Film Opening Analysis (A level examples)
Thursday, November 05, 2015'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 what the boy did to be chased. Additionally, there was no dialogue in the clip. This consequently gave the clip a trailer/music video sensation instead of an opening to a film. Despite many films do not feature dialogue in the first few minutes, this AS level resulted in a final conclusion where a gun was aimed at the boy, thus suggesting the clip would not initially continue. The opening is focused in a few precise locations, which indicates that the pace is not rushed. Overall, I loved this AS film opening as it included a variety of camera angles and the shots were well edited together. I think it shows the extent of the filmmaker's potential as action shots are challenging to take.
'The Blue'
The main character was well introduced in the opening, as their narration gave us an insight into her life. There are two main locations - insider the character's bedroom, and beside the coast. The backbone of the plot is introduced in the opening, as the voiceover suggests the film would be about the girl's wellbeing. This implies that the film has a suitable opening sequence which is nicely flowing. Only one character is featured in the clip, which aims the viewer's attention towards her. The music and the out & in - focused scenic shots provide a sense of tranquility as the clip steadily progresses. I think that the locational shots are well assembled and were taken at a suitable time - their colours link well with the title of the film and the credits are placed in suitable places.
'Untitled Youth'
The opening scene of 'Untitled Youth' does not expose the plot of the film to an obvious extent. It makes the audience wonder who the person in the car was, who the person is wearing the mask, why he handed himself in, why he was wearing a mask, and why he stopped in the middle of a road at the beginning. An interrogation scene follows with the mention of a mysterious flashdrive, which appears to be quite ambiguous. Before this scene, dialogue was quite limited. The man who wore the mask did not say anything apart from 'Watch the USB', which creates a lot of suspense and weariness. The only 2 locations that are featured in the opening are the road and the interrogation room. Additionally, the credits are exposed in one period - they are coupled with glitches images and music. This enhances the overall thrill of the opening and they are presented in the way that they are focused on. However, they do not last long and I personally feel as though it would have worked better if they were shown at the end of the opening.
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