Opening Sequence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGBDfp-0AQE

Wedding Crashers

The film starts as with a voice over of a couple arguing. This sets the scene as when you see Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn you can see that they are trying to sort out a divorce. Both the main characters look bored as if they heard this every day which makes it look like they don't enjoy there job. The couple keep arguing as the camera cuts to a mid shot of the woman (wife) as she says "I hate you!" this is to show the anger in her face and then again the camera cuts onto the man (husband) who also looks angry but more laid back. The camera angles are mainly mid shots and the pace is quite slow as there aren't many cuts. Having the shouting makes the pace seem faster. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are obviously the main characters and as they are trying to sort out the divorce they start talking about the wedding. This part is where it classifies the genre as a comedy. The couple then resolve the problem and a non diagetic sound track comes up as the titles come up. the sound track it fast and has a happy tone. It also sounds as though it would be the sort of this you might hear at a Weeding. As the title comes up, the picture fades in which is an establishing long shot.

Children of Men Essay

How effectively does the opening sequence from 'Children of Men' use the forms and conventions of film openings? What is your personal response as a member of the audience?

To start, the opening sequence starts with a voice over which you can tell is from a news report. The blank screen makes you pay more attention to what is being said as what it is telling you, is very important to the film.  Then as you would expect from a film you get the credits come up while the news report is still going on. Normally you would expect the credits to come up before the voice over starts, by doing this the audience would already be hooked into the film. The main character is introduced almost straight away which again is quite normal. You can tell he is going to be a main character as he stands out by not really listening to the news and also because he is the only person you would recognise because he is a well know actor.

Another thing that fits the conventions of film openings is that it establishes the location and when it was set. It does this in many ways. It sets the location by the news reporters having English accents and also a caption tell the audience it is set in London. It is also obvious that it is set slightly after the present day even before the caption as there are moving images on the buses and on bill boards and the pedal bikes have motors. So when the caption tells the audience it is set in 2027 it just clarifies it.

The last main conventions showed in this opening is sequence, is that is creates enigma. It does this by firstly in the news report as the audience wonders how a boy of 18 is the youngest man in the world and also when the explosion goes of, your mind if full of a list of questions which makes you want to watch on. Then after this explosion, the title of the film comes up and then the audience knows the film is really about to start.

When I watched the opening sequence of this film in my head I didn't stop asking questions. This is a good way to catch an audience because even no I really want to watch the rest of the film because I want my questions answered. I liked the fact that the sad music plays while the news is on and you can’t really tell if it is diagetic or non diagetic sound. When the camera pans around London it made me think what about how London looks now and wonder how London will turn out to be in 10-20 years and will it turn out anything like the film portrayed it. Overall think this is a very good opening sequence as I am sure anyone who watches it will want to watch the rest of the film as I did.

Opening Sequence

The first 3 minutes are the opening sequence.

The opening sequence starts as most films do with the production company 'Columbia Pictures'. The titles appear over an establishing shot of a beach in the sun set. They are light blue which makes them look like water also with the effect they look a bit like waves. As the camera pans across the beach, a pineapple appears as the screen fades into a kitchen and the pineapple is in the table and the title comes up. This effect is very clever as the pineapple doesn't change but the screen around it does. Then the camera is on a mid-shot of 2 women talking about a man. There is then a sequence of quick cuts and and lots of woman talking about this one man. The camera is always moving which makes pace seem fast. The music is very upbeat and has a happy tone but it is non diagetic as you wouldnt be able to hear it if you were in the scene. When all the women and one man mention the same name it shows that he is going to be the main character.

Opening Sequence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ8iLBSI-Po&feature=related

About a Boy (3:20)

The universal studies logo starts off the film. As the producer logos are coming up a voice over starts of the TV program 'Who Want To Be A Millionaire'. This starts as off screen sound but then as the picture comes up, you see that a man 'Hugh Grant' walks around his flat and the TV shows Chris Tarrent. The credits appear over the picture and they are in a very rounded relaxed font which makes you assume that the film is going to be a relaxing enjoyable film. They appear randomly over the screen and just fade in and out with again makes you think the film is going to be an easy feel good film to watch. The Titles are in white but when the actual title of the film appears it is in the centre screen and in black to make it stand out more. You don't see the characters head until the end of his monologue which creates enigma. the camera rarely stops moving which grabs the audiences attention as it makes them feel like they are moving with it. The non diagetic sound is a sound track and has a very happy tone. When the camera cuts to a boy laying in bed the happy music becomes slower and sounds more sad and the lighting is dark which makes you think this boy isn't very happy, again it creates enigma. the camera does not move as much which sets the tone that the emotions of this boy are slow and so are the camera. the music then fades and stops. This is so you can tell that the film is about to really start.