The opening sequence of Leon: The Professional begins with an animated sequence of a boy picking a flower at night set to a romantic score. The flower transforms into the Gaumont production company logo. Text credits appear over shots of New York City establishing the setting. The camera moves through a dark Italian restaurant corridor as the music becomes haunting. A conversation between two men at a table is shown in shot-reverse-shot, revealing they are discussing an assassination job. The opening sequence ends with a close-up of one man finishing his glass of milk, signaling their business discussion is complete.

1. AS MEDIA STUDIES
FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO
FILM OPENING SEQUENCE ANALYSIS
• Leon : The Professional 1994
• Genre: Thriller
• Cast: Jean Reno Natalie Portman
Xue Bai

2. FILM SYNOPSIS
• Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is only 12
years old, but is already familiar with the
dark side of life: her abusive father stores
drugs for corrupt police officers, and her
mother neglects her. Leon(Jean Reno), who
lives down the hall, tends to his houseplants
and works as a hired hitman for mobster
Tony(Danny Aiello). When her family is
murdered by crooked DEA agent
Stansfield(Gary Oldman), Mathilda joins
forces with a reluctant Leon to learn his
deadly trade and avenge her family’s deaths.

3. PRODUCTION COMPANY LOGO
The opening sequence starts with fade in to an animation which is similar to Little Price cartoon character.
The animation is accompanied with a classical score that is very romantic and pleasing. The animation is of a
boy picking up the flower during the night. The background is in contrast to dark foreground. That was
purposely done so that the silhouette of a boy is clear and visible. The bright blue star scattered skyline
exaggerate the boy while he is walking towards a flower. As he picks the sunflower and then raises it up towards
the sky. At that point a flower starts transforming in regards to color and shape. The sunflower dissolves from
bright sun lit drawing to a clear and crisp bright red logo. The graphical three dimensional representation of a
flower is a standard logo design convention. As the flower transforms and fades out the film company
production name fades in first. The overall appearance is accompanied with complimentary music that is up
tempo during the change. To further enhance and to exaggerate the logo sideways burst of light is added.

4. As the company logo zooms and fades out the “Gaumont presents” caption appears. The white text caption is
centered within the black screen. This font type belongs into a serif category and this type of writing suggest
professionalism and formality.
Music sound effects accompanies fade in of the caption. The music reminds me of news intro. This sound effects
attracts attention and enhances the importance of what is seen on the screen. The same style of caption appears
with the same fade in and out effects. The above mentions codes are design standard in the mainstream films.
The follow up captions are displayed bellow.

5. The opening sequence continues with the blurred to full focus establishing ariel shot of a lake. The camera tracks
and moves over towards the park. This was done to established the location and the Central Park was used as one of
the most recognizable sight of New York City. At the same time the leading actor credits appear in capital letters
and in the same style and position. This was done to highlight the importance of the actors that are considered as
the respected in their profession. The music classical score has a haunting, mysterious tone. The overall music
piece has reminiscing of American Indian folk music.
The extreme long shot of a city scape is cut to a extreme long shot of a New York busy street from a point of view
position using tracking camera movement. As the camera follows trough the street we have sensation that we are
inside the car and that we are driving trough that street. At the same time additional cast and crew credits appear.
The street shots change from a very wide main street to a narrower suburban street and at the end we face run
down Italian Restaurant. During this street sequence we pick up vital clues such as “Welcome to Little Italy” and
restaurant sign. This was done so that we as an audience create picture of where is film taking place and what type
of characters will be shown. The editing straight forward cut technique between the shots is simple and connects
the shots.

6. The camera continues with tracking zoom in movement which lead us through the door into a dark restaurant
corridor. This was done purposely in order to create dark and mysterious atmosphere. This shot sets the mood that
the restaurant hide something. As the camera moves towards the front door, the music changes into a windy,
thundering and haunting sound. This further enhances the mysterious space we are entering.
The camera fades into extreme close up of a pair of middle-age male hands and a glass of milk in the middle. The
table cloth is very traditional and old-fashioned. Camera quickly cuts to ECU of a black glass where we see the
blurred reflection of other male concededly lighting a cigarette. We can here sound of lighting a lighter. Another cut
way ECU shot of cigarette being lit and the man inhaling the smoke. The camera tilts up towards the eye of a male
elder person when the conversation starts. Shot-reverse shot follows their communication. Those shots are used to
create tension and to suggest that the conversation is only between two of them.

7. As the conversation continues camera cuts from one character to another only revealing parts of their faces so that
stay hidden and to point out that their conversation is confidential and that the talk is about assassins job. Further
suggestion about secretive conversation is when they reveal black and white photograph of a person that needs to
be eliminated. The opening sequence ends with a ECU shot of a character finishing glass of milk in one go. This shot
symbolically highlight that they have agreed about the business and that the rest of the film can start.