As our Main task is to create the titles and opening of a new thriller fiction film, we had to analyse three different opening sequences of the thriller genre. We had to make notes on: camerawork, sound, editing, mise-en-scene, narrative and representations. We then had to summarise these findings and relate to how they meet the codes and conventions of a thriller. The films that I am going to analyse are Swordfish, Collateral and Inception.
The opening sequence of a film needs to grip the audience. It needs to set the scene and also introduce the protagonist and/maybe the antagonist. It should suggest some idea of the plot and it needs to create enigma. In the opening sequence something small needs to happen which will link to the main plot. It should also give the audience an idea of what the genre of the film is and lastly it should introduce the narrative according to Todorov’s theory: First stage- equilibrium, second stage- disequilibrium, third stage- recognition if disequilibrium, fourth stage- attempt to repair the disequilibrium and the last stage- return to equilibrium. The opening sequence should not also introduce the protagonist/antagonist but other characters, relationships, places and events. It should also create mood and tone.
There are a lot codes and convention for a thriller. The first: there must be a crime at the core of the narrative (these can often be murder, but not all the time).The second: it must have a complex narrative structure, with false paths, clues and resolutions. The third: it must involve a narrative pattern of establishing enigmas which the viewer expects to be resolved. The fifth: it must have a protagonist who is systematically dis-empowered and drawn into a complex web of intrigue by the antagonist. The sixth: extraordinary events should happen in ordinary situations. The seventh: the film must give the audience of the themes of identity. The eighth: it could illustrate themes of mirroring. The ninth: demonstrating themes of voyeurism. The tenth: a protagonist should have a ‘flaw’ which is exploited by the antagonist. The eleventh: the titles can often reflect an aspect of the protagonist/ antagonist psychological state. The twelfth: there is often a scene near the end of the film in which the protagonist is in peril. The last: the mise-en-scene should echo/mirror the protagonist's plight.
The titles could reflect the protagonist/antagonist psychological state, set the mood and tone of the film; they can also suggest the genre of the film. The titles in Swordfish can suggest some idea of the film genre; this is because the title is in the middles of the screen with a black background and is a font which you normally associate with computers as it is coming up as if someone is typing it. This links in with the genre because this technology is normally used with thriller film. As the titles can reflect the state of the character it could suggest something about how the character acts and feels later on in the film, it also sets the mood and tone of dull and dreary. Inception or Collateral doesn’t show any titles at the start of the film or in the opening sequence this can create a sense of enigma for the audience.
The lighting of films is an important part as it creates the mood and atmosphere that the audience should feel but also the mood and tone of the characters. The lighting in Swordfish is very dark inside the café, but very bright outside the café, which you see later on in the opening scene. This creates a sense of unknown and adds suspense because you don’t know what is going to happen when John Travolta is talking but you do when you see outside. This is because it is quite dull inside which sets the mood of confusion and mystery but outside the mood is quite bright and the feeling of knowing what is going on, this is often used in thrillers. The lighting in Collateral is quite similar to this of Inception, this is because you have a sense of what is happening inside the airport which is bright, this is because not a lot can really happen inside an airport with it being that busy except the swapping of the briefcase and the lighting is dim and dull at the taxi depot because the audience don’t know what is happening and why the taxi rides are being used in a thriller film, however that is later on explained. The lighting in Inception is also quite similar in the fact that dark and bright is used. It is bright at the start of the beach but then inside the room and everywhere else it is quite dark. This is because you associate the beach as a happy bright place; the lighting could be used to create a sense of unknown and suspense because it the lighting then darkens as they enter the room. This creates a dull mood for the audience because they realise that the film has now become a thriller and not a happy film as it was when on the beach.
Both digetic and non-digetic sound are used to suggest the genre of the film. In Swordfish, dialogue is used straight away, yet in Collateral and Inception they aren’t, however they are used later on in the opening sequence. Not using dialogue can create a feeling of unknown because you don’t have a full view of what is happening until a character speaks and suggests what is happening. The mood in both Collateral and Inception is mysterious because you don’t know what is going to happen because you don’t hear a character speaking, however even when digetic sound is used you could still feel a sense of mystery as you do in Swordfish. As Swordfish uses digetic sound straight away it could suggest a sense of urgency. Asynchronous sound is used in Swordfish when you can hear the police cars but they are visible, this creates a sense of mystery from the audience and also tension is arising because the audience are curios of what they are going to expect to happen because you usually associate police sirens with crime. The non-digetic sound in Swordfish is subtle and the tempo is increasing the effect this has on the audience is that is builds up tension, something nig is about to happen and the urgency is increased. The sound doesn’t slow down or stop once the man is shot; this suggests the idea that something bigger is going to happen. The digetic sound used in Collateral is asynchronous; the sound of the planes and the people talking sets the location of the airport and can link into the titles. The music used when we can see the taxi rides changes. This can suggest the changing of the time of day and also that it happens every day. The music changes from fast pace music to reggae style music; this can set the mood of the characters, the personality of the characters and also location. Also in Collateral, when the taxi door shuts it is loud and clear, this suggests Jamie Foxx (taxi driver) is shutting everything out, he is in his own little world, however it can also in insinuate that his equilibrium is going to be disrupted. Inception uses non-digetic at the very start of the opening sequence with a black screen, creating tension and enigma. It then cuts to the beach, with the sound of the waves and also the sound of kids screaming and playing. This could create a sense of happiness because the beach and kids is associated with happiness and joy; this is juxtaposed with the genre and mood of the film. There is also non-digetic sound which is subtle and the tempo increases when something is about to happen which creates enigma for the audience. The sound of the watch ticking is over exaggerated, which the audience can also hear the lights clattering this creates the feeling that something is going to happen or time is running out. The ticking then increases and ends with the explosion.
The use of camera angles and movements are very important in the way they are used, so that the audience can identify the genre of the film. The focus Swordfish is mainly on Travolta, this can be shown through close-ups, you can see the other characters but Travolta is the main character shown and the focus is always on him. The focus pulls suggests surveillance, mystery and confusion, where as the low-angles suggest power and pride. The zooms and the focus pulls show different things around the room, this sets the location. The over the shoulder shot introduces the other two characters and the audience then realise that Travolta isn’t talking directly to the audience (which we first think) but is actually talking to two other people. The mid-shot of the men with guns give the audience the idea of the genre of the film. The aerial shots of the helicopter and establishing shot introduce the outside location. There is a low-angle shot of the man and the helicopter, represent the importance and status. This can also be shown though the high angle shot of the man and the woman, which represents gender status. The pan shot of the explosion is moving around, which gives the audience the idea that how important the explosion is but also how much the explosion has damaged the buildings and people’s lives. The close ups of Leonardo Di Caprio and the waves introduce both the main character and the location in Inception. The mid-shots of all the characters sitting around the table imply importance and intensity. The close-up of the watch also creates importance. At the start of Collateral you become aware of the importance of all the characters this is seen through the camera shots. Both Tom Cruise and Jason Statham are seen walking behind people at the airport; the audience knows that they are important characters because of the focus that remains on them. Cruise is shown with a zoom, he is walking slower with swagger shown though slow motion and this indicates that he is a calm controlled man. Whereas Statham is shown through a mid-shot and is walking faster, this is the complete opposite of Cruise and suggests that Cruise has more importance in the film than Statham. Foxx is shown with a pan up this suggests power and status; he isn’t as powerful as Cruise and Statham though because he is sitting down whereas the other two are standing up. Also Foxx isn’t as business like as the others through mise-en-scene and his stance. However, Foxx’s character is still optimistic and hopeful. A pan down is used when Cruise and Statham drop the briefcase and then a pan up when they both pick up a briefcase. This can imply that the briefcase is important in the film as it is focused on it and nothing else.
The editing also helps contribute the codes and conventions of a thriller. All three films Inception, Collateral and Swordfish use jump cuts in the opening sequences. Jump cuts can be used in all three films because they miss out the middles section and join the beginning and end, this can suggest that all three films show a time change. It is used in Swordfish when Travolta is talking around the table, suggesting that he is talking for a while. Collateral, when Foxx is driving his taxi suggesting the idea that time has passed in the taxi rides and that is all he does all day, every day. Inception, at the start it jump cuts from Di Caprio to the waves. Shot/ reverse shot is used in Inception when they are talking around the table, this can be used to show that there is more than one character and the intensity and tension of the conversation. Fast pace editing and slow paced editing are used in all three of the films. Fast paced editing is used to create tension and excitement for the audience whereas slow paced editing makes the scene calmer.
Both Inception and swordfish use special effects. They both have an explosion in the opening scene, this fits to the codes and conventions of a thriller. This is because they can be both part of the narrative. The explosion is a crime at the core of the narrative and will keep the audience hooked, it also creates an enigma for the audience and they expect it be involved in the main plot and somehow have a resolution. If special effects such as explosions are used in an opening sequence then the audience will carry on watching the film as they will be gripped and excited. This is because they will want to see why the explosion happened and if something bigger will happen in the main plot. Using an explosion can represent death and destruction. Even though both films use it they decide to shoot in different ways. Swordfish’s explosion effects most of the scene this can be shown with the pan shot as it moves around which shows the destruction has had a huge impact, whereas Inception’s explosion is shown by an establishing shot this just sets the scene and doesn’t show the full extent of how much damage it has caused.
The costumes in Swordfish, Collateral and Inception, are all quite similar. This is because Di Caprio, Cruise, Statham, Travolta and Jackman’s characters are all wearing suits. This can suggest power, status and wealth. Wearing a suit can also represent respect as people respect people who wear suits. Using suits for main characters is effective because it suggests they are powerful throughout the film and they are very important. Di Caprio’s character wears a brown clothes at the start, brown being associated with the earth, stability, reliability, comfort, endurance and simplicity, later on in the opening sequence he wears a black suit and tie with a white suit. Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery and white is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity and also considered as the colour of perfection. This represents the personality of Di Caprio’s character. Cruise’s character wears a light grey suit and tie with a white shirt. Light grey is associated with security, reliability, intelligence, modesty, dignity and maturity. This can represent the personality of Cruise’s character. Statham wears a black suit and white shirt black being associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery and white with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity and also considered as the colour of perfection. This representing the personality of Statham’s character. Travolta’s character wears a black suit, dark green shirt and black tie. Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery, whereas dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy. This can suggest the personality of Travolta’s character. Foxx’s character wear’s a dark green hoodie with a grey top. This suggests that he isn’t as important as the Cruise and Statham; however this isn’t true because Foxx is the main character being shown in the opening scene of Collateral. Green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy and grey being associated with security, reliability, intelligence, modesty, dignity and maturity, representing the personality of Foxx’s character. All of these connotations of colours are what the audience expect from the protagonist and antagonist in a thriller film.
The prop used by Travolta’s character in Swordfish is a cigar and a cutter; this is a phallic symbol and represents masculinity, revealing that he is very masculine. Both Cruise and Statham both use a briefcase in Collateral, this is represented as business-like men and also power. The swap of the briefcase can create the feeling of mystery. In Inception, Di Caprio’s character gets his gun taken off him from the beach the gun can represent death and crime. This is a huge convention of a thriller film.
The narrative in films is very important, because you need a narrative to make it a film and also to fit the codes and conventions of a thriller film. The narrative of all three films is the changing in time. All three films show hints of changing in time. Swordfish, when they change from the outside location to the airport, airport associated with travel. Inception’s change in time is from the beach to inside, also the change of time through the dreams and Collateral’s change of time can be from the airport to the taxi depot and the change of time with the taxi rides.
Representations shown in the films are important. The representation in Swordfish is law and order and gender. Law and order fits the codes and conventions of a thriller as the police that Travolta’s character is talking to is obviously investigation a crime, and a crime has to be the core of the narrative according to one of the conventions of a thriller. Gender is represented as male dominance; this is shown through the high angle of the man with the woman, suggesting male dominance over women. Also there is no female antagonist or protagonist in the opening sequence. Gender dominance is also represented in Collateral and Inception, this is because there is also no female antagonist or protagonist. Wealth and status is represented in Collateral, this is because of the costumes being worn by Cruise, Statham and Foxx. Cruise and Statham are both wearing suits and Foxx isn’t representing power. Wealth being represented through the jobs of the characters. Foxx’s character is a taxi driver usually associated with less wealthy whereas, Cruise and Statham’s character are business-like associated with higher wealth.
The mise-en-scene used in Collateral is smart, sophisticated, very business-like, dark clothing and sunglasses. Swordfish’s mise-en-scene is very mysterious at the start as most of the opening sequence is Travolta talking in the café, we can however see that it is a posh café when he stands up and exits the café to outside. A bank is used to suggest business. It then cuts to the airport the idea of travel. The mise-en-scene in Inception is also business-like because they are wearing suits and are sitting round a huge table.
In Swordfish, Travolta’s character talks a lot about other thriller films, this can suggest the idea of the genre of the film, also he talks about people being hostage and this gives the audience an idea of what is going to happen next and also the storyline. The character is also demanding the police.
In Collateral, the first two characters that you see are Tom Cruise and Jason Statham, this could imply importance, however, you dot see much of them in the opening sequence but you still feel the importance of them. This is because you saw them two first so they must be of some importance. The taxi rides build up tension; this is because the audience don’t understand why they are in the opening sequence so much, so it builds it up because something must happen with the taxi rides being involved in some kind of way. The taxi rides also build a relationship with Jamie Foxx. This is very important because if something happens to him then you will feel sorry for him, empathy because he is such a nice guy. The audience also gets the sense that something is going to happen to him. You don’t know what is going to happen to Cruise and Statham in Collateral, the audience kind of forgets about them and the tension at the start. This could be good because if something happens to them you will be shocked.
The story of Inception is very confusing as it changes between time, the dreams and real life. If the story is confusing it could grip the audience because they will want to carry on watching the film, fitting the codes and conventions of a thriller. The narrative of this film is a complex structure, so it can make the audience question what is going to happen at the end.
Overall, I think that all three opening sequences meet most of the codes and conventions of a thriller. I think Swordfish gave too much of the plot away and Collateral and Inception didn’t give too much away which would still leave the audience hooked. Also by not giving too much of the plot away it builds up tension because you don’t know what is going to happen next. Out of all three of the films I would personally watch the rest of Collateral and Inception.
No comments:
Post a Comment