In 1981 San Francisco, Chris Gardner, a single father, finds life difficult. His young son and he are forced out of their apartment. He flees the streets, selling a 40-pound device referred to as a “bone scanner”, and eventually finds a job at the prestigious brokerage Dean Witter for 6 months without any pay. Chris is a strong character in the film, refusing to give up on his dreams and attempting to make a better life. The films “The Pursuit Of Happyness”, 2006, which was directed and produced by Gabriele Muccino have been a key part of Chris’s quest. The film was easy to understand and more clear when I analysed the technical, symbolic and audio codes. “The Pursuit Of Happiness” challenges our conventional view of success. It argues that success can be achieved if you are willing to put in the effort to overcome obstacles and persevere until you achieve your goals.
Chris must make the first move in his quest to happiness. Chris is nervously waiting for an answer as he takes part in an interview in Dean Witter’s busy lobby. This scene takes Chris from his lobby to a meeting area, where he’ll meet Martin Frohm (his subordinates) for a meeting about Chris’s internship. Chris was just before being arrested for not paying his parking tickets. The result is his unusual appearance and behaviour. Chris is shown as an unrefined and uncomposed man, wearing a costume and using body language. The surrounding businessmen and ladies are more composed and used to the situation. The lobby from the middle. This scene was created to show Chris as “nervous” and restless despite his current professional background. Chris’s posture can be described as making him appear “fish out water” and attracting the attention of other businessmen. Chris’s appearance can be heightened by the busy clatter in the office. The other characters are also working away while Chris remains still. Chris walks to the meeting room, showing the gap between his present stage and the future. The disapproval shown in his future colleagues’ actions reinforces this idea. You can see their disapproval from their body actions, like staring or shaking hands. Mid shot shows that Martin Frohm, the director of company, doesn’t glance at Chris as he shakes his hand. Also, Chris was toying with a pen while he spoke. Martin and first don’t consider Chris a suitable candidate for the internship. Chris’s drive to succeed can clearly be seen in the vigour he spoke later, which earned him the position. The next scene shows Chris facing yet another set of challenges. Chris takes on another job to help his son and survive after he has won the internship without any pay. He sold his remaining scanners and worked part-time as a salesman to help his son get through this difficult time. He was broke and without a job until he received a government letter. This scene teaches viewers that “Obstacles are possible when they are unexpected”. This scene is coded to convey this message. It starts with Chris being a caring, outgoing father and ends up becoming frustrated, desperate, and stunned. The music and voice-overs at the beginning can show Chris’s joy, allowing the audience to feel his relief. Foreshadowing of the unfortunate events ahead, Chris uses phrases like “it seemed that we were making things” and “we are doing good”. The music that stops signifies that he is no longer in a state of temporal happiness. The audience can grasp the sudden mood shift by looking at the letter from a pan down position. The letter’s written text supports this idea. The end of the 6-month-long internship. Chris’s quest for happiness ended in the exact same meeting room where he started. “Success comes after conquering all obstacles.” This is Chris Gardener’s ultimate message. This scene shows us that Chris is finally finding happiness by his body language. This includes a middle-shot that captures Chris crying out of joy at the end his long pursuit. Chris can be seen in the crowd gripping his hands, clapping, and fist pumping, which shows his good feelings of emotional relief after a difficult and long pursuit. The Pursuit of Happyness, a film about a man’s search for happiness, is powerful and powerful. Analyzing the audio and technical codes allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the film’s themes and symbols. Chris Gardener has seen his life change in 180 degrees since the film. He first entered the office as an outsider with no future in mind. One day, he is a success story. The Pursuit of Happyness provides a wonderful example of a movie that enables viewers to see the challenges one has to overcome in order to be happy and successful. Do not let your dreams seem impossible because they are too far away. With 99% perseverance, determination and 1% talent, anything is possible. Everything is possible.
