Film Opening Analysis (DRAMA)

Film Openings (DRAMA)

• shot sizes

• shot angles

• shot durations

• transitions and overall pace

• sound effects

• use of music

• title fonts and colours

• colour palette and lighting

• setting

• types of characters and their contexts

• storyline and plot developments

• overall tone, mood and atmosphere

FILM 1 - The Judge

• guitar music begins still on black screen

• begins with still shots of props 

• first few shots are warm toned

• objects such as a glasses, camera, photograph etc could be motifs for later in the film

• shots fade out to black

• shallow depth of field shot of blue plants with person in background

• title is superimposed over this shot - serif font in white

• slow fade out to black, music changes to faster

• drone / helicopter overhead tracking shot, establishing

• long shots of inside the building, people moving around makes it seem busy

• bathroom is blue toned, bright 

• shots of two men having conversation in room, straight cut transitions

• wider shot, track, pan, two shot, shot / reverse shot, over the shoulder

• first part and second part’s colour palette, music, transitions etc. contrast each other

FILM 2 - Forrest Gump

• production credits superimposed over long take to establish location 

• tracking shot follows feather floating down to lead to actor

• slow, peaceful music, reflects gentle shot, mood of film etc.

• one long take through titles and beginning of action >1 min

• feather is CGI

• only two takes, with straight cut between them

• ambient sound with music

• white titles over shot, subtle

• bright colour palette, warm

• characters waiting at bus stop

• warm, happy atmosphere

FILM 3 - The Time Traveller’s Wife

• classical music, foreign language begins over production credit screens

• serif font title, fades in and out of focus

• depth of field shots through car window, lights and colours

• music is sung by actor, non-diabetic

• didn’t start with establishing shot - unusual

• warm toned, dark

• shots became wider and shorter towards end of extract

FILM 4 - The Descendants

• black screen, ambient sound fades in without video

• video fades from black to reveal setting, fades back to black after a few seconds

• productions titles on exotic, coloured background, and with music relevant to film

• establishing shots of city and people - Hawaii

• voiceover giving context and character information over establishing shots

• voiceover tells us context of first shot -  shows woman in hospital

• seems to begin happily with ukulele, major music, exotic setting, but shows hospital

• unexpected unhappy atmosphere

FILM 5 - Age of Adeline

• tense, sad music over production credits

• opens with establishing shot of planet earth

• birds eye view shots gradually get closer to earth, showing car driving 

• voiceover tells audience who she is and what is happening -  omniscient third person narrator

• shot reverse shot, two shots of conversation

• high key lighting outside, low key indoor, contrast

• white minimal, script font of title, in corner of screen, non-intrusive

• character is intelligent, observant

• tense mood, mysterious, intriguing 

FILM 6 - Life of Pi

• fades from black into establishing shot

• white, script titles gently scroll

• main title in larger and centred over shot, white and yellow

• opening shots show animals

• Indian style music fits with shots

• depth of field changes to show different things in the shot

• no characters shown yet