The story starts when fairytale characters start showing up at Shrek’s swamp. While Shrek is eating the 3 blind mice show up and although their blind they are not scared of Shrek. This shows that Shrek isn’t what he looks like and that small venerable animals like mice aren’t afraid of the huge ogre. The mice are playing with him and they think that his ears are cheese but when they go to bite it, it’s actually his ear. This shows that Shrek is not as scary as he should be he has not got the qualities of an ogre. Then comes the little dwarfs who put Snow white on the table, this annoys Shrek and he asks them what is going on. Then the pigs tell him everything and he sets off with the donkey to Duloc.
During this journey Donkey reveals a lot about Shrek’s character and the reason behind his loneliness. Shrek describes himself as an onion. But Donkey has no idea about what he means, he says, ‘They stink?’ Shrek says, ‘Yes. No!’ Then Donkey says, ‘Oh, they make you cry?’ Shrek says no angrily. Donkey then says, ‘Oh, you leave them out in the sun, they get all brown and start sprouting little white hairs.’ Then Shrek screams, ‘No! Layers! Onions have layers. Ogres have layers. Onions have layers. You get it? We both have layers.’ Donkey says, ‘Oh... you both have layers... You know, not everybody like onions. Cakes! Everybody likes cakes. Cakes have layers. Shrek then says, ‘I don't care what everyone likes. Ogres are not like cakes... You dunce, irritating, miniature beast of burden. Ogres are like onions. End of story. Bye bye. See ya later...’ this shows us that Shrek is green and ugly outside but he is sweet and caring on the outside and this is not what people go to look at. Shrek and Donkey then visit the kingdom of Duloc so that Shrek can reclaim his swamp back. Duloc is very empty and quiet it doesn’t seem like a place of peace and order but fright. Lord Farquaad orders his men to fight the ogre and whoever wins will go on the quest. This shows that Lord Farquaad is an evil man and that his only priority in life is to have full power over his kingdom. He shows all the features of an ogre. Shrek on the other hand hates violence, instead of fighting he says, ‘can’t we not discuss this over a pint.’ This is not the type of language you would expect from an ogre because love to fight they wait for opportunities like this and he is trying to back away from it. This shows that Shrek is not as violent as he looks he does not use his strength to start fights but he is decent and well- mannered. This shows that he is civilized, laid back and not at all aggressive.
When they reach the castle Donkey refuses to walk over the bridge, but Shrek forces him to cross it by shaking it causing Donkey to cross without having any choice. When Donkey crosses it Shrek says, ‘that’ll do Donkey, that’ll do.’ This shows that Shrek has grown fond of this animal and he kind of likes him now.
When Shrek breaks into the castle to rescue the princess, he does not act like normal rescuers. He is quick and aggressive he shakes her awake and tells her to hurry up. This is not a traditional way of waking a princess because it is normally romantic. He does not treat her royally or anything and when she tries to tell him about the way it’s supposed to be he says, ‘You've had a lot of time to plan this, haven't you?’ Princess Fiona acts in a very demanding way, she is supposed to be a damsel in distress but her behavior is very assertive and insistent, she persist on him kissing her. In traditional fairytales the princess would never ask to be kissed. This shows us that she is a very self dependent character. She knows what she wants from life; she will fight for her way. Although Shrek seems violent we gather that he has not killed the dragon. When Princess Fiona tells him that he has to slay the dragon first he replies by saying, ‘It's on my "to do" list. Now come on!’ but she still insists on him killing the dragon, she tells him that all the other knights have done this but he replies to her smartly saying, ‘Yeah, right before they burst into flame! this emphasizes on the point that Shrek is a non violent ogre who uses his head. He does not like to kill for no reason.
In contrast to Shrek, Lord Farquaad is evil and sly. We know this because he tortured the gingerbread man by dipping him in milk and getting the truth out by threatening him by removing the buttons. This shows that he is cruel and ruthless. When he finds out that Princess Fiona is an ogre at sunset he treats her badly by calling her names and ordering his guards to lock her in the dungeons he. This clearly shows us that he never loved Princess Fiona but he only used her to become king of Duloc. He is a two- faced crook who has features of an ogre instead of a Lord.
When a director is making a film it is important that he/ she uses different camera angles/ shots to create a variety of effects. There are 3 main types of angles or camera shots, high angle shot, mid- angle shot, low angle shots and close up shots.
When Shrek tries to scare the story characters at the beginning of the film there is a close up shot of his mouth, this suggests that he is going to eat them up. This gives a tense moment for the viewers. The darkness causes further unease and pressure. Close up shots are used to focus the viewers attention on something. They are often used to focus attention on character’s emotion. Close up shots are also used when Shrek and Fiona are smiling this gives an effect on the romance relationship between them. They took close up shots so that we can focus on their emotions and the way they move. This way we can focus on every smile and details on their faces.
When lord Farquaad is introduced to Princess Fiona the camera focuses on his hands instead of his face. This is done to make Lord Farquaad look hostile and unsympathetic. When Shrek Lord Farquaad’ castle the camera moves from ground level to show his tower, this is a high angle shot. It is useful because it makes Lord Farquaad seem dominant and wicked and Shrek and Donkey seem vulnerable and pathetic. High angle shots are used when a character is made to seem more helpless and human type. This is an important scene because in traditional fairytales this would be the other way round. The ogre would seem wicked and the donkey and Lord Farquaad would be helpless. I think that this is the most important angle used because this reverses the whole tradition. The effect of mid-angle shots is that they make the characters seem equal. This is shown when Shrek is preparing a meal for Princess Fiona and when Shrek and Donkey are relaxing. Sometimes, a character's back is shown rather than their face. This is used to suggest seclusion and isolation from other characters. For example when Princess Fiona leaves Shrek and goes inside she turns her back on him, this is to show that Princess Fiona is hiding something and isolates herself from him. Another example is when Shrek decides to end his relationship with Donkey, to show this he turns his back on Donkey and the relationship between them.
Setting another presentational device used to influence the viewer. Shrek swamp describes his character in a way. Although it looks like an ogre’s swamp; dirty and smelly it is still inviting and homely. This is the same with Shrek; he looks ugly and disgusting but in fact he is kind and fun to be with. The fact that other characters scheme into Shrek’s shows that as a character he is lively and wants to entertain people but he has always been rejected by the villagers so he has grown to be quite private and self-centered. Lord Farquaad lives in a castle which is expected to be a calm, pleasant, comfortable, friendly and it’s supposed to have an air of majesty and splendor. But it is quite scary, threatening and cruel. Although Shrek looks and often acts like an ogre; when he is bathing in mud and when he brushes he teeth with mud. Lord Farquaad seems like a typical lord because he lives in a castle and dresses up majestically although his character does not suggest that.
In Shrek there are familiar television programs and film ideas are used throughout the film to bring it upbeat and original. Television programs such as Blind Date are included into the story; the mirror on the wall shows the lord 3 princesses and he can choose any of them to marry. A stereotypical host voice is used top introduce the princesses that were in a way distressed. Shrek’s fight with the guards is like WWF wrestling match and the Matrix’s fight scene was used fighting the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest. The castle in which Princess Fiona is trapped in looks like the Disney Castle.
Lighting is used to show characters in a particular way. When Fiona leaves Shrek it is dark and this gives us a romantic feeling and the moon suggests romance. Bright lights are used carefully so that they give the impression of how the characters are feeling. If it’s happy they show bright, cheerful colors and if it’s sad then they have dull, gloomy colors. Shrek and Princess Fiona are often pictured walking through meadows where the birds are singing, this also shows the romance between Shrek and the Princess.
Music and sound effects help us understand what the characters are like, for example when we first see Lord Farquaad the music is sinister (evil) or when Shrek enters the arena, there is organ music to suggest the importance of the tournament and of Lord Farquaad. Sad music is used when Shrek misinterprets the conversation between Fiona and Donkey and he thinks she doesn't like him the way he likes her, and she thinks he's just an ugly, green ogre, also when Shrek goes home sad music is played to interpret broken hearts, even Donkey and the dragon are crying. The film makers use music and sound effects to help get across how the characters are feeling e.g. sad feelings they use slow, lonesome music and happy feelings they use fast, exciting music.
Donkey is one of the most important characters because through him we understand what Shrek is really. He identifies his true feelings and without him we would not know what is on Shrek’s mind. Donkey is talkative and lively; it is obvious to the viewer that he is to be a main character throughout the rest of the film. He wins over the audience strait away as he stands up to Shrek's unwelcoming attitude, and insists on staying with him. Shrek’s relationship with the Donkey in the middle is more like a one day relationship but towards the end it is a friendly relationship.
Although Shrek seems like a traditional ogre by the end of the film the viewers see him as a normal being that ends up having friends and a wife unlike normal ogres who end up getting killed. Although Lord Farquaad seems like a lord his actions, language and appearance suggests that he is the ogre or the villain of the story and that he is going to die with no happy future at all. He teases the ginger bread man, ‘Run, run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man.’ and the ginger bread man also end up saying to him, ‘You're a monster!’ which we get to know ourselves as the movie continues on. His appearance is quite different to what a lord is supposed to look like. Instead of being tall and charming he is extremely short and unattractive in a way. The story Shrek uses presentational devices o reverse the tradition so that by the end of the film we see the ogre as good the lord as evil and the princess as strong and independent. The moral of this movie or the message that Shrek is sending out is that no matter how ugly or hideous you look on the outside it’s the inside that counts. In conclusion, the film brought to light that the rules of tradition are not always to be followed. Ogres will no longer be the expected 'bad-guy' and people will think twice about Princes with bad attitudes. This twist of fairytale will always be a unique and memorable production due to its clever humor and selection of illusory camera shots and cleverly presented ideas.