An AS Level analysis of four film openings. These films are Clueless, Drive, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower and My Sisters Keeper.

1. Analysing film openings
Safiyah Bennington

2. Films
• I will be talking about the codes and conventions (most common things) found in
(watch all until 2 minutes) :
My Sisters Keeper
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
Clueless
Drive
I chose these films because they all have differences including date or genre.

3. Titles
• All of the titles in the film openings provided have the most famous
actors/actresses featured in the film either at the end or in a bigger font. This
is to highlight the fact that they are playing good roles in the film, that it will
be a good film and it also means the creator of the film knows that if the
celebrity is featured, the audience will be more likely to want to watch the
film and anticipate the time that they come on screen.

4. My Sisters keeper
• My Sisters Keeper starts with a calm ambient sound of music, played by a guitar and piano that is quite slow and on screen
shows an old fashioned looking family tape recording and I know this because of the special effects of giving the video a
flicker. Many of the shots aren't in focus and are extreme close up (ECU) shots on other family but on the main character
who is also doing a voice over, she has medium to long shots for a vast majority of the time that she is on screen. This was
done to automatically tell the audience that this film is based around her.
• The main actor/actresses names are over the video tape in a white font that gradually comes and go to give the film quite a
'pure' look. It is positioned on different sides each time because it makes the audience think that something isn't quite right
as it is out of place (not in one place each time) and not in time sync with the music.
• By seeing the dark background and negative speech in the voice over I automatically know it is a drama film
• The lighting is dark and the voice over matches what is happening on screen. This makes the audience feel as though the
speaker is reflecting and watching the videos
• As the opening goes on, the films go from being light (white background) and happy to dark (black background) which
once again confuses the audience and shows that the speaker is going through a dark time but has to be happy

5. (ECU) Close Up
shots are used as
an establishment
of the main
characters and the
fact that the
camera is out of
focus and bad
quality reminds us
that it is a home-film.
The darkness on the right
side of the frame and
narration of the character
makes the audience feel as
though they are watching
the home film in a dark
room with her. The titles
at the side of the screen
make the audience feel
slightly out of place. The
dark background also
shows us that this film is a
Drama.
The opening starts light then ends with a dark
background. These are semiotics to show how the girls
life started off as happy but gradually turned sour and
negative (hence the dark background)

6. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower starts with a black screen and white titles in a typewriter font and non-diagetic sound of a type writer which
clearly symbolizes that it will play a big part in the story.
• The black screen and titles of the people in this film are central and individual showing that they play big roles and also who the main people
in the film is and once the scene is added behind the titles, the audience knows that there are more actors in the scene but they aren't as
important.
• The tunnel is where the main character has his epiphany which changes his outlook on everything. So by using this in the first two minutes, the
audience knows that at some point in the film it will make sense and also has non-diagetic music that is just vocals and an acoustic guitar and
this once again represents the purity of the film and also makes it feel quite 'clean.' Because so much of the opening is set in the tunnel, it
shows that it will play a big part in the film and by using the tracking shot it tells us that the person speaking near the end of the two minutes is
on a journey and that there perhaps is light at the end of the 'tunnel' and lighting from street lights makes me think it is very young and fresh.
• There is a fade out of music and a cross over cut from the black sky to the window, then a voice over of a teenage boy writing a letter to an
unknown person and an over the shoulder shot is used as he writes. We can see his reflection in the window and learn that it is a boy sitting
alone. This may tell the audience that he doesn't have many friends near him and is therefore alone
• By hearing the boy start the letter, and start tslking about going to school we know this is a coming of age film and by hearing the love song
that is non-diagetic we also know that there will be a love story.

7. Typewriter font- Clear
sign of what the film is
about.
First thing on screen says
“Summit Entertainment
Presents” which is a
common code and
convention of all films,
informing us of who the
film is bought to us by.
The main actors names are on screen with a black
background and the less important actors have a scene
behind it. This is done because the main actors are
most important.

8. Clueless
• Clueless starts off with a rock pop song typically listened to by teenagers in the nineties (which was also when the film was made) so it goes
well with the chick-flick teen movie.
• We first find out that this film is bought to us by Paramount Picture then A Bright title of the film is seen and is central. This obviously shows
the audience what the film is called and the bright colours tell us that this film will also be quite a 'mature for your age' type of film. After the
titles are shown, an overhead crane shot is used to show the car of teenage girls in wealthy clothing which tells us it is most likely about
popular, rich teenagers.
• Sevral short hand held shots are used to represent how quickly everything is done and how busy the characters are. Many Close Up (CU) shots
are used on body parts such as legs to represent that they are meant to be seen as attractive or sexual objects in the film.
• There is a slight fade out of music and a voice over from the main character talking about being 'normal' after the audience has just seen how
hectic her life is which juxtaposes what she is saying.
• We learn in the opening that the girl lives with her father and looks after him as though she is his mother. A two shot is used for this scene to
represent the fact that they are close to each other.
• We see right from the beginning that the main female character is quite naive to people who don't have money and has a rather good life but
still sees herself as normal. For this reason, it could make the audience think that at some point it could get her into trouble.

9. Opening scene starts with
an overhead crane shot
showing a people in a car
which instantly represents
popularity.
A walking shot is then used
and shows that the girl in the
frame is shopping
somewhere that looks quite
upper class. The opening
scenes establish the topics of
this film; popularity and
wealth.
A wide shot is taken from
behind the man which once
again expresses the topic of
weath. Then in the next
movement (picture on the right)
shows the maid on a lower level
but still showing things such as
the grand staircase in the shot
to show that his wealth gives
him power and status over
everyone.

10. Drive
• A slow aerial shot is used to establish the fact that this film is set in the City. The aerial shot shows the city lights at night which tells us the (while knowing it is a action
crime thriller film) that the most dramatic events will happen during the night scenes.
• We see 'Ryan Gosling' at the beginning of the titles in a pink handwriting font which is central of the frame over the aerial shot. Usually most titles are in white or black
which breaks the codes and conventions of film titles. This teaches us not to predict what occurs.
• A low angle shot is then used with rule of thirds which also shows the car. The low angle shot shows that throughout the film, Ryan Goslings character has a high status
and that the film is based around his car or that it is a key theme.
• The titles continue after we are told that this film is 'Drive' and we see the names of the other actors. An over the shoulder shot is used to show the character driving
around and the names of other actors are shown on the right side of the frame. This teaches us that he is on a journey, and that on this journey he will meet these
people (the ones in the titles)
• There is not much dialogue, just several shots which indicate what the film is about.
• An overhead zoom out aerial shot is used when the car is moving which is a clear sign that this is an action film. Then a cross over shot is used, to go back to the shot
of the character driving which signifies that driving is a big part of the film.
• A medium shot that follows the subject is used from behind the character and we see a gold scorpion on the characters back. This tells the audience that it could
potentially be his' trademark'
• A low shot is used when the character is dropping off the bag. This shows that not only does he have a constant high status, but that he is also involved in a form of
criminal acts.
• Then we go back to a zoom out aerial shot of the road which shows us that he is always on the road

11. An aerial shot is used to
establish the fact that that the
City is where the setting of
this film is going to be.
Specifically New York City.
The shot shows a lot of the
city to show the audience just
how huge it is. The aerial shot
is shown at night which is
semiotics to show that there is
a beauty to the city but that
there is also a darkness to it.
A low angle is used here
to show that the subject
on screen has a high
status. The fact that he
is also in his car shows
that his car is one of the
things that make him so
powerful. A low angle
shot is used quite a few
times to stress the fact
that he might not just
have high status at the
beginning of the film
but throughout the
whole film.
A medium shot of the man
entering a lift that also uses the
rule of thirds. This shot shows
the mans jacket which has a gold
scorpion on the back which will
make the audience think that this
will be his logo and will be seen
again in the story.
The lighting comes from the lift
in the centre of the shot and
makes the audience think that an
important event will take place
and may change the course of the
narrative.