Panic Room Opening Sequence

Cinematography
At the beginning of the clip ‘Panic Room’ we see many shots of the location, which is the city. We see many mid shots and close-ups of this opening sequences location, there are many panning shots of the location. By seeing this location the viewer may think that this is where they live or work. The viewer may think that these characters have an office like work-life and that they are boring characters. There are birds eye view shots in this opening sequence to show the location more. There are also high and low angle shots used in this opening sequence, also showing the location more. Also just by showing this particular location could make the viewer think, will it happen outside in a big area like this.

Mise-en-scene
No people or characters have been shown yet so the viewer will not know who they will be watching, all the viewer will know at this point is where the location may be set and that the characters could lead a life in this sort of environment. Having the same shots of a busy place like this can in a way show the viewer of what the character could be like, the character may be a workaholic or they may lead a laid back lifestyle.

Editing
The buildings are shown a lot in this opening sequence and they have been shown not in an order as it does not matter if they are in order because they still look good. There are only good shots of the buildings from different points and the only thing that has been specially done in this opening sequence are the names of the actors being shown on the buildings.

Sound
The sound for this opening sequence starts off very quietly, this could be showing that this is a sad film. The sound is also non-diagetic at this point and slow paced, also the sound can be classed as quite eerie and creepy because it is so quiet, it feels as if something is going to happen, something bad. When we get to the title ‘Panic Room’ the music starts to speed and it starts to get louder as if to say to the viewer ‘yes something is going to happen’.

Watchmen Opening Sequence

Cinematography
At the beginning of the clip of ‘The Watchmen’ we see a mid shot of two men or ‘action heroes’ fighting, showing to the viewer that this movie is an action movie. We then see another mid shot of a woman, showing to the viewer another ‘action hero’. We then see a mid shot of once again an ‘action hero’ who has this time caught a bank robber and is posing for the cameras. So far all of these shots are showing the viewer that there are a number of action heroes that are fighting the bad. We then see a long shot moving into a mid shot of all the ‘action heroes’ posing for the camera, this shows the viewer who all of the ‘action heroes’ are so the viewer won’t get them confused. While these ‘action heroes’ are posing for the camera beneath them we see the title appear. As the viewer is watching, they will see things start to take a turn for the worst as we see a long shot of an ‘action hero’ dead. We also see a panning shot of a ‘hero’ running for a car. The viewer will see from all of these shots and will get the idea that most of these ‘action heroes’ have been found dead or they have become bad and lazy.

Mise-en-scene
We can see from this opening sequence that this film has been set in a different time to present day just by the costumes that the people in the background are wearing. The costumes of the ‘action heroes’ are shown to be very colourful and bright so that they are standing out from the crowd. There is no location or setting of this particular opening sequence, it just shows parts of homes, halls and the city. During the time we see the characters, in the background there are credits being shown in a bright colour, this is so that they are defiantly being seen because they stand out.

Editing
To get the audience hooked into the film we see different shots of different heroes, this would want to make the audience want to know more of what is going on. The viewer will see many clips of the ‘heroes’ which are also shown in the movie itself. We also see that there are many clips in which the rule of thirds is used.

Sound
The sound for this opening sequence seems almost childlike by the fast paced voice singing, the voice sounds as if it has been fast forwarded and the background music to that has not. The sound in the opening sequence is non-diagetic as we cannot hear an people or traffic.

Spider-Man 2

The Opening Sequence

When we first see the opening sequence we see the Marvel pictures flashing on our screens, the viewer will automatically expect this as it is the same for any other Marvel film. The music is also non-diagetic all through these opening credits, we also see along the way the names of the people who are starring in the film and what production the film is made by which would be expected by the viewer. The viewer see's many shots of spider webs leading up to when the title Spider-Man 2 is about to be shown on the screen. The viewers would be hooked in as there are shots showing the viewers of how Spider-Man became who he is and shots of his friends in a comic drawn way which looks good. This opening sequence is very slow paced and creates an atmosphere, but not a scary atmosphere.


The Trailer



You can see from this trailer that it fulfils the things that the viewer wants
to see. The viewer can see what people are starring in it and can also see characters from the previous film so they already know a bit about the storyline. The viewer can see from the trailer that it is the same classic storyline as films made before and after this, it's a baddie trying to get the good guy; Spider-Man. The viewer see's plenty of action - the 'good bits' without anything being given away. In the middle of the trailer we see many shots of the woman and man, going from mid-shot to mid close-up and to a close-up of the man which makes the viewer want to know "what happens next?" The music at some points is non-diagetic but also diagetic throughout the trailer.

Se7en

Se7en Opening Sequence



We watched the opening sequence of the thriller Se7en in class, this thriller showed something; a book perhaps being made. From what was being made showed something sinister going on, during the making of this object we saw many close-ups to show the unnormal things that this person was doing. The music during the opening sequence was non-diagetic and this creepy music seems to draw the viewers in as well as what is going on, on the screen. The sound of the music going on while something sinister is being made draws the viewers in because they want to know more about what is going on, they have questions they want answered, this would make them watch the film.

Se7en Trailer



This trailer gives the viewer an overview of what the story is about. You can see from the trailer that this movie is sinister and shows you 'the good bits' to get the viewer to see the movie and be hooked in. We can also see from the movie trailer who is starring in this thriller movie. The trailer seems very action packed and so this shows the viewers many mid-shots of people.

The Sixth Sense

This is the trailer for The Sixth Sense, as you can see this trailer shows 'the good bits' to get the viewer hooked and to make them want to watch the movie. This trailer gives you an overview of what the story is about and who is starring in this well known thriller. We also watch the opening sequence of the film, the opening sequence showed something sinister going on just by the lighting and the location of a character. The opening sequence was also slow paced, this would make the viewers have questions of 'what is going to happen?', It hooks the viewers in.

Analysis of the Sixth Sense

The Title of the Film

The titles of the film appear to be fading onto the screen; they look as if they are flying towards the viewer as we look at them in the black background. The darkness and how the titles appear slow paced makes the mood quite scary and creepy. The colouring of the titles stand out because they are such as bright colour in such as dark background, once again making the mood of this opening sequence seem creepy and also quite sinister.

Setting and Location

There are a few different settings and locations within this opening sequence, but firstly we start of with a woman going into a wine cellar to pick a bottle of wine so that she can take it to the next place we see which is upstairs in a big house. The setting at the beginning is also quite creepy because it seems as if someone is watching the woman get the bottle of wine. The woman goes upstairs to the big house and although it does not seem as creepy as before it feels lonely because there are only two people in a big house by themselves.

Costumes and Location

The viewer first see's the woman in the wine cellar in which the woman is wearing a nice dress as if she were going out for the evening, in this opening sequence that is not the case where the woman is going out because we see her in a big house with a man, whom is one of the main characters. The man's costume consists of a shirt and smart trousers, once again showing that he also could be going out for the evening. The costumes could tell the viewer that these two characters have just been out somewhere nice and come back home and are finishing the night with a bottle of wine.

Camerawork and Editing

The titles of the film are edited as slow paced and are shown to be in the centre of the page. We see a good close-up of a light powering up which is a good way to go into the film. There is a mid-shot of the woman when she is going to the shelves where the wine is and it looks as if someone or something is watching her, this is also slow paced. We then see a two shot of the man and woman when they are talking. After the woman has come back from the cellar the shots begin to get a bit fast paced.

Title Font and Style

The title font seems to be in capital letters which makes the opening of this film seem more scary and thrilling. The colouring of the font is a bright colour shown in a dark background showing the film is sinister and scary.

The Story - How the opening sets it up

The opening sequence sets the story up a bit because it shows that as the opening sequence seems more sinister and scary the rest of the film could be sinister and scary. Also when we see the woman in the wine cellar it seems as if someone or something is watching the woman and so this could set the story up to show that something is lurking around watching the characters and waiting to strike at these characters.

Genre - How the opening suggests it

The opening suggests that this film has the genres of mystery and the genre of thriller. The opening suggests this because what is watching the woman in the shadows is a mystery and also thrilling to the viewer. Also when the man and woman are in the house alone it is thrilling because the viewer does not know what to expect and it seems almost odd that there are only two people in this big house.

Introducing the Characters

So far we only see what we think are two characters of this film as this is a short opening sequence. We see a woman introduced by going down to a wine cellar and a man introduced when the woman goes back up to the house and we see him waiting for her.

Special Shots and Effects

We firstly see a special shot of the woman when she is in the wine cellar; we see this shot through the shelves of where the wine is stacked. The shot of the woman through the shelves looks as if someone or something is watching her. We then see a long shot of the woman through the staircase when she seems slightly scared as she is alone; once again this shot looks as if someone or something is watching her. There is a special shot of when the man and woman are sitting together and are looking at something which shows their reflection.

Memento - Is it a good opening sequence?

Is Memento a good opening sequence?

I think that Memento is a good opening sequence as all that the viewer wants from an opening sequence they get with this opening sequence. With this opening sequence the viewer will get the titles, be hooked in, feel curious, have questions and feel a certain atmosphere.

We first see the titles appearing onto our screens and to get the viewer hooked in the titles are slow paced with non-diagetic music to set the mood. A hand holding a photograph appears in the background of the title 'Memento' and thats where the viewer see's the hand holding the gruesome photograph in which if the viewer is not already hooked in then they will be now. When we see the hand holding the photo we see a gruesome image which can tell the viewer that the person holding this photo is not a nice character, someone dangerous and someone who's path you do not want to cross. Just at the point of the image of a hand holding a photograph are all slow paced shots until then. We see this hand shaking the photograph as if to get it to appear, accept the photo is disappearing in which could tell the viewer that this is not only a dangerous character but someone who wants to forget this memory.

We then move onto the next slow paced scene of a a man (the main character) with that photograph which the viewer just saw putting the photo back into the camera as this scene is being rewound to show the viewer from the start what happened. This so far ticks the boxes for getting the viewer hooked in and letting the viewer have questions as well as the right kind of mood and atmosphere being created. The above reasons are as to why I think that this is the good and right kind of opening sequence.