Double Indemnity Analysis

Cinematography:

The opening to Double Indemnity uses an establishing shot to show the erratic driving of the boss of the insurance firm. This makes the audience wonder what has happened or what is he speeding towards? When the car finally stops and the man exits the car the camera uses a tracking shot to follow the action as he enters the building. When he then enters the lift a two shot is used which is very effective as we still haven't seen the main characters face yet and he is resilient to carry on the conversation which also raises questions within the audience creating an air of mystery surrounding the character. As the main character enters his office we see him sit down (mid-shot) and as he has taken his jacket off it is revealed that he has been shot which is very mysterious for the audience as they do not know what has occurred previously. The next shot is a close up as he records the 'confession' which allows the audience to see the emotion in his face which is very effective.

Mise-en-Scene:

The main character is very mysterious. This is created for the audience through the costume as he is wearing a long trench coat so we can not see underneath it and a hat which covers his face for most of the opening. This character is also made more suspicious for the audience as when we see him drive it is very edgy which unnerves the audience as they do not know what is going on or going to happen. When the character sits down during the opening sequence he lights a cigarette which is very typical of the time as they didn't know the true harmful effects of smoking which helps to show the time the film was made (late 1930s). As it is a black and white film (film noir as it is classified today) the dull lighting and darkness aids in the prevention of revealing the main character as he is in the shadows. When it is revealed that the character has been shot, we see that he is wearing a suit which is very typical for the time the film was made/set as it is also seen in 'Kiss Me Deadly'.

Sound:

As soon as the credits start to roll we hear a very fast paced and edgy piece of music which creates a tense atmosphere for the film which is reinforced through the following shots as nothing is revealed to the audience creating an air of mystery. There is dialogue in the opening which is not usual for the thrillers we see today, the dialogue helps to tell the time period and the status of the characters as one is the boss and the other character operates the lift.

Editing:

Considering the time period in which the film was made there is no specialised effects within the film apart from the titles which are very particular. The size of the text that contained your name depends on the importance of the role played which is a very good idea as it easily communicates to the audience who is important. Also after the titles are shown they fade away to reveal a creepy background of a man with a limp walking towards the screen which is very mysteriouse.

Wallander Analysis

Cinematography:
The series Wallander uses a varying list of shot types for each opening of a new episode. The opening contained an establishing shot of two girls walking away from a car which is very effective as it doesn't give the audience too much information about the plot but it does inform them of the setting for the start of the episode. then, to reveal more to the audience the next shot is a two shot of two characters walking whom we assume to be the girls we saw in the previous shot again with this shot not revealing to much but making the audience ponder about their predicament. As the opening progresses more information is revealed through a series of close ups from inside the car which give the audience an idea as to what has happened but no idea as to the reasons. The close ups are very effective as they can reveal a lot to the audience but also make them ask questions about the stabbing. The audience may believe that there was a death at the start but then, as the extreme close ups are viewed, we realise that the victim is still alive as his eye twitches and we see his finger move. It is also later confirmed that the driver/victim is not dead through dialogue.

Mise-en-Scene:

This episode is set in a desolate and remote location where there is not a lot of people to witness the stabbing of the victim in the car. There are a few props used in the opening such as the car where the victim was stabbed, his car keys inform the audience he has a son as there is a picture of them together and it also shows the audience what he looks like as we only see close ups of him, a knife is used to show that there was a violent crime committed and we also see the taxi drivers license plate which shows the audience more about him. The two girls in the opening are dressed very casually which suggests to the audience that they were not expecting to stab someone making the audience wonder how and why they stabbed the taxi driver. The colour all throughout the opening is very low key and dull which adds to the atmospehere as it creates a depressing and sad feel to the episode which is very effective.

Sound:

At the very start of the episode there is a very loud and ominous tone which sets up the mood of the episode as it is a detective programme. As the sound builds up, more diegetic noises are heard such as wind , bird song, the footsteps of the characters walking away and panting from one of the female characters. Also the radio is on in the car which suggests to the audience that it was an unprovoked attack. As the titles roll across the screen an emotional, sad song is played which accompanies the titles well as it aids the setting of the atmosphere for the next part of the episode.

Editing:

The episode starts on a plauin black screen which the fades into the establishing shot which is very effective as the audience are unsure of what to expect. The main trasnsition used in the episode is straight cuts, this is an effective idea as if you addd in transistions they can make your film look like a trailer. The titles use visual effects which is very captivating as they are not plain and also a sound bridge is used to ensure that the opening runs smoothly and to add the atmosphere created by the music.

Kiss Me Deadly Analysis

The Title of the Film

The title of the film (8) comes up on the screen after the film has begun and the lady has been rescued by the man in the car. The title also appears with the rest of the titles unlike 'Brick' where it is the main title only. By appearing during the opening sequence of the film, the title has managed to attract the audiences attention as they have become engaged in the plot. Another interesting thing about the titles is that it appears by scrolling from the top of the screen ton the bottom like 'Star Wars'. I feel that having the title of the film in the middle of the opening is very effective as it raises questions to the audience about it and why the film is named 'Kiss Me Deadly'.

The Revealing of the Location

The location is revealed through the use of an establishing shot which allows the audience to see the surroundings that the character is involved with such as in this film (2) where it shows her on a dark stretch of road with no cars in sight. This also raises questions as we do not know how she got there or why she is running or who from. This is a very good technique to show the scene as it provides the audience with a lot of information although they do not realise it.

Costumes and Props

The female character is wearing a long trench coat which makes her suspicious as we do not know what she is hiding underneath but as the opening progresses the male character informs us that she isn't wearing anything underneath which makes the audience consider her to be a 'victim' and to have low status. This allows the audience to ponder on what happened to her and why she is only wearing a trench coat. The male character is shown to be driving a white car which shows his purity and that he is the 'hero' of the film. He is also shown to be wearing a suit which makes the audience think that he is in a job with high authority although when the film is put into context it makes sense.

Camera Work

In this opening the director has decided to use an omniscient approach to filming the opening. He used a close up of the lady's legs (1) to show the panic she is feeling and a close up of her face to show her emotion which is also reinforced through her panting. The camera seems to be tracking the women as she runs towards the cars trying to hitchhike, this would be very effective in my film as it will give more information about the main character. Another interesting shot used is a low-angle shot (3) which shows the female character as having a low status which also reinforces the fact that she is a victim. The mid-shot (5) shows the female character to be in the same position as 'Jesus on the cross' which could suggest to the audience that she is a 'good' character rather than an evil lady who has just escaped from a hospital for the mentally ill. Another interesting technique used in this opening is the face that it is in black and white which makes the scenes later in the film more chilling to the audience as there is now emotion shown through colours just lighting.

Genre

We can clearly see that this is Thriller as the opening uses a sountrack that would get the audience in the cinema to be quite as they are trying to entice the audience into the plot. Another key point is that the film uses slow edits to calm the audience down just before the film begins and so that they can gain key information about the charcters and what roles they are to play in the rest of the film.

'Brick'

The Title of the Film

The title of the film is very interesting as there are many different interpretations of what it could mean but as we watch the film the main character says "I did what you said with that brick" to an unknown character on the other end of the phone. This leaves the audience guessing what he did with the brick and who he is talking to just as a car speeds past him which the character seems to recognise creating suspense.

The Revealing of the Location

The setting is revealed very slowly, first by showing the characters feet after panning over the wall. It them reveals part of his 'girlfriend' who is lying face down in a storm drain which is also revealed piece by piece. The time of day is made clear to the audience through the use of natural light as there is daylight which is clearly visible to the audience after the setting is revealed. Like most good thrillers, this film has also started at the end to make the audience become intrigued and wish to know what has happened. After the first location is revealed, a sound bridge is used to change location to a school. We can tell it is a school because of the bell and the way the setting has lockers lined up.

Costumes and Props

The main character is wearing jeans and a polo shirt which shows his age to the audience where as the girl contrasts with that as she is wearing high heels, a blue bracelet and a jumper, she looks as if she is about to go out but when she is first shown to the audience she is covered in mud which suggests that she was not expecting the events to unfold in the way they did. As the scene changes the blue bracelet is used as a bridge which also shows that the characters were wearing the same costume for the whole event over the two days.

Camera work

The camera is first used to show extreme close ups of the characters as the setting is revealed which helps to show to the audience that the male character is upset and that there is something not right with the female character. The rule of thirds is also used in every shot which is very interesting as it makes each shot interesting and aids in drawing in the audience. Another technique used is eye line match and continuity editing which help to make the story believable and show what the character sees as though we are looking through his eyes which helps to raise questions about the film so the audience become more intertwined with the story.

Title and Font Style

the title of the film, 'Brick', is in capital letters, written in plain white on a black background to make it stand out. The title is placed after the setting is revealed to the audience so we can still hear the diegetic sound and again, like most thrillers, the title is in solid, traditional font which doesn't reveal anything to the audience.

Story

The story of the film is that the main character is investigating the disappearance of his girlfriend at his High School. Although it is a very basic idea the camera work and twist that are revealed to the audience make an interesting film.

Genre

We can tell that this is a thriller film because at the beginning of the film there is an eerie non diegetic sound of bells which helps to settle the audience but also to create an atmosphere of uneasiness and suspense which is maintained throughout the film. It also has a slow paced opening which is typical of a thriller as it settles the audience so they are ready to watch the film.

Sixth Sense Opening Sequence Analysis

Youtube Sixth Sense Opening.

The Title of the film

The sixth sense title refers to the sense the boy has that enables him to see 'dead people'. if you had not seen this film before you would be intrigued by the title as you would want to know the sense that it refers to which would entice potential audiences.


Setting/location

The film opens in the basement of the families home, we appear to be spying on the lady as she picks out a bottle of wine to celebrate her husbands achievement. the house the film opens in is a very posh American house (8). we can tell that it is American because of their accents and we also know it is a posh household as we can tell from the size and their costumes (4).


Costumes

The costumes seen are very typical of posh people as they are very smart but we can tell the characters are not comfortable in their dining clothes as they change into a sweater and the female covers up. The costume of the previous patient is very clever as he is only in his briefs, this makes the audience feel uncomfortable and we can tell it makes the characters uncomfortable, it also helps to show the character is disturbed.






Camera work/editing

In this opening sequence there are a lot of closeups of the characters (1)(2)(12) which helps to show their emotion and show the audience that something is up (12)but some mid shots are also used to show how the characters feel about each other (4). I think it is very effective where the shadow of the character in the bathroom passes over the other two characters and they then both react and we see their facial expressions (9). There are no unusual editing techniques in this opening like 'Momento' but i think that the normal cutting of shots is very effective for this style of opening sequence.

Title font/style

The titles role onto the screen in a light blue on a black background like 'Momento' apart from the title of the film 'gleans' to catch the attendance of the audience. Again, the titles are all in capitals which make them stand out but are in a very simplistic, old font. The font is not important in this film as it is just there to announce who was involved in the film and has no major significance.

Story - how it sets up film

The rest of the film, like the sequence, leaves the audience confused and intrigued in the plot of the story. the opening sets up the film very well as the audience would never expect the ending, but the opening sequence does lead to it. Although the opening sequence is very good, i feel that the rest of the film lets it down as it is not as gripping as the opening.






Genre - show how opening suggests it
We can tell that the film is a thriller as the opening throws you straight into the action and then progresses with the story. Also, it involves some of the key thriller opening elements such as the first scene (2) where the audience appear to be spying on the lady as she gets a bottle of wine. The music at the beginning also suggests it is a thriller as it is very mysterious and chilling which settles the audience before they are sucked into the world created by the film.


How characters are introduced.

The characters are introduced to the audience in the sirst shot. But, typically of a thriller no information is revealed about them until the next scene when the dialogue begins (3)(4). Slowly as the characters are revealed we, the audience, begin to gain a view of there past such as when the character (11) appears in the bathroom we discover that although the main character recieved an award for helping children he isnt able to help all his patients but he does remember them.


Special shots/effects
In this opening i think that shot (1) was very effective as it is a very artistic shot but it also gets the audience questioning what is going on on. I feel this is very effective as it is a nice shiot and it works in creating a spooky atmosphere along with the next shot (2) which suggests the audience are watching her from the shadows again creating a spooky feeling.

Memento - Opening Sequence

The Opening Sequence of 'Memento'

The opening sequence for Memento is very interesting as it begins at the end of the film. Before we see any on-screen action the titles are played on a plain black background written in a navy blue, bold font which helps to settle the audience and prepare them for the rest of the film. Throughout the opening sequence there is a slow non diegetic piece of music playing in the background which also helps to get the audience settled but it is also a sad piece of music which aids the opening sequence as it starts at the end of the film with a gruesome death. The Title of the film, 'Memento', first appears over a plain black background but as it fades to a lighter shade of blue as the first shot of the film appears. It is a close up of the main characters hand holding a photo, or memento, of a man who has been shot previously. This opening sequence is very effective as it is played in reverse which is very effective because we, the audience, dont know why a man has been shot or who the characters are which sets up the plot of the film and helps the audience to become 'involved' in the film.

Setting:

the first scene of 'Memento' does not give the audience an insight into the rest of the setting as it is a series of closeups shot in a dark and secluded place which is fitting as a man has just been murdered. The setting is however slowly shown throughput the film to reveal itself as being a small town.

Mise-en-scene:

There are a few key props in the beginning of this opening sequence which are shown throughout the film, such as the camera (2), which is used so the main character can remember familiar faces, places and his car. Another key prop is the gun (6) which represents the violence of the film and helps to show the audience that the film is going to contain death. as the first scene involves the shooting of a man unknown to the audience there is a close up of the bullet casing (3) which is a very powerful shot as it shows that it was a cold blooded murder as there is only one bullet casing. The characters in this film all wear typical costume to represent normal people living in the town showing that they are all unimportant until the story progresses and the plot thickens. The lighting in the first scene is very dull as it is incorporated with death apart from when we see the camera flash and when we see the main character as there is a doorway allowing 'natural' light in.

Sound:

At the beginning of the sequence there is a slow piece of non diegetic music playing in the background which helps to settle the audience for the film and create a tense atmosphere for the audience as they don't know what is about to appear on the screen. During the first sequence of shots the diegetic sound is enhanced to have more of an impact on the audience such as the camera flash and all the sounds leading up to the shooting. there is no dialogue in this opening sequence which is very effective as ti creates an air of mystery about the film as the audience do not understand why a man was killed at this point of the film.

Camera angles/shot types and editing:

A main chunk of the opening sequence is shot as close ups as you can see from the screenshots. This is very effective as it helps to increase the impact of each shot and it helps to show the emotion in the characters faces. As you can see from screenshot (4) the film also uses different angles in the opening sequence as it has a very moving effect on the audience as it show blood pooling around the dead character. Also, another interesting thing about this title sequence which makes it completely different from any other title sequence is the fact the whole oping is played in reverse. This is a very clever technique as it shows the audience key bits of information but in the wrong order. this is very much like the film as the film slowly progresses giving the audience as little information as possible at a time.