The ring analysis

The opening from the ring is very dark and gloomy with very little lighting and suggests the film is set at night time which would make the audience very scared if there watching the film at night. There is also use of close ups of the girls face to show the audience her reactions to things and to show were she is looking there is also a first person shots. The movie is made scarier by the use of the TV in both the living room and bedroom as something to be scared of this is in-line with the features of many horror films as they use things that aren't meant to be scary and make them scary. There is a relatively slow pace to editing as shots are very long this could be used to build up tension in the audience and to build them up to a fast paced action scene. There is also the use of digetic sound in the scene which is used effectively as the TV crackling would make the audience think something bad was going to happen, while the women in the clip hasn't got any idea what it is and begins to blame her friend, also the TV turns itself back on after she turns it off which adds to the tension and gives us the idea that something supernatural is occurring. Near the end of the scene the pace of editing is very quick with lots of images appearing on screen and makes the audience confused as they aren't sure what just happened.

Dawn of the dead analysis

The opening is uses very fast paced editing which could have been used to show a number of things such as the fast spread of the virus and how quickly things are escalating in the world and it also raises the tension in the film and sets the audience up with what has happened in the world, as at the start it begins with not much concern but quickly escalates to panic, also the use of news clips and interviews makes the audience feel its realistic as they would watch the news everyday. Also the credits are in a blood red colour and is sprayed across the screen which suggests this could be a bloody movie, and is very suggestive of zombies as they are known for blood and being covered in it, also some the scenes have close ups of zombies but these aren't fully scene as the pace of editing denies the audience a good look at them, this makes the audience fearful as they are only teased with zombie but aren't shown anything. The upbeat music over the screaming and footage of the outbreak makes the film if anything more scarier as its eerie to see people dying but have upbeat music playing.

Black Hawk Down analysis

This opening starts with a long shot which sets the scene, in what appears to be a desert or some other exotic location, at first the pace of cuts is relatively slow with not much going on, but the music theme in the background is very threatening and suggests something bad is going to happen. The mass of people on the ground appear to be wearing very poor clothing and suggests to a location in Africa, as most people in Africa have donated clothing from charities, the soldiers appear to be well trained, with full gear on and military hair cuts, it is very common in action films for the good guy to be American and the bad guy as a foreigner. The gunfire used to kill the crowd is very common in this action film and adds to the excitement and adrenaline of the film. The film uses a lot of long shots to help establish what is going on in such a large area and it helps show what the soldiers in the helicopter are seeing, there is a medium shot of what looks like the main antagonist pretending to shoot down the american helicopter, this could show the audience his intentions and it suggests that the helicopters are under threat and they are a main piece of this film. The helicopters and soldiers in this clip suggest that this is a war film, some of conventions of these films include heroes, gunfights, ruined city streets and something to protect or capture, they can also end up with a character making the ultimate sacrifice. The arid area suggests that there could be a lot of crime in the area , which there is. The scene of desperate people trying to grab the food could help show the audience the desperate situation there in and make them feel sorry for the people who live there, the sudden massacre of these people would also make them feel scared as they were attacked so suddenly, it is used to help differentiate the Americans and the antagonists in the film, but it could be seen that the Americans are simply overseeing the massacre making them look like the antagonists, but the audience already has an idea of who the antagonists are, probably from trailers and advertising.

The other guys analysis

In this opening sequence the movie immediately conforms with what we expect in a action movie, a car chase, guns and explosions, this is a very basic thing for an action movie to have, this is quickly shown by the two cops chasing bad guys in a fast paced car chase through New York, the pace of editing from one shot to the next helps build excitement, while the non-digetic music in the background is more relaxing and suggests this is a routine for the cops, this is also shown by the joking around they do while there chasing the bad guys. The cops are dressed in very macho clothing designed to show they are very tough and there the cool guys, even there guns are not mainstream as they use revolvers which are thought of as very cool and retro. The bad guys on the other hand are seen as Caribbean black and wear clothes that relates to that culture, this would fight with the stereotype that black people are more likely to commit a crime then a white person. the camera with the flight path of the bullet shows the intricate detail in the camera and adds to the excitement of the car battle, the explosion at the end is very random but it makes an audience want to continue watching the film. The lighting in this is very bright, making it very easy to see the faces of the characters, it could also suggest this film has a more action theme, as most action films take place during daylight (Die hard 4.0).

The Rock analysis

 

In this opening the music in the background is very military like and very formal, this is then swiftly interrupted by non-digetic sound made by what appears to be a flashback of some kind of fight, in the past, this would suggest to the audience that this film could be about getting revenge on someone and it suggests that the main antagonist on screen is doing this in memory of them. The costume the man and soldiers are wearing are very formal military uniforms meant for special ceremonies, this would suggest that it is very important and they are showing there respect to fallen comrades, also the main antagonist seems to be more important then the other soldiers because he has more medals placed on his uniform and suggests he is very experienced. The rain in the background adds to the idea of a funeral and a grave yard as in most movies it is mostly raining when there is a graveyard, it also creates a sad atmosphere that makes the audience want to like the antagonist. On the grave the name shows the audience that it is his wife that is dead, and adds to the idea of revenge being a common theme in the movie. General Hummel believes that he needs forgiveness form his wife for him to continue with his plan. The fact that it is raining also suggests that there has been some kind of tragic lose, it can also suggest that there is a sense of revenge in the film, this could make the audience feel sad with the lose of a life and make them feel sorry for the General, despite the fact that he is a antagonist.

Continuity editing

Match on Action

 

Match on action or cutting on action is used to continue a scene, it is where one shot cuts to another shot while showing the same action that was in the first shot, so if a ball is thrown by a person the first shot would show the ball being thrwon and the second shot would be showing the ball continue being thrown the moment the first shot ended, to show continuity between the two shots. This draws the audience attention away from continuity errors, it isn't similar to graphic match as it provides the same sense of the same action.

 

180 degree rule 

 

The 180 degree rule is a guideline that camera editers use to show the sense of relationship between two characters, an imaginary line called the axis connects two characters and keeps the camera on one side of the conversation,it can also give the audience a greater idea of what is in the surroundings. If a camera passes over this line it is called jumping the line or crossing the line, this enables the audience to the movement happening around the character, this for example could be used in important narration of battle scenes.

 



Shot Reverse Shot

 

Is a technique commonly used in conversations, or when two characters are looking at each other, for example one shot would show a character talking to another using either over the shoulder or point of view shot, this would then be followed by a reverse angle shot to show the other characters perspective looking back at them. This type of shot would often tie in with the 180 degree rule, by its continuity of shot, it also provides the audience with little change of location so they aren't disorientated.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 









Research and Planning Targets

Well done Tom - a very nice start to your research and planning. You need to evidence your initial ideas and you need to blog regularly. You need to embed some tutorials for the basics and comment on them. Have a look at what students in your class have done to see where you should be by now, but don't copy and paste their words! For your analysis of opening two minutes make sure you comment on the following things to show a broad understanding and appreciation: Target Audience Narrative Characters Use of titles Pace of editing Mise en Scene Camera Composition Use of sound Genre conventions A really good start - you now need to begin to evidence detailed planning for your production, which needs to be detailed and thorough.

Lord of War opening scene analysis

The lord of war intro is very interesting as it starts of with Nicolas cage explaining how many guns there are but then says that there needs to be more, this would make an audience feel very uneasy about this character as they are unsure whether he is a good guy or a bad guy, the camera angle shown is a low angle shot which gives him all the power, and suggests he is the most important man, it then changes to a close up and he directly speaks to the audience this would be a weird thing for the audience to see as they are rarely spoken to directly by the character and it suggests he is trying to tell them something or advertise the production and usage of guns in the real world. After he is done speaking the music begins in a very relaxing way showing the journey a bullet goes through in its life, this is very odd as the relaxing music is not what we would expect as an audience to this kind of film and the camera perspective is of the bullet itself so it gives the audience the idea of what bullet manufacturing is like, the music is in the background possibly to add contrast to the very grim deals going on in front of the bullet, and the dark world of the African Civil wars. The journey could also be used to tell the audience that this film will include action as there are fighting scenes in the last few seconds of the opening, and it gives the audience the idea of what the film is about, weapon dealing, as the bullet travels through multiple hands it suggests there are lots of exotic locations used especially Africa, this is also backed by the extreme poverty and the exotic plants also help to suggest that this film is based in Africa. The clothing Nicolas Cages character is wearing is very expensive this juxtaposes with the bullets and violence around him and suggests he is selling violence and chaos. The costumes also in the clip suggests the bullets are traveling across the world with clothes ranging from Russian Army uniforms to the rugged clothing worn by African fighters. This also suggests that htis film will have multiple locations. The titles are used between shots when the screen goes black, this could be so that the audience doesn't get distracted from the footage being used, it also lets the audience read who was involved in the making of the film, as it stands out on the black background. The general theme in this film is weapons, Guns and the effect they have on the War-torn countries they arrive in, this indicates the film fits into the conventions of crime/war film as there is the theme of war in this clip and the main character is involved in crimes during war-time.

V for Vendetta opening analysis

The opening scene is very good, it starts with the sound of a TV anchorman who is describing the state of the world at the moment, but the audience quickly realises they shouldn't believe everything they hear as he starts becoming more extremist and very racist, this would shock a British audience as the appearance of such a man on TV would shock them and make them think about how much Britain has changed. The scene however is most effective in the way it shows contrast between the main two characters, as they both appear to watch the same show while getting ready to go outside, this would make it look like they might be meeting somewhere but the difference in clothes suggests one could be going to some kind of party while the other looks like he might be preparing for a fight. the camera is in a first person view of the main protagonist V putting on his mask and looking at a mirror this would add mystery to  man and make the audience wonder why he wears it and what is underneath, it also portrays him as guy Fawkes which would make the audience believe he is some kind of revolutionary, it would also remind a modern audience of the Occupy protest movement. As the TV anchor says the word Judgement there is a quick cut away to V putting swords on, this could be suggesting that the TV anchor has something he is going to be judged on it could also suggest however that V is Judgement for all people who have done something wrong.  They also use a panning shot to switch between rooms, this makes the transition very smooth and makes it look like the protagonsists are living opposite each other, and it adds juxtaposition to each other as one is a vigilante and the other is a women getting ready for a night out. V appears to be a very traditional man, as he wears classic leather boots and a black costume, it looks like he is from the 1600's this could be to make the audience feel like the government between the 1600's and the movies setting are both very totalitarian and they both require a Guy Fawkes kind of character to fix the situation. The TV in the background of both rooms suggests that they are likely to meet each or they have some kind of link between them, this is a theme throughout the scene and suggests they will be important to each other. I believe that this film is aimed at 20-40 year old men and women as the film, because they have a female protagonist and it is likely that the weapons that are shown and the clear cut bad guys being the government would attract a male audience. The use of weapons and tense music suggests that this movie is a action/thriller as the they are most associated with violence and tense scenes, which are both conventions in those genres

Children of men opening analysis

This scene is very effective because from the onset the intro is telling us what is happening in the world, to give us some background about this movie. The film is also quick in introducing the main character as he is scene walking in the centre of the shot going through people to make his way to the front, this allows the audience to quickly  identify him as the main character and it gives them time to relate to him. The sound of the music in the background along with the sound of people crying gives the audience the idea that it is very emotional moment and is very saddening for the people in the scene. There is also a quick contrast in environment from the quiet claustrophobic cafe to the much noisier outdoor city streets, this change signals to the audience a possible change of scene, it also increases the amount of chaos in the scene for the audience to look at, they also as he emerges identify the location as London, so people know where the movie is set, they also give a date so the audience is aware that the movie is set in the future. In the final seconds of the film the noise in the city quietens until the explosion occurs, this is effective because it is like the quiet before the storm and it is something the audience would not have expected. As the mist clears the audience gets a glimpse of what looks like a women holding her arm, this shows the audience that the country is in chaos but it is cut shot of fully showing us because it cuts to the title this is effective as it leaves the audience interested to see the rest of the film. The clothes the people are wearing are commonly seen as suits, or there wearing jackets and trench coats, this also gives the audience the idea that this film is based in a city, which we later know is London, The room they are in appears to be a cafe as there are people with coffee and a sandwich bar in the background, this could be used to give the scene a bit of fimiliarity to the scene as many people go to cafes during there normal day for breaks and lunch, they would be shocked by the terror attacks inflicted on the people as they would know what it feels limke to be in a cafe. The look on the faces of those in the cafe show a number of emotions which suggest shock, disbelief and concern, this I believe would be the natural reaction to an event such as the one depicted, and it gives the audience an idea of what emotions they should be feeling. They tend to use long shots in this scene, this allows them to show a lot of people and things happening in the scene, this is to make it look like a normal scene and that no one in the scene is important. They also use match on action to show what the main character is looking at when he is in the cafe, this makes it more personal and we get to see what is grabbing everyones attention. The movement of the cameraman around the main actor creates a great view of everything around him and provides a view of the explosion when it goes off, this is so that the audience can see the action unfolding.

Saving Private Ryan opening scene analysis

This clip is from near the beginning of the film. The costumes actors Tom hanks and the others are wearing are that of US GI's during WW2, this makes the audience feel like they are actually going back through time as they don't like modern soldiers, it would also make them feel, like this film is set during WW2 like the introduction before would have shown, also the green uniforms are easier to distinguish from the German soldiers who appear to be wearing more grey uniforms, this makes it easier to know who the antagonists are. The ocean behind him has been turned red, this gives the audience a feeling of the losses inflicted already and gives them an idea on how bloody this film is likely to be, it would also be a feature of war/action films to have blood in the film to show that people have been killed. The debris around Tom Hanks includes bits of soldier, such as arms and helmets, this would shock an audience and adds distress to the film as faint-hearted people might find the sight of this very upsetting, but the director probably wanted this so that it would stun the audience to make them think about the loss of all those men. The sound used near the start implies that the captain has trouble hearing, this impacts the audience as they have little audio to listen too and it makes them concentrate more on what is going on visually, it also adds the feeling like they are the captain on the beach as they are experiencing what he felt, this makes the story more personal and immerse for an audience watching. The sound of gunfire and explosions in the background adds to the realistic sense that this is a battlefield, and the sound of bullets zipping by would fill an audience with adrenaline because they don't know where the next soldier will die. The camera in film is using the shaky cam effect, this would be udes to show the brutality and intensity of the battle scene, it also immerses the audience further into the reality of the film making them feel more for the character, they also use a combination of long shots, close ups and medium shots in the sequence to help show the intensity of the fighting and to help show the range of action going on in the beach, it also helps show the emotions of injured and dying soldiers as they lay on the beach. They also use camera shots taken from Tom Hank's point of view which allows the audience to see what he is seeing and also adds to the immersive nature of the film, they also use a panning shot as they run up the beach this helps to show the scale of the fighting and  to give the audience an idea of the distance they travel, it allows them to experience more of the action taking place on the beach. The pace of editing is relatively slow during the deaf ear section, this makes it look like the scene is in slow motion and we get to see the devastation for longer, however as the scene goes on the pace of editing speeds up as Hanks recovers, this makes it a convention of war/action films as they would usually have a fast pace of editing during an action sequence to make the scene appear more chaotic then it might be if the pace was slower.

Dark Knight Rises Opening scene Analysis

The opening of the dark knight rises starts with a long shot of what appears to be a desolate wasteland, with very few features, this implies that there is a lot of travelling done in the film and they are in a exotic location, it could also imply that they are there for a reason. There is a quiet build up in music which suggests to the audience that the scene is building up to something. Inside the aircraft the soldiers and the interrogator all have Guns but the unidentified men don't, this suggests that the men are prisoners and are the main antagonists, but it also shows the audience who has the power in the scene, it also suggests that this film is a action film. As the interrogator takes of Bane's cover there is suddenly a change in the music and it begins to build up a lot of tension with the main Bane theme, the camera shot is also giving Bane the most power in the scene, while the other man is shown from a high angle giving the audience the power, this shows the audience that Bane could be planning to do something and it shows that he is the most dominant person in the scene. Bane also begins threatening the interrogator, which would show the audience the power Bane has and it shows them that he always wanted to be caught. The scene quickly cuts to another aircraft approaching with very tense music playing to tell the audience that some action is going to occur. Bane appears to be wearing very rugged clothing with what looks like armour on, it also appears that he has some kind of breathing problem as he wears a mask to cover his face, it intimidates the audience and the people he is talking to, as we can not see his facial expression and it is like talking to a machine, it might even remind an audience of Darth Vader from Star Wars, as he also appears to have a mask on and he intimidates the audience and those he talks too. The other characters in the aircraft appear to be soldiers as they are wearing army camoflage, this should add the idea that Bane is a dangerous character and he needs a lot of guarding, it also suggests to an audience that there is likely to be some kind of action, as it would be common in films for soldiers to be in action films like the Dark Knight Rises. The interrogator appears much smaller than Bane, which means he doesn't really have much of a presence in the audiences view, he also appears to be wearing casual clothes which suggests he is not apart of the Army, it also suggests he is very casual, which could suggest he is trying to fit in to civilian environments, which would explain his role in the CIA and it suggests he isn't expecting any trouble. There are no titles in this introduction which builds tension in the audience as they await the titles and the actors credits. Overall the editing uses a lot of fast pace 180 rule, this helps the audience follow the conversation between Bane and the CIA operative and it provides a good action sequence as the plane is brought down, they also use a lot of close ups which allows the audience to see facial expressions and to see who is talking when.

Quantum of Solace opening analysis

2.00 minutes only

The opening of Quantum of Solace is heavily based towards a male audience, this is because there are a number of props in the scene such as the very fast car in the aston martin, which is seen as a classic Bond car and many fans of the series would be very excited to see Bonds car, they also use of guns and gadgets, which is a key convention of the action genre, this would be very attractive for fans of this genre and the male audience as they usually enjoy seeing action with guns. The clever use of the tunnel lighting allows the transition between shots very smooth, this makes the sequence very mysterious as we aren't sure what's going on, as the audience doesn't see everything in shot. The editing between shots is also very fast as the scene becomes a fast pace car chase, which is what we expect from action film like James Bond, this adds tension and danger as the audience would want to know what happens next. The camera shots used include an establishing shot, this helps the audience see the setting to be in an exotic location, but we aren't sure where, this is adds mystery to the scene as we aren't sure where he is until later in the clip, this is a key convention in action films as we like to think that special agents are far away on exotic islands. They also use a number of close ups on James Bond, this helps the audience see his fascial expressions and we also get the idea of how he is driving. The costumes used by Bond are very sharp and suggests that he is very important, and it also shows that he is clearly a spy as we would expect them to be paid well or given suits to let them blend in, The bad guys are wearing black clothing suggesting to the audience that they are basic antagonists and are not important to the storyline. There is also a lack of dialogue in the scene, this takes our attention to the action that is going on in the scene rather than anything the characters might be saying or doing.

Skyfall Opening Analysis

In the opening scene of Skyfall it starts very dark and blurry, with a unkown figure in the background, this sequence is very effective because it adds mystery, and tension to the scene, as the audience doesn't know what's happening. Then the figure is identified as James Bond, this will excite the audience as they know the film will feature things like Guns and car chases. The scene is very dark and it shows there is mystery behind Bond as a character, the close up shows a concerned look on Bond's face and shows the audience he is very professional in his job. As he enters the room there are a few bodies lying on the ground, this suggests action in the film, which would be expected from a James Bond film. The voice on the radio would be easily recognizable to James Bond fans as M, suggesting the film has major character's in it. However the room seen is very dark and it doesn't give away the location, so the audience doesn't know where the location is, this adds to the idea that the film is a spy film with secret locations and unkown killers. James then quickly moves outside to unveil that he is in Turkey which shows the audience that the film takes place in exotic locations. The music in the scene also builds tension as it is very quiet but it makes listen to what is being said and what is occurring, as the scene progresses and Bond approaches the door the music quickly changes to some middle eastern music to tell the audience that there is a change of scene. Bond is wearing what appears to be a very expensive suit, this is can be considered sterotypical for a foreigner unable to adapt to there unfimiliar surroundings, the suit also makes Bond standout later in the scene where everyone else is wearing similar clothing, this makes the audience focus on him because we know he is our main protagonist. They use shallow focus near the start of this film, this makes it difficult for the audience to pick details out of Bonds silhouette and it focuses the audiences attention on Bond. They use a number of shots including an over the shoulder shot, in responce to the match on action, this lets us see what Bond is seeing and it puts the attention away from Bond and onto what he is investigating. They also use Medium shots very effectivly during the scene because we see what Bond's facial expressions look like and it helps the audience know what he is doing with his hands, like saving agent Ronson, we get to see the look on Bonds face as he tries to save the agent. This film I believe would be aimed at a more teenage-young adult male audience as this film contains a lot of action scenes and violence.