Opening Shots- Independent work.

Opening Shot research

Information on Opening shots:

• Not the most memorable/intricate shot
• First thing we see (create first impression)
• One of the most crucial part of the film
• Usually forgotten about.

The opening shot shows the audience:

• Premises
• Character arcs
• Films main ideas
• ITs the intro into the movie

 Examples:

TOUCH OF EVIL (1958)

The film Touch of evil (1958) opens with an extreme close of on a figure holding a bomb. The shot shown from the left of the frame. The bomb takes up the majority of the frame with little negative space around it. This helps build up an anxious atmosphere for the audience. The shot is in black and white, which adds dramatic effect as the bomb is shown as the dominant. Lots of low key lighting is used around the highlighted bomb; this helps is stand out as sharp contrasts and deep shadows are produced.  Tension increases as a high amount of focus is on the bomb. The shot shows a big hand reaching for the bomb and turning it on. This is effective as the figure isn’t revealed which builds a sense of mystery. In the opening shot lots of loud diegetic sounds has been used for example, sounds of heavy beating and the bomb being turned on. Then non diegetic music is added and gets louder as the shot continues. This helps create a tense of thriller for the audience.

Paul (2011)

The Opening shot from Paul shows a close up of an alien. The angle is slightly tiled upwards (low angle) with high focus and contrast lighting on the alien creating it as a dominant figure as the audience is looking straight on at it, which suggests it could be a significant character in the film. There is lots of negative space around the alien which is effective as it draws the audience’s attention to it. The alien as high placement in the frame which shows authority. This could lead the audience to think “Paul” is the alien. High key lighting is used on “Paul” and in the room around him. This is effective as it makes the situation seem more realistic and natural to have an alien in a caravan. When an audience sees an alien they instantly think of sci-fi however the setting and its smirking facial expression helps manipulate the audience to the comedy genre.


Fault in our Stars (2014)

The opening shot from fault in our stars shows us an extreme close up of a girl. This shot is extremely effective because it shows what looks like a normal girl, where little does the audience know she's dying of cancer. The extreme close fills up the whole frame, and up allows the audience to see/feel her emotions though her eyes. The contrast of tones and caught in her eyes reflects on her looking rather emotional in this shot. Her eyes also symbolises where memories are held, the girls looks like she is reflecting on the past. The extreme close up helps the audience to connect and try understand the character. She appears to be an important dominant character just from the opening shot.