This analysis examines the opening scene of The Dark Knight. The setting is a bank in Gotham City, shown through establishing shots. Most camera angles are at eye level to involve the audience, while high angles are used to show the power of the masked characters. The masks are creepy clowns, signifying the Joker's characterization. Sound design heightens tension, with non-diegetic music cueing something is about to happen and diegetic gunshots contrasting the loud, rowdy clowns except for one quiet clown who is hinted to be the Joker.

1. The Dark Knight– analysis
I have chosen to analyse The Dark Knight (2008) directed by Christopher Nolan. My chosen scene is
at the begin and I chose to analyse this scene as it contains many interesting points of mise-en-
scene, creating a scene that some may see as diverting from the stereotypical action genre, using
aspects such as camera angles to create contrasting expectations. In this analysis, I will be looking at
the aspects of setting and decor, lighting, sound and the use of the camera and how each of these
notions influences the audience.
The setting within this sequence is a bank in the city Gotham. It is a naturalistic, interior location
similar to that of many police dramas and films; rural and public. Camera angles are used to influence
the audience further, showing the preferred point of view of the scene. We are first introduced to the
location through a establishing shot of the building whist non diegetic intense music is playing in the
background giving of the impression that something bad is about to happen. The fact that we know it’s
a big city tells us stereotypically that there will be some form of crime going on (especially in a bank).
Most angles are used throughout at the eye level of the audience, allowing them to integrate
themselves within the scene. High angles are used to demonstrate the physical power held by the
characters in the clown masks.
The clown masks are as essential to the opening scene as we gather that the main villain disuses
himself as a clown. It is a sinister and creepy mask which is suitable as the actually jokers
characterisation is that. The facts that they all have different clown faces tells us they all are
individuals in this robbery hence why many get killed off by their own men.
Sound is used in a different way, showing the genre of the film or adding depth to a scene. Non-
diegetic sound is used to heighten the tension of the sequence and show the changes in mood.
Ambient music tells us something is about to happen. When the clowns walking into the bank all of
them are loud and rowdy, this is enhanced with diegetic gun shots. In contrast to this one of the
clowns doesn’t saying or do anything that drastic, this is a sleigh indication that this clown is the joker.