The document analyzes the opening sequence of the TV show "Wallander". It discusses how the camera work, sound, and editing are used to build tension and provoke questions from the audience. Close-ups and shots of the two main characters covered in blood are used to draw attention and concern. Ambient music and diegetic sounds like crunching leaves also create an ominous mood. Cutting between a bloody keychain and one girl holding a knife allows the audience to infer a connection between the scenes. Overall, the sequence leaves the audience with many questions about the girls and deaths to engage them in the story.

1. Wallander
Firewall, 7th December 2008 BBC1

2. Camera
work
Through the use of this long shot of what
appears to be two main characters
amongst the opening sequence, it ensure
the audience can see them both and as it is
a mid shot, we see their faces clearly. The
most noticeable thing about them is the
blood stains. This is effective as it will
cause the audience to ask questions to
themselves in relation to what they’ve just
witnessed. In addition, the foreground
focus tells the audience what they should
be focusing ion which is the two girls and
should dismiss the background completely.
Many shots used are close ups or extreme
close ups, this allows the audience to see
clear detail of important parts of the scene.

3. Sound
The sound used in the opening sequence of Wallander is ambient and
successfully builds tension. To go into more detail, the low droned notes in the
non-digetic music that is played in background provokes empathetic thoughts
from the viewer. The director is trying allow the music to compliment the mood
and theme of the opening sequence, but doesn’t interfere with the digetic sound.
To add, the crunching sound hear when the girls are walking away (digetic
sound) is very clearly heard by the audience. This makes it clear how the director
is trying to use various sound techniques to create suspense and tension. As well
as this the director is simply trying to convey a message.

4. Editing
These shots that these two screen grabs are in are edited together consecutively
very intelligently . This allows the audience to make subtle links between the two.
For instance as there is a key ring with two males on covered in blood, and it then
cuts to a girl holding a bloody knife, we can gather that it may have been this girl
that killed one of the men in the picture.
Through doing this, the director allows us to make connections between certain
characters provoking emotional attachment.

5. Questions
Asked?
There are various questions the audience may ask during the opening
sequence, a sample of them are:
Ø Who are these girls?
These questions are meant to be
Ø
asked, the director has made the
Ø Why did they kill the man?
audience want to ask themselves
these questions as it develops the
Ø Did they know this man?
story and allows them to make
Ø
assumptions and expectations of
Ø Are the two girls related?
the storyline that the director can
Ø
then exceed later on and shock the
Ø How did they other man die?
audience.
Ø Are these deaths connected?
Ø
Ø Where did she escape to?
Ø Will she get found?

6. Questions
Asked?
There are various questions the audience may ask during the opening
sequence, a sample of them are:
Ø Who are these girls?
These questions are meant to be
Ø
asked, the director has made the
Ø Why did they kill the man?
audience want to ask themselves
these questions as it develops the
Ø Did they know this man?
story and allows them to make
Ø
assumptions and expectations of
Ø Are the two girls related?
the storyline that the director can
Ø
then exceed later on and shock the
Ø How did they other man die?
audience.
Ø Are these deaths connected?
Ø
Ø Where did she escape to?
Ø Will she get found?