Analysing Film Openings

For our next topic we will be making our own film opening with whatever genre, time period and storyline we want. To prepare us for this we have been analysing different film openings of different genres. This is how to analyse a film opening and what to look out for.

Title
Font - what type of font have they used? How does this follow our expectations of the genre?
Colours - why?
Length of titles - short or long? Why?
Billing or no billing - Why?

Codes and Conventions
Mise-en-scene - How does it reveal the era, plot, characters, genre, ect.
Sound - Diegetic or non-diegetic? What does this reveal? Mood, tone?
Lighting
Character - Facial expression, body language, costume?

Camera Angles
What do they reveal to us?

• Establishing shots
• Medium shot
• Close-up
• Extreme close-up
• Panning
• Over-the-shoulder shot 

When are they used? Why?
The length of time of the shot - what does this add?

Dialogue and Script
Plot - How much of the plot is revealed, and how is it revealed?
Foreshadowing/teasers - How we can link elements to the rest of the film
Characters - Personality, occupation?