The document provides an analysis of the opening scene of the film "American Sniper". It summarizes that the opening establishes the film is set during the Iraq War and introduces the main character Chris Kyle as a highly trained sniper. Various camera techniques like extreme long shots, eye line matching, and close ups are used to create tension and suspense during shooting scenes. Elements like costumes, props, and sound editing help make the film seem realistic and immerse the audience. The pacing increases during action but slows on shots of Kyle aiming to build anticipation.

1. American Sniper

2. • American Sniper is
a biographical war drama released in
2014, the film was directed by Clint
Eastwood and written by Jason Hall.
The film is based on Chris Kyles
memoirs which document his four
tours in iraq, the title if the
book American Sniper: The
Autobiography of the Most Lethal
Sniper in U.S. Military History (2012)
by Chris Kyle.
• The film follows the Kyle’s life who has
been recorded as the
deadliest marksman in U.S. military
history with 255 kills from four tours
in the Iraq War

3. • The purpose of this film opening is to establish the film
setting to the audience, it tells them that this film is
darker and will feature graphical/violent scenes. It
prepares the audience for the remainder of the film
• In addition, this opening establishes Chris Kyle’s
character to the viewers. The opening demonstrates
that Kyle is a highly trained marksman in the US
military
• The opening displays a shooting scene, it says to the
audience that they should expect his throughout the
film
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L83DVg6A65w.

4. Camerawork: EWS
• The film provides an example of an extreme long shot (EWS) when the
camera jump shots to a different angle revealing a wider view of the
Arabic land
• This establishes the location of the film to the audience. Also, from
this shot, the audience can see that the land is damaged. The
audience will use this shot to infer that the film takes place during a
war. This shot reveals to the audience the destruction caused by the
Iraq war, this shot can be used to make the audience sympathise with
the Iraqi people as their country is being destroyed

5. Camerawork: Eye Line Match
• Frequently, the opening shows Kyle looking
down the sight of his gun. It is always revealed
what he is aiming at. In this example, he is
aiming at the mother and son who are acting
suspicious
• The eye line match is used in this shot to show
action, it demonstrates to the audience that
the main characters attention has been
diverted-he is focusing on something
important. The eye line match doesn't
immediately reveal what Kyle is looking at
therefore it creates suspense, the audience will
want to who Kyle is aiming at. It makes the
audience want to keep watching to find out
more

6. Camerawork: Panning
• The film uses a panning shot, this is
exemplified when the woman throws the
explosive device. The camera follows and
moves with the woman as she prepares
to throw the weapon
• This type of shot is used to create
tension, the camera is not steady and
creates the illusion that the woman is
approaching the audience. It gives the
impression that the camera is from a first
person perspective thus the audience is
moving away from this thereat

7. Camerawork: Close Up
• During the scenes when Kyle aims, the camera will give a close up
(CU) on his face. The films includes a CU to demonstrate to the
audience that Kyle is aiming, it emphasises the tense atmosphere of
these aiming shots. The shots demonstrate to the audience that
Kyle is focused, he is aiming on his target which is off screen.

8. Mise-en-Scene: Costumes
• In this film, each character is given a unique costume. For example, Kyle is
given a US military uniform, the Iraqi child is dressed in dull coloured
poorer clothing
• This is done to make the film appear authentic, it wants to immerse the
audience. In addition, the uses of different costumes makes the film more
believable and realistic. The audience would expect characters to be
dressed a certain way, the viewers would want to see Chris Kyle in a US
army uniform because he’s in a war fighting for America

9. Mise-en-Scene: Props
• The film contains multiple examples of props, the most notable being
Kyle’s sniper rifle. Other examples include the explosive device the
civilians use and the assault rifles given to the other soldiers
• Despite being props, they are designed to look realistic to make the film
believable. This keeps the audience interested on the film as it does not
look fake . The use of realistic looking props keeps the audience interested
in the film, fake looking props would divert their attention away from the
film/plot

10. Editing: Increased Pacing
• When the opening scene begins, the pacing is
very slow however, this changes when Kyle
begins shooting his targets. The pacing
between shots increases which suggests to its
audience that the action shots have begin.
The increase in pace places emphasis on the
action, it makes the action scenes more
dramatic and tense to the audience.

11. Editing: Decreased Pacing
• During the action scenes, the pacing increases.
However, when Chris Kyle is on screen, the pacing
suddenly slows down and Kyle gets much more screen
time. Often when Kyle is on screen during these action
shots, he is seen aiming through his scope. While the
increased pacing emphasises the action, the slower
paced shots builds tension. These shots become more
tense because they last longer, the audience is waiting
in anticipation wanting to know if Kyle made the shot
successfully. These longer shots vary the pace of the
action when compared to the faster paced shots.

12. Editing: Jump Shots
• Between shots, a simple jump shot transition has been
used. Overall, a jump shot has been used because of its
simplicity. The jump shot is very simple and it doesn’t
divert the audiences attention away from the film, it
often goes un-noticed. The jump shot is very unlikely to
distract the audience and adds to the realism of the
film. Alternative transitions such as the fade in/out and
the wipe would immediately distract the audience
because more happens in these transitions than a jump
shot, these alternative transitions are often used to
open or close a scene.

13. Sound: Soundtrack
• Throughout the entirety of the clip, a soundtrack
plays in the background. The soundtrack gets
louder during the action scenes, for example, the
bass of the soundtrack increases moments before
Kyle shoots the first target. The soundtrack is
used to build tension, the music will build up
anticipation before the shot, it raises expectation
and makes the viewer want to keep watching.
Overall, the soundtrack adds an extra dynamic to
the opening scene. The music makes the action
shots more tense and builds anticpation

14. Sound: Diegetic Sound
• The most prominent example of diegetic sound this opening scene is the gun
shots. After Kyle shoots a target, the sound of a gun shot has been edited in. The
effect of this is it makes the film more believable, the edited sound effect makes
the audience think that Kyle has shot from a gun. Furthermore, it makes the
audience believe that they are watching from the perspective of a real life solider,
it doesn’t divert the audiences attention because they will think that Kyle has shot
from a real gun. Overall, the edited gun shot sound makes the film more authentic
to a real war

15. Conclusion
• American Sniper is similar to the opening scene we will
produce because it deals with the themes of war. From the
clip, there are several elements used that can be applied to
our own piece.
• Firstly, the use of props and costumes. These devices
makes the film more believable to the audience because it
makes them think they are watching a real life war.
• We could also use a EWS to establish the location to our
audience
• Another element we could include is the non-diegetic
edited gun sounds, the inclusion of this will make the war
scenes more authentic and believable. The edited sound
will make the gun scenes more convincing because it will
sound more genuine.