Textual analysis of film openings

Run fat boy run

The opening begins with a tilting movement of the camera, to connote a beautiful blustery autumn day, and then proceeds to focus on a vintage car, that has been decorated suitably for a wedding. This suggests that it’s a happy day, and that a wedding will be taking place. The lighting is bright but with a few shadows to indicate a sunny afternoon. The non diegetic parallel music that be heard is a jazz song about love, emphasising the wedding day. The genre of the song, Jazz, is also quite common in weddings and is quite traditional. During the opening the majority of people in the frame are involved in the wedding and so are dressed in suits and occasion wear. Many of the shots are two (or more) mid shots, and this tells the audience that many people have come together to celebrate the wedding and that friends and family are all happy and joyful. Thandie Newton dominates the close up of her decorating the cake, so that the audience can see how much care, attention and detail she is putting into the decoration. It tells the viewers how important this day is to her, and how much effort she is dedicating to it. Lots of camera movements such as tracking and panning, helps create the chaotic atmosphere that often occurs at weddings as people become anxious but are equally excited as they prepare. A long shot to show Simon Pegg well known comedy actor indicates the genre immediately) in the middle of a low key lighted room, helps demonstrates how alone, isolated and confused he feels. His complete tuxedo smart dress indicates to the audience that he is the groom. The silence and quietness of the room contrasts the manic and hustling and bustling of downstairs.

Hitch

The main narrative of Hitch is based on people not being very good with relationships and love, the parallel non diegetic music is about not knowing love and therefore helps to establish the narrative and help the audience understand what is happening. Many of the beginning shots are long two shots often with many people but often with someone clearly dominating the frame. This gives the impression that the audience is trying to reach someone in particular but that people are in the way and how it is difficult to get them alone. Costume and setting are very everyday and aren’t out of the ordinary. This helps to create a sense or realism and verisimilitude, which means the audience, is able to relate and understand the scenes easier. A close up of Will Smith‘s face, which he is talking suggests to the audience that he is their friend and is a trustworthy character. It also helps to introduce him as the main character because his speech and face dominates the screen. It could also help the audience to feel as though they are getting advice from him.

Bruce Almighty

The film begins with a black screen containing only opening credits, but the non diegetic sound is informing the audience and setting the scene for what they are about to see. A close up of Jim Carrey (another well known comedy actor indicates the genre immediately) in a hair net not only indicates he is in a bakery and so is doing a news report on it, but it also is a funny shot to begin the film with. It is quite humiliating and so helps indicate that this character doesn’t have much luck. This suggests that audiences enjoy watching others misery and so provides and escape method from reality. The other characters are wearing typical chef’s outfits, which stand out and contrast to Jim Carreys normal and everyday smart clothes. The smart clothes connote a serious and important profession that has a degree of responsibility. The three mid shot of all characters so far, is very typical of a news article and the microphone prop helps suggest this. A straight cut to a new conversation, also helps to mimic the way the interview would look on an editing reel to help suggest that his interview will be edited and changed.

Sex and the city

The non diegetic soundtrack, is similairly fast paced hence immitating city life. The setting of this opening is established by using a skyline shot at night of New York City, Manhattan. The sky line contains skyscrapers and glamorous buildings creating interesting shapes that intrigue the audience and make them want to be there and be a part of that culture. A mid tracking shot of Carrie Bradshaw helps mimic the glamorous sky line by making sure that her costume dominates the frame and stands out. The long shot shows her walking down the street in a dominating and fast style, mimicing the idea of her being on a catwalk. The costume and clothes of this opening are very glamorous, high fashion and unusual. The comedy/chick flick genre conventions ensure that the interests in clothes mimics what the audience wish to see and interest their targeted audience. Many of the shots are shown within black patterned frames on the screen and so this means that opening credits are shown whilst the film carries on. The black frames and lines help to create links between characters, their history, lifestyle and interests. They also help to mimic how chaotic and stressful their lives are. As each character is introduced a jump cut to a mid two shot of them with Carrie helps to reinforce the idea that the narrative is about a group of friends and how they are linked to each other.

Hot Fuzz

Hot fuzz is a police comedy set in Sandford. The opening helps to establish very quickly the characters history and how the film will be of a comedy genre. The first shot we see is a very long shot of an empty lobby area of a very posh looking office block. This indicates that the man is high powered and successful as he is in a posh and modern looking building. The lighting is low key and shadowy so that the audience does not know who that man in the centre of the frame is and his significance to the film. As the man walks closer to the camera, it becomes evident as to who the man is. The actor is Simon Pegg, renowned for comedy. This means that the audience is immediately aware that this is most likely to be a comedy because it contains Simon Pegg. The shot is silent apart from the footsteps of the character, and so this creates a contrast between the silence and the quick start of the narration. The predominant costume in this opening is police outfits and uniforms. This helps to set the genre as a police based comedy. To help establish it’s a comedy, we then see a comically tight cycling outfit and a school PE lesson style gym outfit. To see a fully grown man wearing them emphasises the comedy genre. After the close up of the comically serious face, there is a straight cut to his police badge. This tells the audience that the character values his badge and occupation. A mid shot of a quick walk through an office suggests that he is more important then the sitting people around him, and the quick tracking camera movement suggests he is on some kind of important mission or task. The opening scene ends on a frozen two shot of the character and a man dressed as Santa clause. The shot is frozen to wait for a reaction from the audience and to emphasise the comical nature of what is happening in the shot.