reassures her, and Nick’s happiness for his sister is also shown. *

During the car trip on the way for Ian’s parents to meet Toula’s extended family, the camera showed each of their faces individually to show they felt. Ian’s parents were very nervous as they didn’t know what to expect and Toula was too, because she knew Ian’s parents are stuck much to themselves and didn’t know how they would react to her loud and massive family. When they got out of the car, close up was used to show how shocked about how many people were there, and also they were quite disgusted when they roasting lamb on a spit. * Costumes are also used as a film technique, while Ian’s parents were wearing plain coloured clothing they were introverted, Toula’s family were wearing very bright and vibrant colours, they were loud, outgoing and extraverted. * Set design, since it is pretty obvious that Toula’s house belongs to people of Greek culture, since it was designed after the Parthenon and had a huge Greek flag on the garage door.

Even the invitations for the wedding had a Greek flag on it. * Gus feels a sense of cultural superiority; he feels that Greeks are responsible for every achievement accomplished by mankind. * When they found out he was called Ian, they pushed her behind, and slapstick humour is used. * Both music and dancing is important in this film because it adds to the sense of traditional culture. * One scene with Ian’s parents meeting Toula’s family (all loud and wild) is cut and it then goes straight to another scene (awkward and understated) which creates a huge contrast in cultures. * Cultural differences are shown when Toula’s aunt is informed that Ian is a vegetarian and that he doesn’t eat meat, from a loud and wild celebration, there is a long awkward pause and everyone in the room turns to look at them, unbelieving of what they have just heard. It is shown that the Greeks eat lots of meat while Ian and his family don’t. * Silence is used again when Toula meets Ian’s parents, the scene is awkward and understated and more than anything, lacking emotion (apathetic and restrained). * Mise en scène means the clever placement of objects in a scene, the fireplace is dividing Ian’s family and Toula and Ian who had become Greek which shows the cultural differences. * Ian’s family has an alienated culture.

* Everyone has the name, Diane, Nick and Anita in the extended family. * When Toula found out that the entire family is invited to the ceremony, the quiet dinner then turns into the opposite, and Ian’s father and mother are not used to the cultural fervour, and is overwhelmed. * The Bundt is a plain cake and it is symbolic of Ian’s parents, who are plain and dull. * In the near end, they are all holding hands and this shows that cultural barriers are overcome and they accept each other as family. Gus gives a speech accepting the * Last, we have found out that Ian and Toula has brought up their daughter in Greek culture, but Toula says that she can marry anyone she wants when the daughter said she wanted to go Brownies instead of Greek school.