Opening Sequence Analysis
Opening Scene excerpt to be added once i can find a clip on youtube!
I have chosen to analyse the opening scene of 'The Florida Project' [2017] Directed by Sean Baker with cinematography orchestrated by Alexis Zabe. This movie has astounding camera work and the synergy between cinematography and plot is seen through the classic but not overused framing of coming of age films and the childlike wonder of the protagonist can also be seen through the use of colours in conjunction with the cinematography. This film was shot mostly on a 35mm lense, giving it a hazy and nostalgic feeling which works in sync with the rhythmic foot tapping of our protagonist in the opening shot. It's a long shot, shot from eye level of the two six year olds, who are framed just off centre of the camera lense, amplifying their small stature in comparison to the blank background. This creates an instant connection through personal identity, you see yourself in the boredom of the 6 year olds and are brought back to a time when this fiction was your reality. The screen enters from black and at first you hear the diagetic sound bridge of the shoes tapping which fades into the young girl and boy sitting in a realistic silence. The camera, follows a young boy shouting their names in a tracking mid close up shot, as he runs and the camera follows him, the laxadaisical approach to running by the young boy and home video-esque quality allows this movie to amplify the youth and creates an element of affection for the characters. The scene ends with a wide shot, two of the 6 year olds are sitting on the ground in seemingly oversized clothes, perhaps a character marker for the financial wellbeing of their families or a geographical marker for the paradisical and laid back scenery we see to the left of the actors. The difference in levels of the framing amplify youth and vulnerability of these kids and the eye level shot emphasises how small they are in comparison to their setting, which suggests that these kids are unaware or naive to their surroundings. This opening is conventional to an arthouse, independent film but still encompasses the camera work of a more mainstream coming of age film, such as the strategically placed wide shots and silent shots of the protsgonist doing a seemingly mundane activity, this opening suggests that this movie will bring out nostalgic value and also have high cultural capital to attract it's audiences due to it's unique 35mm filming technique. The dead space allows the audience to catch flight of the use of whimsical and 'disney' style colour palettes, almost creating a childlike perspective to the setting and allowing the audience to almost see the scene through the eyes of a fellow 6 year old.
Lady Bird [2017] Dir. Greta Gerwig, Cinematographer; Sam Levy
This still is from the 2017 coming of age movie 'Lady Bird' it is a wide shot of the main protagonist, walking home. This shot is later paralleled after an important turning point for the character, and the wide shot allows the rough, suburban setting to be established as well as the characters conservative, typical early noughties costume to be used as a time marker for the genre. The use of a wide shot creates a contextual narrative for the story and the framing of Christine in the centre of an eye level shot as she walks down hill, gradually turning the shot into a subtle low angle shot creating an essence of vulnerability for the character.
Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone [2001] Dir. Chris Columbus, Cinematographer; John Seale
This establishing shot from the cult classic film series 'Harry Potter', this particular shot is a crane shot, perhaps a tracking shot of the infamous Hogwarts Express as it crosses the screen. This shot shows the train, in a wide shot, with an abundance of smoke which mirrors the clouds in the background, this parallel within the frame adds to the fantastical feel of the movies and the dark colour palette, creates an ominous tone and fits the narrative extremely well, the use of a significant motif from the books, in this shot from the first movie creates a nod to the books and adapts the scene with showing a wide shot, from a straight perspective, observing a train nearing which creates a sense of tension and underlying threat for the audience to pick up on whilst also adhering to a practical task of establishing the scenery and setting for the movie.
Black Swan [2010] Dir. Darren Aronofsky, Cinematographer; Matthew Libatique
Warning: Blood, Injury
This medium shot, from a crane angle shows the anti-hero of this psychological hero, falling into an abyss with only a mattress below, that's blocked by the framing. The blank space creates a hyper realistic effect to the still, the shot works closely with the actor side of mise-en-scene as you can see the ballerina, in a traditional ballet move but blood dispersing on her pure white costume. The medium shot allows the camera to capture her expression or the lack thereof and the minimalist colour palette emphasises the blood stain and the shadows surrounding her created by the use of a key light coming from in front. The framing of this particular shot is interesting since the actress is dead centre of the screen and is surrounded by dead space, excluding the placement of a mattress, hidden within the shadows but amplified by the contrast of colour, this adds to the melodrama of the scene and creates a disturbing atmosphere for the viewer. This is conventional to both a psychological thriller but also the Directors work, Aronofsky uses this technique in his other films, such as mother!.
Eighth Grade [2018] Dir. Bo Burnham, Cinematographer; Andrew Wehde
This POV close up shot from the new independent coming of age movie 'Eighth Grade' is used as a character marker for the narrative but also captures the modern era of the film. The POV shot suggests that this moment is significant and the audiences empathy should be targeted, they perhaps are aiming for the audience to recognise the situation and adhere to the emotions of the protagonist. It allows for important parts of the narrative to be communicated and also shows particular details such as the chipped nail polish, conventional to the character of a modern teenage girl but also adds realism to the shot. The muted colour palette creates an amateur, indie feel to the movie which helps engage the audience with the narrative as the main ideologies for this particular film surrounds the mind of an eighth grader and due to the target audience perhaps wavering around those perimeters, those in the peripheral ages particularly older, might find it hard to connect and engage with the character so through planned shots of new technology and POV shots in a handheld technique, it allows the watchers to gain perspective and engage with the narrative from a more universal point of view.
