Film Openings - Genre Analysis

Conventions to take note of:

• Shot Angles
• Shot Sizes
• Shot Durations
• Sound Effects
• Use of Music
• Transitions and Overall Place
• Title Fonts & Colours
• Colour Palette and Lighting
• Setting
• Types of Characters & their contents
• Storyline or Plot Development
• Overall Tone/Mood/Atmosphere

FILM ONE - The Judge

• Opening shot - close up of glasses
• Black screen with Guitar music playing in the background.
• Low key Lighting on closeups (warm blue and earthy tones)
• Font - white, all capitals, clear
• Establishing shot - long shot
• Long shot - setting of the scene
• Music with faster pace (insinuates its a busy place)
• Men toilet - high key lighting (bright lights/cool - representing his character)
• Character is a lawyer (he is wearing an expensive suit)

FILM TWO - Forrest Gump

• Opening Shot- Long duration (sets slow pace)
• Calm Music (piano)
• Ambient sound (as the the feather touches the ground)
• Font - Clear White
• Bright Lights (warm colours)
• Setting - Large Town or City
• Characters waiting at a bus stop
• Character - Forrest is an ordinary man
• Tone - Warm and Welcoming

FILM THREE- The Time Travelers Wife

• Opens with violin music
• Oprah Singing (warm and happy)
• Low Key Lighting 
• Warm Colours
• Snowing as its Christmas time
• Ambient Sounds - Cars/Crashes/Window Smashing (harsh sounds)
• Font - Yellow Text on Dark Screen
• Transitions - Slow at the beginning, pace increased throughout
• Camera Angles - Eye Level
• Smaller Shot Sizes
• Larger Shot Sizes (After accident)
• Overall Tone is tense, threating, concerned for boy

FILM FOUR - The Descendants

• Low ambient sounds before we see what is happening
• Long duration shot of a woman on speed boat (Close Up Shot)
• Happy/Upbeat Background (Does not fit in with whats happening)
• Setting -Hawaii (flowers around in background)
• Characters - You discover who they are from the voice over
• Long Shot - of people 
• Tone - Grim/Depressing

FILM FIVE- The Age of Adaline

• Slow and Tense music opening
• Narrator
• High angle (Birds eye view of the whole cit)
• Font - White, Small, Non-intrusive and Handwriting type
• Characters - Adaline is mysterious and smart
• Tone - serious,mysterious and intriguing

FILM SIX - Life of Pi

• establishing shot (long shot)
• music - calm
• High Key Lighting
• Setting -  Zoo
• Font - Traditional, White and Yellow
• Very Slow Pace
• No characters shown yet (3 minutes in)
• Tone - Calm