THREE OPENING SEQUENCE ANALYSIS

BY LIAM MOGRIDGE

BATMAN – THE DARK KNIGHTHow has the Director/Producers tried to engage the audience?The director and producers engage the audience in this opening sequence, using Barthes Codes, including the Enigma Code. This worked during the film, with who the men are behind the mask and is ‘The Joker’ include. Another Barthes code, is the Proairetic code, building a lot of tension andincluding action throughout the scene, with gunshots and heists. The sound design engages the audience’s awareness with loud jumpy sound effects, which is very good for getting the audience’s attention. The non-diegetic sound at the beginning, with an establishing shot was key for the producer to use, because the audience engage where the setting and location which is a popular city, somewhere America. Switching to diegetic sounds and the glass window smashing, engages the audience, again getting attention with sound effects. With ‘Mise-en-Scene’ the lighting, when the Joker is revealed highlights how important the character is throughout the film. This is called Low-key Lighting. The body shape and language the gunmen have, gives the audience intention, they are villains and one of them is the antagonist of the film. The props and costume being used, are masks to hide their identity so that it’s possible to perform a crime without getting caught and hiding their identity. The characters each having a certain type of weapon, for this instance a gun. Location also connects with the other mise-en-scene terms as to it being a bank where there are hostages and robbers with masks and guns and their tone of voice being low pitched but loud sound.The Jokers position standing still with his hands by his side and head facing down, suggests to the audience he's an odd character and doesn’t want to attract attention to himself. Midway in the opening sequence there is a protagonists act, with heist crew member shot, indicating the audience is this character secretly batman. A quote from this character mentioning “Do you guys have any idea who you’re robbing?” This specifies to the audience who’s the owner of the bank and does it link up with Batman. With the camera work and editing, continuity editing keeps the film ongoing and engages the audience to feel their point of view for each character, the visual pictures show shot reverse shot in between a conversation. Quick shots are included to create tension and a dramatic effect to engage the audience attention and keep them focused on the film.

This is an example of an establishing shot then loud sound effect get audience awareness.

Example of an Joker’s odd position which establishes him as a character because of his body language.

THE BUSINESSHow have the Director/Producers used or subverted stereotypes of Gender, Age, or Ethnicity?The director and producers of the film have subverted stereotypes of gender, age and ethnicity by using all three representations and giving the audience ideas. Starting with age and the two main characters being different to each other. One being 20-30 years old so he’s known as being the most attractive, fun, enjoys parties and good at making money. Whereas the other character is more middle-aged and would be dominant over others, aggressive and more mature. Both men are represented under class, examples are criminals, no family and not friendly towards the community. Next is gender and typical male stereotypes, both characters would be traditional masculine men, which emphasises them being muscly, strong and very brave. The characters fit in with the film, having to rob off others so being a traditional masculine man is key. With ethnicity, the characters location of the film is south of Spain. Traditionally being white but catching a tan in the sun will suggest them being strong but would be slightly racist towards others being the dominant character.When the voice over comes back, we then realize this is a time lapse of what has happened in the future, so something dramatic has made them rob others whereas they wouldn’t need to, because the voice over says ‘Me and the Playboy had it all in our hands’. The costumes being tracksuits which already represents violence and uneducated. Other features include their hairstyle being greasy and messy which suggests they haven't washed. Regional identity is North London, poor, bad weather, less culture and less clever. Which is why they moved to Spain where it’s hot, sunny and easy not to get caught in troubled attention. Throughout the opening sequence more characters turn up, the two little girl sat down minding their own business are being told to go away, getting them to safety. After the doors been kicked down we then come to three stoned men and a women. Two stoned men are stereotypical Mexican men who are chilled and smoking weed, which appears to be negative representation. The other man being middle-aged lower class. Then there's a sexy looking women, flirty, dresses in a revealing way and probably using the men surroundings to get hold of drugs. At first she's nervous about the sudden appearance and the threat being pointed towards her, suddenly attacks the protagonist and gets thrown to the ground, representing the characters care for other people and his aggressiveness.

These images show the two protagonists in the film. They are both lower-class and traditional masculine men.

AMERICAN PSYCHOHow is the story developed and what can we infer from the first two minutes?From the first two minutes we can infer that the genre is horror because of the red liquid which drips down the screen, connoting blood therefore giving it the genre of horror. This makes the audience tense from the start and the white background follows the enigma code because the audience are unsure of the action which has occurred. The audience are fooled into false accusations which are later shown to be taken from the wrong perspective. Following the example of the blood, the audience are fooled into thinking it’s blood, yet it’s actually raspberry sauce which adds humor to the film. Having an opening sequence with non-diegetic sounds of classical music attracts the audience because it includes counter-stereotypes, the audience would not associate murder and horror/blood with such a luxury lifestyle. Soon they find out, something is happening in secret which is going to disrupt this calmness. With the food being the main focus so far in the opening sequence of the film this does suggest that the food is being highly valued by the neatness and effort being put into the food itself and presents the man having a ‘perfect’ life which is unusual in a horror film. There is also a voice over at the beginning of the first scene which explains in detail the food. This creates an image of perfection in the audience’s mind before the action begins. All of this illustrates the success the physcopath has which is a cover up, with the red liquid dripping suggesting the psychopath is hid away. Overall the information the audience are getting within the first two minutes is the setting of the film takes place somewhere in the west of the world preferably America. With the white plates not being bowls full of soup or a grey bowl with beans, this would connote Japan or Brazil whereas a clean white well presented plate of food would suggest England, France or more West in America. Successful businessmen are involved, they would be known as upper class. Well presented business suits and look after themselves but the audience can tell the film is going to be full of twists and not be as straight forward as what they think.

Blood dripping on this blank white screen but in fact only turns out tobe a sauce that gets dazzled all over for the added flavor and presentation of a meal.