Opening Sequence Analysis

Dark Knight Rises (2012)

This opening sequence uses lighting very strongly to portray the mood of the film by using a very dark setting and making the images in the video black and white. This effect makes it look as if someone is tracking down Bruce Wayne and it implies that there is a very dark storyline involved with this film, It looks as if someone is developing photographs of each of the main characters, which implies that they are spying on them, which reiterates the idea of someone tracking them down.

The music used, builds up tension in the audience, which will be carried through into the rest of the film, this music builds tension because of the pitch, which is used. The pitch is very low, which reinforces the dark setting of the video and it heightens when the main actors are shown on the screen.

The movement of the text is very sharp and agitated, which causes more tension because it implies there is a lack of time and there is someone rushing trying to fulfil a task they have been set. At the end of the opening sequence the camera tilts up from the developing and it switches to the frozen lake and Batman's mask in cracked laying on the frozen lake. This suggests that something may happen to Batman during this film, whether it is him dying or he just gives up being Batman. This makes the audience think about what will happen to Batman to make this happen, this then causes tension for the audience because they don't want him to die but from the ending scene from the opening sequence this is strongly implied.

Opening Sequence Analysis

Inisidious (2010)

      
I chose this opening sequence because it has multiple edits, which create tension and the sound used creates a very strong mood for the audience, which will be carried out for the rest of the film. The lighting used also sets a mood of the film because it is very dim and you can't see a lot of things in the room but when something stands out it scares the audience because it does't blend into the dark rooms. 

This is my analysis of what occurred during the 2 minute opening sequence for Insidious (2010). At the top right hand of the image I have summarized what the opening sequence makes me feel and what mood is being set for the film in these 2 minutes. I feel that the colours of the text imply blood and that the editing of the text creates this eerie mood; it fades away but looks as if it is being burned. Also, the music creates this nightmare scene because it is very high pitched and it heightens when different things enter into the opening sequence, which causes tension and puts the audience in the mood already, even before the film has begun. I found out that the opening sequence stays the same all the way through. By this I mean the setting is the same, it passes through different rooms of one house and the lighting is all the same, the only things that change is the pitch of the music.

The use of the dark implies a very dark storyline and it makes the audience think that something could jump out at any point without you seeing where the thing came from because it is too dark, all you can see is the thing appearing in front of you without any notice of it going to happen. The sound helps this create a more scary mood because before the thing jumps out at you the music heightens in pitch and speed but then drops off and then there is a pause, which creates tension because it makes you think something is going to happen (but you can't stop yourself from jumping even though you already anticipated the thing jumping out) and then when the thing jumps out there is an even higher pitched screech, which makes you even more scared because you are expecting the thing jumping out but not the fast sudden high pitched noise.

The use of silhouettes creates a sense of mystery for the audience and makes them think about who or what the silhouette is and makes them think if the thing is a ghost or the main character. When the audience finds out what it is, it can make them scared or relieved depending on the outcome of the circumstance.

Our Task

Blog Expectations