The opening scene of Atonement establishes the setting of a wealthy British family in the 1930s through shots of an elaborate dollhouse and toys that belong to the main character Briony. The audience learns that Briony is writing a play through the sounds of typing and an extreme close-up of her face. Briony is then seen walking through the large and ornate family home, interacting with the staff in the kitchen and encountering a young man in the garden who she seems familiar with, despite his role as a staff member. The scene ends abruptly when Briony shuts the doors to an elaborately decorated room.

1. ATONEMENT
SHOT-BY-
SHOT
ANALYSIS
OF OPENING
SCENE
BY ALICE

2. Credits appear on screen in a typewriting font.
Sounds of typewriter in the background heard
throughout credits. Title is stamped across the
screen; one letter at a time - as if being typed –
along with the sounds of it.

3. Title cuts to shot of elaborate dolls house.
Signifies wealth to the audience. May also suggest
youth and innocence, as it is obviously a child’s
belonging.

4. Camera tracks a line of toy animals – audience see
a child’s bedroom and belongings. Diegetic sounds
of type-writer can still be heard. Connotation of
the toys may be lost childhood.

5. Camera tilts up from toy animals to show the rest
of the bedroom and the main character. Room is
decorated in a wealthy 1930’s style. Natural High-
key lighting comes through window.

6. Extreme close-up of characters face – focusing on
her blue eyes. Soft lighting from the right is used
– suggesting summer daylight. She is looking at
something; presumably her typing. Shallow focus
enables audience to concentrate of face.

7. Eye-line match. Audience finally see the source of
the typing noises. Camera pans further up the type
writer to reveal what is being written…

8. Finished ‘play’ reveals the name of the character
to the audience.

9. Briony, dressed in a plain white dress (which could
symbolise innocence) walks through the halls of an
elaborate house. The camera tracks Briony from
across the landing. Non-diegetic sounds of a type-
writer are now mixed with piano music, making these
shots flow from the last.

10. The camera sweeps past Briony to focus on another
bedroom. A maid in a costume of traditional uniform
is seen making the bed. Again this suggests wealth
and class.

11. Again, the camera follows Briony through various
corridors – the audience get the idea that this is
a very large house. Low-key and back lighting
creates silhouette.

12. More staff are revealed working in a kitchen area.
The framing of the shot is fairly tight. Through
shot-reverse-shots, the conversation informs the
audience that there will be a dinner party that
evening. The maids’ body language suggest
anticipation. 180° rule applied.

13. Briony continues on her way through the house. Again we
see the size of it. Low -key lighting from a source on
the left creates contrasting areas of shadow and light.
Shadows could signify secrets?

14. From a long shot, Briony walks towards the camera
but is distracted by something on her left.
Diegetic sounds of birdsong can be heard. The next
shot leads to an eye-line match.

15. Eye-line match. As Briony walk out the door, the
audience discover who she was looking at. Young man
dressed in old, dirty shirt and trousers. He is
putting on gloves as he talks, presumably to begin
working – this contrasts with his upper-class
accent. Large colourful garden seen in background.

16. Shot-reverse-
shot during
conversation.
Audience
realise that,
although the
young man
appears to be
another member
of staff, he is
well educated
and obviously
friendly with
Briony. His
facial
expressions
show is
fondness for
her.

17. The camera tracks Briony back into the house as the
music gets louder – becoming more intense. Briony
walks into a final room, which is lit well and
elaborately decorated.

18. Briony sweeps into the rooms and closes the large
double doors behind her – almost as if she is
shutting the audience out. The camera zooms in a
little further and, once the doors shut, both the
camera and music stop; ending the scene suddenly.