Analysing the elements which compose an opening film sequence.

1. FILM OPENING SEQUNECE –
ANALYSIS
Adam Kalabiska
AS Level Media Studies

2. This segment demonstrates the opening sequence from the
1994 film, LéonThe Professional (directed by Luc Besson).
The insert captures the location and it’s atmosphere which plays
into the wider narrative of the film. Additionally, it establishes
the lead character of the hitman Leon with only a few effective
shots and lastly sets up the action sequences which will follow.
Film synopsis
“If you want a job done well, hire a professional.”
Léon, the top hit man in NewYork, has earned a rep as an
effective "cleaner". But when his next-door neighbours are
wiped out by a loose-cannon DEA agent, he becomes the
unwilling custodian of 12-year-old Mathilda. Before long,
Mathilda's thoughts turn to revenge, and she considers
following in Léon's footsteps.

3. The Titles
(You may notice that the name of the director
is treated with the same, if not slightly bigger
emphasise as the name of the studio)
Titles in a film serve the purpose of mainly establishing the time period and genre of the film.Their usage
may often reflect the creativity of the actual film, though that may be a bit of a stretch in some instances.
In the case of this film opening, we can see the presentation of some what slightly, horizontally stretched
titles in the commonly used sans-serif font.At first, these appear over a black background. Introducing key
names involved in the production of the film, such as the production studio (Gaumont) and the director
(Luc Besson).

4. The first visual image that we, as the audience, can see is an arial shot of a sea with birds flying over it.The camera
continues to fly over the sea, eventually reaching a park. Simultaneously, the names of actors (Jean Reno, Gary
Oldman, Natalie Portman and Danny Aiello) are presented on top of the visual image.
The camera eventually tilts upwards to reveal the imposing city of NewYork, surrounding the park and presenting the
simplified version of the full title, Leon.The title is in a bold and fresh looking serif font, which differentiates it from the
previous titles. Furthermore, the composition of the white title over the green park creates a contrast which allows it to
vividly stand out.The opening title shot additionally has a symbolic meaning as it is complimentary to the closing shot,
which also captures a park and NY in the background.

5. The camera proceeds to enter the streets of NewYork and though still using a tracking movement, it is as if it’s
searching for a subject to follow.We see the wide ranging landscape of the city streets, starting in an more modern
area of the city and slowly moving towards the more suburban areas. Finally reaching Little Italy, where not only most
of the place will be taking place, but also serves as the location for the introduction of the main character. During this
entire sequence there was the soul usage daylight as the primary light source. Additionally, a few simple cuts occurred
throughout, only to further the progress of the forward moving camera. Lastly, the soundtrack has almost a sort of
surreal tone, yet with a slight sense of wonder and exploration to it. Potentially reflecting the two lead characters, one
of which being a bit odd and other a young child suddenly cast into a world too big for them.There is an underlying
sense of contrasting worlds.

6. The camera quickly pushes into the restaurant, subsequently fading into black.The natural colours of the
streets establish the time period, but do not fully align with the tone which is set in an opposite direction
by the unrealistic camera movement and the previously mentioned some what surreal soundtrack.

7. Character introduction
The following scene implements visual storytelling to effectively introduce the character.Visual storytelling commonly uses insert
shots of props and focuses on the expressions and body language of actors.This is such example.The usage of only extreme close-
ups creates a mysterious atmosphere.The dialogue is sharp and to the point, eliminating all unnecessary exposition. It tells us
everything we need to know about the lead character even before we actually see him in action.The milk stands out due to the fact
that it’s something one wouldn’t connect with a grown man, no more a dangerous hitman.You could say it serves a symbol of Leon’s
kind hearted side of nature, which we will come to learn about more as the story progresses. A tough man with a kind heart, a
complete contrast represented by one object (for now at least).The scene lastly manages to set up the following scene, this is
achieved through the previously mentioned dialogue and props such a photo. Other props such as the cigarette and Leon’s iconic
glasses are present to tell us more about the individual character and furthermore support the mood of the scene. The reflection of
Leon’s glasses makes the audience feel slightly disconnected from him, as instead of his eyes, all that can be seen is a reflection of
the table. All this plays out over a traditional, Italian, red and white squared tablecloth. An example of great interior design.