Film Openings Research

Film Openings Research

In one of our recent lessons we watched a series of film openings looking for key similarities and differences in their structure and composition.  We watched the opening sequences of 'Trainspotting', 'Halloween' and 'Amelie' giving us a good sense of the differences in style between genres.  This work is to aid us in creating our own opening film, opening sequences as part of our course work.  We created visual maps documenting the mise-en-scene, camera work, editing and the progression of sound and tension throughout the scene.

Trainspotting

Genre: Drama/Crime

Director: Danny Boyle

Visual Map - Transporting opening

Notes: Transporting opens with a very brief establishing shot, setting out its urban location, this is very quickly interrupted by the protagonist running into shot and the scenes fast pace ensues.  The scene cross cuts between several shots each with their own different pacings building tension within the sequence. There is a voice over throughout the sequence interrupted only for loud diegetic noises this creates a tie between all the different shots aiding the tightened tension of the scene.  Trainspotting's opening scene concludes with the protagonist falling simultaneously between two of the aforementioned shots. This allows for an ease of tension before the drama of the film begins.

Halloween

Genre: Slasher/Thriller

Director: John Carpenter 

Visual Map - Halloween opening

Notes: The opening of 'Halloween' is filmed predominantly in point of view. Halloween opens with an establishing shot of the house before the protagonist, from whose point of view the scene is shot, moves around the house to get inside.  The majority of this sequence is filmed at a slow walking pace building tension for the audience.  The sequence is also filmed in very low lighting, building an heir of suspense, with light being used to create visual pulls illuminating elements such as the knife which is indicatory of the slasher genre. The tension is increased again when the protagonist puts on a balaclava limiting the audiences view to just two eye holes. The tension continues to increase as the protagonist violently stabs a naked teenage girl before being released as the protagonist exits the house and the point of view sequence ends revealing the young murderer.

Through out the scene the sound is used to reflect and build tension.  The scene opens with a very slow segment with predominantly diegetic noise interrupted only by a loud, non-diegetic chiming noise as the couple turn off an upstairs light this is followed by a high, screechy whistling noise to maintain the suspense created in this moment.  After a few seconds this high whistle is accompanied by some gradually lowering piano music casting a sense of foreboding across the scene.  The piano music dies down again leaving only the screeching whistle and diegetic noises for sound, an old clock begins to chime in the background again building the tension of the scene and another chime is heard as the sister comes into the protagonists vision.  As the protagonist begins to beat the sister loud non-diegetic horn noises are heard accompanied by the diegetic sound of stabbing. The piano music , accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing is heard as the protagonist leaves the house, creating another influx in tension which climaxes as the young murderer is revealed.

Amelie

Genre: Drama/Romance

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Visual Map - Amelie opening

Notes: Amelie opens with an establishing shot of a quaint french village accompanied by the non-diegetic sound of traditional french music and a french male voice-over. This still scene is interrupted by a car driving past before skipping to a scene of a hill top restaurant in the french countryside and another scene of a smartly dressed man in what looks like a Parisian office. This then goes to a conception, pregnancy and birth sequence before moving on the the films opening titles.  The opening titles are accompanied by piano music and heightened diegetic noise from some of the documented actions. The opening titles show a little girl performing traditional childhood activities like spinning a coin and blowing out a roll of ribbon giving a rustic, nostalgic and romantic sense to the scene. This romantic setting is furthered by the scene's colouring with it being highly saturated with a yellow haze present throughout.