Monday, 7 November 2016

Analysis of Film Openings- Drama Genre

Conventions to take note of:

  • Shot sizes
  • Shot angles
  • Shot durations
  • Transitions and overall pace
  • Sound effects
  • Use of music
  • Title fonts and colours
  • Colour palette and lighting
  • Setting
  • Types of characters and their contexts
  • Storyline/ plot development
  • Overall tone/ mood/ atmosphere

Film 1- 'The Judge'


  • Guitar music starts playing with black screen
  • Opening shot- close up of glasses
  • Close ups- low-key lighting, earthy colours, warm
  • Font- white, all capitals, clear
  • Establishing shot- long shot
  • Long shot- showing setting of scene
  • Music with faster pace/busy- busy place
  • Mens toilets- bright lights/cool- represent his character
  • Wearing a suit- character is a lawyer
  • High angle/ over the shoulder shot- he is important

Film 2- 'Forrest Gump'
  • Opening shot- long duration- set slow pace
  • Calm piano music
  • Ambient sound- when feather gets to the ground
  • Font- white, clear
  • Bright lights and warm colours 
  • Setting- city/ large town
  • Characters waiting at bus stop
  • Forrest- simple character
  • Tone- warm, not threatening

Film 3- 'The Time Travellers Wife'
  • Opens with violin music
  • Oprah singing- warm and happy
  • Low-key lighting- night time
  • Warm colours
  • Christmas time- snowing
  • Ambient sounds- cars/crashing/window smashes- sharp sounds
  • Font- yellow text on dark screen
  • Transitions- slower at beginning and get quicker
  • Eye level camera angles
  • Smaller shot sizes
  • After accident- longer shot sizes
  • Overall tone- tense, threatening, worried for boy.

Film 4- 'The Descendants'
  • Loud ambient sounds before we see what is happening
  • Close up and long duration of woman on speedboat
  • Slow fade out
  • Ukelele in background- happy and upbeat- contrast to what is happening
  • Narration
  • Hawaii setting- flowers on background
  • Character- findout who they are from the voice-over
  • Long shots of people in Hawaii
  • Tone- grim

Film 5- 'The Age Of Adelaine'
  • Tense, slow music in opening
  • Narrator
  • High angle/ birds eye angle of city
  • Font- white, small, non-intrusive, handwriting-type
  • Characters- Adelaine- mysterious, smart, not a cop
  • Overall tone- serious, mysterious, intriguing

Film 6- 'Life of Pi'
  • Establishing shot- long shot
  • Music- calm and cultural
  • High-key lighing- bright
  • Setting- zoo; animals and cages
  • Font- traditional, white/yellow
  • Very slow pace
  • No characters yet (3 minutes in)
  • Overall tone- relaxing, calm

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