Analysis of Film Openings.




Tomorrow Never Dies'


First Impression

The opening was powerful and fast and the motion of the clips overlapped with eachother to keep the audience hooked. The music in the background also helped to create a mood as the lyrics to the song linked with the image created by Bond. The 'bond girl' in the film is shown to inform the audience watching, who is going to be the main character. An x-ray view was shown of the gun to show the characteristics of his character and to show that he knows how to work and function things without knowing. The red taint on the camera represents the blood and to relate to the 'Dies' in the title. 


Mood
The mood of this film was shown through the abstract images and use of technology in the clips. The woman in the clips are also covered in an interior print of a computer (i.e a mother board) and so relates to the interest of Bond and gadgets. The shattered glass represents the way Bond can break people down and creates an image of glass coming towards the audience which makes them edge in their seats. 


Camera Angles
In the very opening clip the audience is taken 'on a rollercoaster' as the camera zooms through a 'machine-like' scenery. There are numerous shots where the camera is head on, this is very basic but helps the viewer to see everything in the frame. It also adds to the 'action' genre of the fast movement and gun shots. Birds eye view shots are used to show all of the women below to show the control Bond has (as shown in the top right). Close up shots are used on the face of a watch and alongside showing a full length image of a woman to show how Bond shares his time between girls. An extreme close up is shown with the white silhouettes of women to show Bond's view towards women as being the same and to give the audience the effect of not seeing the normal image of a woman from a different perspective. There is another extreme close up on the bullet of the gun and an effect is used of the women standing a fair distance away looking as though they are inside the bullet. This effect is shown when one of the bullets is removed and the woman is still posing. A close up is used to show the bullets being put into the gun and then loaded using an x-ray effect. There is a square that scans the shot and then when it covers the girl the real life image is shown. In the final clips of the scene an aerial shot is used to watch as the girl jumps off a 'cliff-like' scenery and as she is falling the camera follows her until he hits the bottom and the scene fades out into blackness. 

Sound
The only sound in the background of the scene is Sheryl Crow's 'Tomorrow Never Dies' which is used to catch the attention of the audience to listen to the lyrics used. There are no digetic sounds in the scene. 


Editing
Each clip dissolves into the other and makes the opening view close, it also helps to draw attention to the way that the film will flow into eachother and create tension for the audience. 

Hitch'

A number of head on, close ups are used in the first few seconds of the clip to introduce each character and its characteristics. Through the whole opening clips of 'Hitch' Will Smith projects a voice over and explains an overview of the characters shown. A distanced shot is used to show the conversation with the characters and the action-reaction between them. An arc shot of the character walking up the street. An over-the-shoulder shot is used when the woman looks back at the man to show it from a different perspective. An overview shot is used to show the stage and then the camera zooms into the characters' face to introduce them. A distanced shot is used as the woman walks towards the camera and a close up from the side them changes into a head-on shot which then wipes into another side shot. A low angle shot is then used and follows the character into the lift. Each clip is flowing and shows the transition from one location to another. 

NEED 2 MORE FILM OPENINGS. 

Screen Shots.

Here is a set of screen shots I took. Each are taken from different angles and distances. Each image explains what is happening in the clip clearly. In the top right shot Ellie arrives on the first floor plaza. Her character is introduced by using the 'center shot' and shows her arrival to the scene. In the top, middle shot, a 'close up' shot is taken of the women’s toilets symbol to indicate where Ellie's destination is. In the top left shot a 'side shot' is taken to show Ellie walking from the lift on the left of the shot to the women's toilets on the right side of the shot showing the movement from one destination to the other. It also shows distance from the previous shot. In the bottom left shot a 'following shot' is used to show Ellie entering the toilet and letting the audience see the surroundings in the shot. In the bottom, center shot the camera is set from behind Ellie to show her character and what is shown into the mirror. It also gives clarity to the whole shot and what is happening. In the bottom left shot Ellie is applying make up. It also feels like the viewer is is in the photo too as an 'over the shoulder shot' is used.

Film Opening.

Here is a film opening I created. I used audio, transition and video effects to make the clip flow and set the mood of the music. I used the dissolve transition to make each clip flow into eachother to relate with the non digetic sound of the music in the background. I think that the opening overall runs quite well although I think that if I made it again, I would make the ending smoother and not end as quick as I believe that it makes the clip end very abrubtly.

Moodboard.

This is my mood board. I collected a number of images that related to the opening clip to 'Goodfellas' ranging from fingerprints that connected to the American crime side of the film and symbols that represent gangsters.