RESEARCH - OPENING SEQUENCE ANALYSIS

RESEARCH - OPENING SEQUENCE ANALYSIS
Recently we've been asked in class to study a selection of thriller opening sequences and compose analytical notes on lighting, sound, editing, camerawork, colour and miss-en-scene. I studied the opening sequence to The Dark Knight, Collateral and Kidulthood. My notes and links to the youtube clips follow bellow.

The Dark Knight - opening sequence

• camerawork is used sleekly to create an action filled dynamic atmosphere
• the opening sequence starts with an aerial shot zooming closely into action - open frame like this gives a sense of villainous action happening under the surface within the city 
• the camerawork and lighting work together to create a contrast between stillness and action
• lots of cross cutting shots and dolly shots zooming in and out of action to give a sense of the audience travelling with the action
• interchangeable and reverse shots are used in conversations to give a sense of the audience being submersed in the action
• close up shots develop intimate relations with the audience so they feel like they get to see parts of the action that no one else does
• closed frame stylised bank scene includes low angle tilts to heighten the action and villainous characters
•  shots pan throughout the entire setting of the bank to give a sense of action and movement - the audience feel like they are moving with the action
• close up shots when the safe in the bank is being broken creates a sense of intimacy, intensity and builds tension 
• double shot with large depth of field in a relatively still shot before the bus crashes through the bank to give an element of surprise and make the effect of the action more extreme - stillness before action creates a contrast 

Kidulthood - opening sequence

• starts with interchangeable shots between slow motion and normal speed - creates an exhilarating pace thats always changing 
• pan shots included of the school play ground - again an open frame to emphasise the existence of the outside world 
• the shots are usually distorted in some way - constantly rolling or panning or close up on action of people playing football creating an atmosphere of action and movement
• the audience feels like they're included in the action and the fast pace of the scene
• shots interchange between extreme close up of someones hands working technical equipment in a lab - we get the sense that behind the fast pace action of the outside world there is a darker presence that we can't quite place or see
• the camera whip pans quickly between people as they're talking - the behaviour similar to a human eye so we feel like we're in the playground experiencing the situation and looking for ourselves
• we hear sound bytes of background noise to enhance a surrounding environment and a blurred feeling of time passing at an accelerated pace