opening scene analysis

1. Ryan Wilkinson
Media Film analysis – opening scenes
This is an opening scene from the series prison break. The offender (in orange) has just been informed that she has been found guilty and will be
sentenced to 30 years in prison. The camera has focused on her face to show the audience her expression on the news but also allows us to see people
behind her and what their expressions are like. Here she looks shocked and maybe therefore implying that she is innocent or doesn't deserve the
sentence given. Furthermore there is a woman behind her and you can clearly see that she is in shock which further implies her innocence. By placing
the woman in orange at the front, this focuses our attention on her and shows the audience that this scene is solely about her and what has just
happened to her. In my film, the opening scene is also in a court where the offender is found guilty for a crime which he did not commit. Therefore the
expressions are going to be similar. However in my film the offender is released from prison after only 3 years when the police find out that he did not
commit the offence. Furthermore in my film the audience only briefly gets to see the offender in court as this is during a flashback which the man is
having. Therefore the man in my film will not be dressed in the typical orange clothing which are usually associated with criminals instead he will be
dressed in a suit for the flashback of him in the court and then dull, dark clothes when we see him lying asleep in his cell. dark clothes whilst laying in
bed in the prison. The lighting is relatively dark in this scene which is also the same in my opening scene. The darkness resembles the mood of the
people within that room and like this scene, the mood will be negative in my opening scene as the main character is in prison for something he didn't
do. In my film in this scene the offender will look up at the judge when being sent down. This implies that he is powerless against the judge and
therefore the reinforcement on being small implies that he has little he can do about the decision.

2. Ryan Wilkinson
This is an opening scene from the series Hawaii Five-0. In this picture you can clearly see 2 men getting out of a car strapped up with armour and
armed with guns (McGarrett and Danno). This scene is set in a forest which is evident with the greenery behind them. This will also be like the
opening scene to my film when one of the male characters gets his sentence cut when the police discover that he did not commit the offence. They pull
up to a forest where they get out and arm up with guns. They will plan what they are going to do which in my film's case, find the guy that set them up
and is the real criminal. They get out of the car slow motion and the scene ends when you can see that they are ready to find the person. This is a
wide/establishing shot which will also be the same in my film. This is because you will be able to see characters, where they have come from (e.g. the
car) and where they are (the forest). This informs the viewers of this information so they do not get lost and can 'keep up' with the film. The 2 men will
also be strapped up with armour of sorts and with also be equipped with various guns. The editing will be slow motion to emphasise that they mean
business and this will set up the rest of the film. The lighting will be brighter than what it previously was in the cell which implies that the mood has
lifted but also reinforces the 'light at the end of the tunnel' in this case being let out of prison. Here the characters are already strapped up with armour
and guns but in my film, they will first put a map on the bonnet of the car before strapping up with guns and armour. This is because I feel it will set up
the film better and the opening scene will end with them loading their guns.

3. Ryan Wilkinson
This is a scene taken from the film The Godfather II where the man has a flashback of what happened in the past. This will be similar to my film as the
main character that will be lying on his prison bed staring up at the ceiling will be having a brief flashback of the day where the judge declared him
guilty of the crime which he didn’t commit and being sent down. In his flashback he will see the judge sat up on the high table and banging the table
with his gavel as he is sent down. The man lying on his bed then repeatedly hears his surname being said ‘McQuade’ and suddenly wakes up to find
the guard knocking on his prison cell saying his surname. The man then gets off his bed and walks over to the judge who informs him that he is being
released after they found out that the crime was not committed by him. This scene is however slightly different to the one which will be used in my
scene as this man is sitting in a chair whereas the man having the flashback in my film will be asleep on his prison bed. By including the flashback in
my film opening it will inform the audience that the man is innocent and has been sent down for something he didn’t do but also sets up the rest of the
film as he will be having further flashbacks throughout the film whilst trying to track down the person who set him up. In this scene the lighting is very
dark and dull which will be very similar to that of my film. The dark lighting resembling the mood and events which have occurred and could also be
used to connote that the character doesn't 'foresee any light at the end of the tunnel'. The editing of the flashback in this scene is relatively fast paced to
show that his life is flashing past and that he cannot stop what has already happened.

4. Ryan Wilkinson
This is the opening scene to the film back to the future. The opening scene is set in a small house with a lot of gadgets and clocks. This could imply
that the owner of the house is a scientist and has a lot of knowledge on technology. Furthermore I noticed that the house was in a poor state. There was
a lots of mess over the floor which could mean that the owner hasn’t been here for awhile or is just not very house proud. This is further shown when
we see that there is a dog bowl on the floor with dog food in and around it which could mean that he hasn't been here for awhile. There were other
elements of mise-en-scene in this scene such as lighting. The lighting was generally dark and dull which could connote that the home owner is shy and
doesn't like to show off his house. It could also imply that the home-owner is lazy due to the fact that he hasn't got efficient light bulbs. The boy is
shown to be a little ignorant in this scene. This is shown when he plugs in his guitar to the amplifier and turns it up to the highest volume. This implies
that he is unaware of the risks of turning it up to the highest volume and this sets up his character for the rest of this film that he is a stereotypical
ignorant teenager who does what they want to do. In this opening scene there is a wide shot of the boy when he is in the house. This allows the
audience to see where the boy is and where it is situated. Furthermore you are able to see what else is in the house and starts to make the audience think
of what the home-owner may be like.

5. Ryan Wilkinson
Back to the Future Film opening analysis
1. Mise-en-scene:
Set/Location
1. Mise-en-scene: Costumes 1. Mise-en-
scene: Colour
1. Mise-en-
scene:
Props
1.Mise-en-
scene: Lighting
1.Mise-en-scene:
Stars/Performance
A small room with lots
of clocks. The house is
in a car park. The
untidy location could
imply that the person
either hasn’t lived here
for a while which is
backed up by the dog
food that was on the
floor and also that the
person who lives here
doesn’t look after
himself or his
belongings well.
Jeans, skate shoes, wearing
sunglasses. These are used to
identify to the audience clearly that
the character is young/teenager and
how he dresses differently to the
older people in the scene
Dull, dark colours
could imply that
something bad is
going to happen.
Could also be used
to imply the mood
in which the
character is in at
this time and as
the film opening
goes on the light
gets brighter to
imply that he is
happier.
Clocks which
reference to time
which could imply
that he is going to
be late.
Small TV
Skateboard
Guitar
Alarms
Headphones
Cars
Radio tells us that
we are in
Philadelphia and
that its 1985.
Crazy gadgets
imply that the
person who lives
here is crazy and a
scientist.
Dark lighting,
lighter when he
goes outside. This
could imply that
the situation of the
house is in a dark
place and when he
gets outside its
lighter.
Ignorant boy. Turns
the amplifier up to the
maximum and isn’t
aware of the risk.
Could imply that he is
going to be like this
throughout the film.
2.Cinematography 3.Sound 4.Editing
Wide shots to show the audience where
the boy is and what is situated around
him. This sets up the film as the audience
are able to distinguish where we are and
where he may be going.
Over
exaggerated
noises for the
clocks and the
buzz when he
A slow cut, slow paced cuts imply that the person here is ‘slow’ at thinking.

6. Ryan Wilkinson
turns the amp up.
Happy 80’s
music when he is
on his way to
school