AS Media Studies

Characters in the opening two minutes of a film provide a high level of importance. However, characters are not always needed within this time sequence, as many openings consist of atmospheric shots of the film's setting.   Characters featuring in an opening sequence help to provide a sense of mood/genre to summarise the overall film. This is usually created through their appearance as well as their personality. For instance, if they appear to be witty/clumsy/funny, this may imply that the film is a comedy. If a character looks lifeless/gruesome, this may indicate that they are a villain and the film could be a thriller/horror/action-adventure....

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What does the term mean by 'breaking the fourth wall'? Breaking the fourth wall is when characters in films talk to the audience, meaning they ignore the 'imaginary' wall that keeps the actors from the audience. This occurs when they express their inner thoughts, when they acknowledge they're in a film, or when they vent towards the camera (audience).  Breaking the fourth wall helps the character to connect with the audience, and helps them to understand the character's persona & emotions better. It makes the scene feel more interactive and relatable in comparison to the viewer's lifestyle. Furthermore, it implies...

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'The Edge' In my opinion, I thought that 'The Edge' was a fantastic example of an AS media studies piece of work. The dramatic non-diegetic sound matched perfectly with the clip's content and the opening credits were positioned suitably and effectively. The opening also gave us an implication of the plot and the rivalry between characters. The pace of the music and the chase became quicker as the opening progressed; this coaxes the viewer's interest to continue watching the clip. However, the 3 characters were not introduced in the opening so we do not know who they are, nor...

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