analysis of 4 film openings so I could understand the codes and conventions of a film opening and to prepare me for my own production of a film opening

1. Kaplan urul

2. The Amazing Spiderman 2
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfV-0Yv5vNY

3. Setting
• The opening sequence is set in New York City and
Spiderman is shown to be swinging through the
buildings the setting of new York city connotates a
loud, busy and hectic place full of people and
generally a higher level of crime, witch is what the
film is based around

4. Character
• From looking at the costume of the main character
in the opening scene we can tell that it is a
superhero film, specifically spider-man also from
looking at the body language of the main character
we can tell that he is confident in what he is dong
and in himself we cant tell how old he is but was
can assume that eh is young judging on body
language and shape

5. Genre
• From looking at the mise en scene we can
distinguish the genre of the film. In the
mise en scene there are mostly
skyscraper and large buildings but we can
only see the tops of the buildings, also
there is a busy street with a car chase
going on in the background this tells us
that the film is going to be action/crime
genre

6. Narrative
• From looking at the opening we can
guess that the film is going to be about
crime and is might be about the main
protagonist catching “bad guys” and
giving them to the police. Maybe the
person that spider-man has a fight with
will return at some point in the film

7. Lighting/sound
• LIGHITNG- The lighting in this opening scene is quite bright and an overall tone of
day time and although the film is about crime the lighting doesn't replicate this
theme
• SOUND- The main sound affect used is voiceover because the main character is
wearing a mask and we wouldn't be able to hear the speech also there is non diegetic
sound which is music that has been added on post production and also there is
diegetic sound which is car noise and general city noise

8. Editing/camera/Titles
• EDITING- The main editing technique that has been use is jump cuts they are
frequently use throughout the first two minutes specifically when Spiderman is
swinging through the buildings the cut to the truck smashing through the city so
that is how we realise that Spiderman is actually chasing someone he isn’t just
swinging aimlessly. CGI is used to show Spiderman's super human abilities for
example how he effortlessly swings between buildings
• CAMERA- The opening is composed in a way that makes is seem like Spiderman
isn’t chasing any one at the beginning from how the camera follows him but at the
opening unfolds the camera shows us that he is in face following someone
• TITLES- the institutions that are involved are Columbia pictures and marvel
Entertainment these conglomerates have made other films in this genre

9. Harry potter and the deathly hallows part
one
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uffmqrjaSh4

10. Setting
• In The opening 2 minutes of harry potter and the
deathly hallows part 1 there are four separate settings
the first setting is in a dark what looks like an
underground tunnel with black walls this I quite a
mysterious place all these things connotate the
unknown ant also the blackness has the connotation
of death.
• The second setting is an ordinary bedroom this
connotates normality which contrasts with the first
scene this setting seems almost out of place when
juxtaposed next to the first setting this setting is
important because it gives the film context we know
that is set in our time and in our world because of the
modern day girls room.

11. Setting
• The third setting is an ordinary conventional
street we can see nothing out of the ordinary so
this scene is similar to the one previous in that
they both are normal everyday settings I think
this has been done to tell the audience that
both the “wizarding” world and the “muggle”
world are colliding witch is part of what the film
is about
• The third setting is a little hut in the middle of
what seems like nowhere this is quite a
mysterious setting witch contrasts to the
average everyday setting in the previous shot
witch again backs up the idea that the two
worlds are colliding

12. Characters
• All the characters in this opening scene are wearing
regular clothes nothing out of the ordinary this tells us
that these characters are still people and part of society
at this current moment in time. By looking at there facial
expressions we can see that these characters aren't
particularly happy witch I think sets the tone for the first
of the film if all the characters are unhappy in the
opening two minutes we cant aspect a haply light-hearted
film, also there eyes all seem to be quite distant
this is particularly apparent in the lower two screen shots
they seem to be thinking about bigger things witch again
tells us something about what to expect later on in the
film

13. Genre
• There are some pointers as to what the genre of
the film is in the first two minutes. We can tell by
looking at the mise en scene and also props etc. in
the first screen shot we can see a young woman
holding a magic wand witch tells us that this is a
fantasy film also in the meise en scene its just a
regular house telling us that is isn’t set
somewhere in space or something also the
background is dark witch give the impression that
the film isn’t going to be happy. Another example
of what the genre could be is when a Hermione
removes herself from all the family photos using
majic this is tells us that this film is defonatly
fantasy and drama because she has to do
something so trajic

14. Narrative
• A huge clue about the narrative of the film is
the newspaper that is being read by one of
the characters in the opening it tells us what
has recently been happening in the
“wizarding world” also is sais “death eaters
numbers grow” this gives the audiene an
idea of the narrative if the film and suggests
potential conflict later on in the film.
Another huge clue to what the narrative of
the film is, is the press conference in th first
scene we find out what is going on and the
that future conflicts that will arise

15. Lighting/sound
• LIGHTING- lighting is used for effect and to set the tone of the film right From
thee start we can het a clear idea of the tome and mood of the film just from the
lighting, in all the shots in the opening the lighting used is quite dim there are no
bright lights it seem as though it is dusk, this use of light crates a dramatic affect
and sets the mood for the rest of the film
• SOUND- The opening scene is mainly dialogue and background music there are
also some sound affect as well there are no voiceovers at all so there is diegetic
and non diegetic sound in the opening two minutes. The music is very dramatic
like its suggesting there is a big adventure to come put not in a very positive way I
would say more sad that happy.

16. Camera/Editing/Tittles
• CAMERA- The camera is used to create dramatic effect there are a lot of close ups
and extreme close-ups and also mid close-ups, so we can see the emotion of the
characters as they embark on there huge journey
• EDITING- The main editing technique that is used is jump cuts they are used to
transition between scenes quickly because there are four different settings in the
first two minutes there art any other apparent editing techniques used in the film
opening
• TITTLES- The institutions that are involved are Warner Bros Pictures, and Heyday
films they have made all the other harry potter films

17. Moonrise Kingdom
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqm5UUEGl9Y

18. Setting
• The opening scene of moonrise kingdom is set in a
large house we see it in two different ways mostly
from the inside and briefly from the outside so the
audience can see were the use is situated and what
the surrounding area looks like. The connotations
of a house setting are a family environment, warm,
loving, crowded and loud I think this setting has
been chosen to set the tone of the film and to show
the audience the background of the main
characters were she lived and hr family
environment maybe this has been done so we can
compare the backgrounds of both the main
characters.

19. Characters
• The main character in the opening scene of
Moonrise Kingdom is a young girl from looking at
her costume we can tell that she has come from a
respectable home, also by looking at her eye
movement we an tell that she has other things on
her mind she always looks straight ahead and
never looks at her surroundings suggesting that
she has bigger things planed maybe he has more
important things to think about also it could
suggest that she is very comfortable with her
surroundings and there is nothing of interest for
her to look at, she also moves with confidence had
has confident body language suggesting that she is
comfortable with her surroundings and that she
knows what she is doing.

20. Genre
• I don’t think that there are many clues when
looking at the meis en scene that tell us what the
specific genres of the film are but there are some
small clues for example the looking at the
surroundings of the house and the terrain around it
we can see that it is quite harsh and the weather
looks quite stormy with gives us the impression
that the film is a drama, you could also say that the
film has some comedic values in the sense that all
of these people are in the same house so close to
each other and yet none of them exchange words.
But this early on we can tell what the genre is but
from further research I found out that the film is a
drama, comedy, romance.

21. Narrative
• There aren't many clues about what the
narrative or plot of the film is going to be from
looking at the tittle sequence/opening but one
clue is that the main character the girl seems
very interested in the outside and outside of
her house which could tell us that she might be
running away or interested to see a big event to
come, she could also be waiting for something
or someone.

22. Lighting/Sound
• LIGHTING- The lighting in this opening scene is very even throughout there is no
changes in the level if light or darkness I think this has been done to create a
homely tone to the opening scene and to make the household seem less detached
there is an even amount of light in every room witch I think is strange because the
family in the house seems quite detached.
• SOUND- the sound is probably one of the biggest part of this film opening there is
diegetic and non diegetic sound the diegetic sound is when the record is shown
being put into the player and when we can here is being played and still see the
record player but this sound then transitions into non diegetic when we can still
hear it clearly wile we are looking at other parts of the house there is also speech
on the record and other diegetic sound like when people doing other household
things, there is no dialogue between any of the characters I the scen.e

23. Camera/Editing/Tittles
• CAMERA- The scene is composed in such a way that enables the audience to see every
room In the house so we can have some context as to were this film is set also a zoomed
out camera shot is used to show were the house is situated this is done I think to show
were all the other characters are in respect to the main focus of the scene the oldest girl
• EDITING- There is very little editing used in this opening scene, the only editing technique
that is used is jump cuts which are used to transitions between different rooms I think this
had been done to give the audience an idea of the sale of the setting that is being shown
• TITTLES- The institutions that ware involved in the making and production of this film are
American Empirical Pictures, Indian Paintbrush and I think is it important to mention that
this is a Wes Anderson film because he has a certain style that is interesting to look at .

24. Batman the dark knight Rises
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17GxArqJpkM

25. Setting
• The opening scene is set on a plain which
instantly puts the audience on edge because
a plain can be a dangerous place especially in
a crime film this is important because the
film producers wanted to set of the film with
a big event and action the

26. Characters
• The costume of this character tells us that he is
the villain of the film because he has a strange
looking mask and generally in movies if this
genre the person who has some sort of body
disfigurement is the villain his eyes are directly
facing the person in front of him this is done to
assert his power so we know that he is the most
powerful person in the scene he isn’t scared of
anyone or anything in that current moment in
time we cant tell much from facial expression
because of the mask but his face seems very
solid and he obviously doesn't have many
emotions.

27. Genre
There are many clues to what the genre of the
film is by looking at the meis en scene and what
is going on in the background for example there
are solders holding guns witch tells us that this
film must have an aspect of crime this is also
shown when a gun is being held up to the mans
face telling us that this film is defiantly do with
crime and action.

28. Narrative
• From looking at the opening scene we can
get a fairly good idea about what the
narrative of the film is firstly there is when
the man is asking for a certain dr povel
witch tells us that he is going to b a key
character in the narrative of then film and
he may be a Couse of conflict also we are
introduced to the villain of the film so we
know that he is going to be a definite cause
for conflict later in the film

29. Lighting/Sound
• LIGHTING- The lighting in this scene is overall quite dim there isn’t and bright light
which sets the tone of the rest of the film we know that its not going to be very
happy also the lighting is cold looking making witch raises the steaks of the
situation makes it seem more dangerous.
• SOUND- The most frequently used sound is diegetic sound witch is mainly the
planes noise witch can be heard thorough the entire opening scene there is also
dialogue which is thorough to but the people have to speak over the noise of the
telling us that the plane is the key feature of this opening scene there is also
dramatic music played at some points tin the scene but it is very undertone.

30. Camera/Editing/Tittles
• CAMERA- the opening scene is composed in such a ay that lets us see every
character on the plane and we can see all there reactions to what is going on this is
done to create dramatic affect
• EDITING- The Maine editing technique that is used it jump cuts from character to
character this is don’t to create tension we can see all of there reactions the the
events that unfold which created build-up
• TITTLES- The institutions that were involved in the making a production of this
film are warner bros pictures and Legendary pictures