Research Task - Emily Tuite Judge

Drive - Opening Analysis



Drive Poster/Front Cover



• The first opening shot the audience are shown to a close up of a map with markings on it.

• This is a powerful opening to a Thriller movie because it shows the opening of the enigma code from theorist Roland Barthes.
• This shot then tilts round up to the vase. Then we are shown to a man. The camera slowly tilts up the man leaving the audience wondering who it is. This shot also implies that the map is this mans, but the audience still don't have a clue what it is for and why he has it.
• The map shows 'DownTown LA' This informs the audience this is what the map is off, but audience are still unsure of where this scene is meant to be in the film.
• The first shot has you guessing which is a typical generic convention of a Thriller.

After the tilt up we are revealed to a mid shot man on the phone wearing a scorpion jacket. Scorpions having negative connotation being deadly. During this camera transition Non-Diegetic sound is playing.

• The music seems quite tense opposite to relaxing.

What we have seen so far has been introduced to the audience through a pan around the room. At the end of this pan we are shown to a black packed bag which he lifts of the bed. Implying he is going somewhere, travelling, on an adventure or even running away. It obvious here that the character is more aware of what is happening than the audience.

• In these frames ellipses has been used because why he is moving away or running or leaving is unknown to the audience, ellipses is used to engage the spectator.

• A typical convention of the genre thriller is fast cars.

The audience are shown the protagonist at a car garage through a long shot. But the audience is unaware why he needs another car as we are shown before him driving to the garage. This suggests a restrictive narrative, another typical convention of a thriller.

• The colour palette is silvers, blacks, whites and blues. These are all typical conventions the thriller genre.

A little more into the opening audience start to find more about the setting. Audience are shown through an extreme long shot the setting. A very urban, light up city. Going back to the first shot the map said LA. This could very well be the setting.

 With the non-diegetic sound still playing and  having no dialogue this helps the audience to concentrate on what is happening in the film. The sound playing creates a suspense feel as the audience are left wondering what will happen next.

 

The shot above shows a long shot of the two men standing at a gate with there faces in a balaclava, the sound of the two men talking is parallel and diegetic. The audience are able to understand they are talking but cannot hear clearly enough what they are talking about, creating enigma which is important for the genre, thriller.

The Hurt locker - Opening Analysis

The first camera the audience are shown to is a handheld camera of an army person running with a gun. Audience know this because of the shadow projected on the ground.

•  At this moment in time it is implied that because of the handheld camera that it is a subjective narrative.

• During this shot Diegetic sound of the person running and shouting and talking of a harsh mans voice in the background, this implies chaos. But the character knows more than the audience because the audience is unaware what they are running from and why they are shouting.

However the next shot we are made aware of where the setting is, 'Bahgdad'.

Earlier in the opening a shot bring attention for acouple of seconds to a small machine that looks to have a gun or a camera at the front of it. Now 00:38 seconds into the opening of this film we are being cut to it again. For people who have no knowledge on war, audience will not have a clue as to what it is and what it is for which again creates enigma, as the audience will be asking themselves questions.

•  In a extreme long shot it shows the device moving but no one controlling it in the scene, the audience will be left thinking, who is manoeuvring/controlling it?

Later on in the sequence the audience are able to piece together that the small device is a camera on wheels but it is still unknown who is watching the footage. It keeps cutting back to the camera footage reminding us that there is something else going on than just war.

•  During these frames there is still Non Diegetic sound being played, now a heart beating sound has been added. This will help do create a tense atmosphere for the audience, and without dialogue helps the audience to concentrate on the film.

Audience are shown through the robot camera in extreme long shot white bags.

As the robot moves closer, audience finally learn who is controlling it and then we get a better sense of what is going on in the film so far.

This movie contained ellipses also because only until the end of the opening did we understand what the robot was, who was controlling it and what was in the bad.

•  It took seven shots for the audience to see what was is the bag. The reason why it took so many shots is so over this time the audience will be on the edge of there seat wondering what is in the bag, causing panic amongst the Arabs and the army crew.

Jaws - Opening Analysis  

 

Jaws Poster/Front Cover

The first opening frame we are bought to has white plain serif text with the titles and the background is the camera moving thorough coral and sea weed in the sea. The lighting in the sea makes the sea look dull and cold. The fact that it is the first shop shows the importance of the sea in this film.

Next we are introduced to the setting through an extreme long shot. This enables the audience to see that the setting is on a beach and there are people enjoying themselves by a fire, relaxing. Audience can see the beach being lit up, but the sea looks dark and black.

• Mise en scene shows in the screen print below the setting
The contrast between the frame above and below shows a difference in lighting. The lighting in the frame below shows to be dull, black and not very attracting, however the girl is in the sea. I feel that this frame implies to the audience that something isn't right.

The next frame shows a low angle in the water. Low angle shot suggests someone or something is watching her but neither audience or character knows. This gives the audience a feeling of tension and suspension, these are generic conventions of the thriller genre.




•  The next shot after the low angle is another low angle but shows the camera to be closer.
• Whilst this frame is showed, a more louder Non-diegetic sounds is being played. With a more low sounding beat. This implies whatever is look at her is getting closer to her. But audience and character is still unaware.
• Ellipses is used to create enigma because audience are not aware of what is watching her.
• The Non-diegetic sound changes from a slow high noise to a low fast noise making audience tense.

The Constant Gardener - Opening Analysis

                                                                               

                                              The constant Gardner poster/Front Cover
The first shot is of two people silhouetted. The two peoples identity is unknown to the audience, all we are able to make out is that it is a girl and a boy. The fade in transition is then used, and the frame gets lighter, and in 00:04 seconds we are able to make out the faces of the people.
•  It took so long for us to see the peoples identity because it is designed to keep people guessing.
• Mise en scene shows a plane in the background and ellipses is used because we don't know where the plane is going, and who is getting on it.
• This frame is a close up straight angle, therefore the plane is in the middle of the shot.

It then cuts to another character walking away with the girl who was previously on the right. This makes the spectators ask themselves why? and who the third character is.

The next shot cuts to a completely different setting, and we are introduced to a new setting through a long shot. The audience is still unaware of why the man and the woman got on the plane, and where the planes destination is. Now the audience are having to ask themselves more questions. This is a main aim in thrillers.

• The plot of this film clearly contains ellipses.

Overall i feel these thriller openings are good because they contain good generic conventions of thriller movies. All movie openings grab audience and make them want to ask questions. Keeping the audience engaged.