The document provides an analysis of the opening scene of The Dark Knight in terms of its mise-en-scene, cinematography, diegetic and non-diegetic sounds, performances, and editing. Specifically, it notes that the scene takes place in a bank being robbed, with scared hostages and a criminal antagonist. Various shots are used to show the scene and characters. Diegetic sounds include noises from the robbery and non-diegetic music sets the excited tone. The robbers act confidently while hostages are afraid, showing the relationship between characters. The pace is fast-cut between shots to drive the story forward.

1. Understanding Micro Elements
in Film Openings
By Farida Islam

2. Mise En Scene (Dark Knight)
In this screen shot the audience can see the setting of the scene which is in a bank
filled with scared people, as the bank is being robbed. A bank is conventional place for
crime to happen in an action film. The main character is the criminal (antagonist) we
know this because he is wearing a mask to cover his face. He is grabbing helpless man
who works in the bank to help him get money. The audience can tell by the actors
facial expression/ body language which one of the two men is the victim and which
one is the criminal. This fits in with the generic conventions of an action film as there
is a villain. Props used in this scene is a gun as a weapon for the criminal to use against
hostages and a duffel bag to fill with money.

3. Cinematography
• The opening scene uses several different shots such
as an establishment shot to tell the audience that its
shot in the city. Many other shots like overhead
shots and crane shots are used to show whats
happening. Also a low angle tilt is used to make the
audience feel like the character is superior to them.
Long shots are used to show all the characters in the
scene and the background e.g. the number of
criminals robbing the bank. Close ups were also e.g.
to show the clown mask.

4. Diegetic
• To make the film realistic in the opening scene
we hear background noise e.g. car tires
screeching, shattered glass, opening/closing
doors. There was diegetic sound when a
character was doing something e.g. the
robber gliding down the rope, the audience
heard the chinking the sound of when the
character harnessed himself .The dialogue
between characters tells us whats happening
in the film.

5. Non Diegetic
• Throughout the opening scene fast paced music is
used to make the audience feel excited about what is
going to happen next. Using this music sets the
atmosphere of the scene, so that the audience can
feel what the film wants them to feel e.g. thrilled,
exhilarated, excited. The music’s volume is
decreased during dialogue between characters, so
that the audience can hear what the characters are
saying, but then brought back up.

6. Performance
• The robbers wearing clown masks all seemed overconfident
in the way they walked into the bank and just robbed it.
However the hostages were the exact opposite, as they way
very afraid and hunched up on the ground trying to avoid the
robbers. The protagonist in the opening scene only seemed
brave enough to attack the robbers, because he had a gun.
Interaction between characters showed their relationship. For
example two of the robbers were having a conversation and
one of the robbers part in the bank heist was finished, so the
other robber shot him. This showed that the two robbers
didn’t have much of a relationship, resulting in one shooting
the other so that he will get a larger cut out of the stolen
money.

7. Edit
Pace-
• The pace of the opening scene was very fast paced from the
start. I think this because in every shot something was
happening that was important to the story. However the pace
slowed down at the very end of the scene when the joker
reveals himself and gets away.
Cut-
• In the film opening there were many cuts made as it is a fast
paced scene. Within seconds one cut will change from one to
another to carry on the story. For example the scene cuts to
two robbers opening the vault – the opening device- vault
door- two robbers speaking- one robber shooting the other-
taking the money.