Movie Conventions: Little Women (2019)

 Little Women uses many tracking shots to literally follow the characters along in their lives. They can be seen running down the road or in the woods. The movie uses different two shots and three shots that display the all characters simultaneously in the same place. We can see what they are doing and how they are moving in different scenes. Close ups are used to show the characters emotions and medium shots show their body language. This sense of non-verbal communication makes the reader better connect with the characters with less dialogue.

The costumes in Little Women are old-fashioned and timely. This is because the film takes place in the 19th century and we can see people dressed formally regardless of their location. For example, women can be seen wearing dresses at the beach, in their homes, or in the forest. Men can also be seen with dark suits at the beach and in other outdoor settings. Much of the lighting of the movie is natural, as there were fewer illumination technologies during the time where the movie is set. Hence, there are many uses of candles and fireplaces within indoor settings that give the audience a cozy feel. The characters act sincere and heartfelt towards each other. Their makeup is also antiquated and we see many characters sporting the same look. The film is set in Concord, Massachusetts and shows the life of the characters in the city and residential setting.

Apart from the original score composed for the film, the most noticeable sound would be the ambient sound and the dialogue. In the different settings, we can hear the waves of the beach or the chirping of birds in the forest. Most of the plot is driven by the dialogue and verbal interactions between the characters.

Editing in Little Women is fairly simple, as the setting . There are jump cuts to transition between the different times of the sisters in different places.