The document summarizes key details from the opening scene of the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice that establish the time period and setting. It notes that the opening music is a romantic piano song, suggesting an old-fashioned genre. Wide shots show the main character walking through fields and a village, passing farmers and maids, establishing it is set in the English countryside during the early 19th century Regency period. Specific costuming, activities, and architecture further position the film in this historical context through visual and auditory details.

1. By Charlotte Strange

2. *

3. Pride & Prejudice is a 2005 British romance film
directed by Joe Wright and based on Jane Austen's
1813 novel of the same name.
It takes place in the Regency period, which was
between 1811 and 1820.

4. Music in the opening of the film
At first, before we see anything of the opening we hear a bird singing, this may tell
the audience that this film is set in the countryside, it may suggest to the audience
what time of year it is and what time of day.
We then hear a piano being played, the song being played is slow, romantic and
mysterious. The fact that the opening music is a classical piano song being played
shows that it is set in the past and that the film is old fashioned. This tells the
audience what genre of film it will be.
We think at first that the piano is only backing music but then later on in the
opening we see the girl who is playing the piano. This is both diegetic and non
diegetic.

5. In the opening we first see a young girl with hair tied back wearing a long and
simple dress, she is walking through a field and reading a leather bound book.
This shows the audience in what time period this film is set.
As the girl comes to what seems to be an old village we see many things which
also set the time period such as a farmer leading a herd of cows down the road,
maids outside doing the washing, and chickens and ducks ruing around outside a
house, and a man stood outside feeding chickens.
There are washing lines full of white clothes outside the house which suggests to
the audience they may be a wealthy family. Or it may be their Sunday church
clothes which they had in those times.
The amount of animals shown suggests that it may be a large country home.

6. Things in the opening which show the time period which the film is set.
• The animals
• The clothes worn by the actresses shown in the opening
• The maids
• Items show in the house such as the candles and paintings
• The way which the girls have their hair
• Washing lines and the clothes on it
• The fact that she is shown to be walking a far distance by foot
• The leather bound book
• Dirty river water
• The construction built to cross the river which she crosses
• The young girl sat at home playing the piano

7. This film starts showing a wide open field at sunrise and then shows
this girl on her journey home. This is a long shot.
There are no credits shown during the opening and there is not a lot
said, as the main focus in this opening is setting the scene and the
time period.
Other camera work used is where the camera stops and then goes
through a doorway, this is a point of view shot.

8. Questions the audience may ask
Who is she?
Where is she going?
Where is she coming from?
What is going to happen next?