Assignment 20: Opening Sequence Analysis

Patrycia ButrymEsere Simei-Akajagbo

Shivonne WeekesCourtney Buabeng

Group Names & ResponsibilitiesPatrycia Esere Shivonne Courtney

CAM SAMC + Some Sound + 1 narrative theory

Narrative structure + MES + 1 narrative theory

Editing + 1 narrative structure

Purpose/ Conventions + Some sound + 1 narrative structure

Red Lights

Film Details

Genre Mystery, Drama, Thriller

Year 2012

Director Rodrigo Cortes

Cast Robert De NiroSigourney WeaverCillian MurphyElizabeth OlsenLeonardo Sbaraglia

Red Lights (2012)Genre: Mystery, Drama, Thriller

Purpose (Thriller)

• The purpose of this genre is to create anticipation, tension and excitement for the audience.

• They tend to be adrenaline rushing and stimulate the viewer’s mood giving them a high level of uncertainty and expectation.

Purpose (Opening Sequence)

The purpose of this opening sequence is:

1. Create suspense and tension for the audience2. Introduce all members involved in the film

(Credits)3. Hints to what audience what to expect

throughout the film (Polaroid pictures of dead bodies = Mystery)

4. Create the enigma of investigation and crime.

Conventions

General Conventions Of Genre Conventions Of ‘Red Light’

(REINFORCED OR CHALLENGED)

Similar Films

1. Mysterious lighting( low key) REINFORCED- Intense lighting is used only at climatic points

By Any Means

2. Sinister hints (Clues to crime or mystery) REINFORCED- Polaroid pictures of dead bodies and images of skulls etc.

Se7en

3. Dark, grey and white/black theme colours (Shadows create an eerie atmosphere)

REINFORCED- The theme colours in this opening sequence are predominantly dark and shadowy.

The Conjuring

4. Dense, fast-paced volume control in score music at climatic points

REINFORCED- Most pivotal images are accompanied with fast-pace score music

True Detective

5. The narrative includes a puzzle or investigation

REINFORCED- The pictures and images of graphs, photos and the aeroplane create a puzzle like narrative

Black Sails

6. Protagonist and antagonist are introduced

CHALLENEGED- The use of setting and props are mainly used instead.

Seconds

Camera Shots CLOSE UP EXTREME CLOSE UP PURPOSE

Solves the enigma ( why was the man having survey without an professional doctor.)

Only an eye is shown therefore we cannot see the character. It creates mystery/suspense because the audience would want the character to be revelled .

-No establishing shot used so detail would not be shown, this keeps it a mystery.

-Closer shots creates tension along with the music.

Suggests that the film contains Alien stuff/research as its a newpaper. The audience can read the words so maybe

it could give a hint about the storyline.

Camera Angles CANTED LOW ANGLE PURPOSE

It matches the oblique style of credits.

Shown in low angle so that we can see the entire object, if it was closer it would be implicit.

- Show a greater image and make it easier for audience to view as it is fast pace.

Photo of Jesus- Canted so that it doesn’t show the entire photo only the main details.

Again, Aliens make the audience feel uncomfortable almost creating thrills.

Camera Movements

ZOOMING PANNING REVERSE ZOOM TILT PURPOSE

Credits are in this motion so it gets the viewers attention.

Shows religion is involved.

It could represent history as its vintage style.

Symbolizes some science and research going on.

-Shows every angle which means audience can see full image as it is quick pace therefore if there was no tilting or zooming involved it would be implicit.

MES- SettingSurgical equipment- needleBright white light behind

•Suggests its a surgical room

• Isolated, dark urban hallway/ alley• Tension is built, with mysterious dark settings

Cross•Suggests that there is religious aspects

MES- SettingNewspaper‘Spontaneous Combustion Suspect’

•Suggest that chemical reactions are present

MES- LightingHigh key lighting•At the climatic point•Overexposed•Strong contrasting colours- Black & White- almost blind the audience•Purpose- to confuse the audience

Red lighting•At the start•Links to the title•Flashes of red lights- car lights in the dark

•Available lighting-•E.g. Lamp posts•To make the opening sequence seem naturalistic

MES- CharacterTerm

PropCross•Shows that the character may be religious

•Turns to religion for guidance- low angle

•Suggests that religion is dominating and superior

Surgical Scissors

•Shows that the character may be some sort of scientist/ doctor

MES- CharacterTerm

PropSymbol- frog & text in a different language

•Suggests that the character may perform a ritual

Newspaper‘Spontaneous Combustion Suspect’

•Suggests that the character is associated with chemicals

•Or interested with that topic

Term

Representation

MES- Character

Newspaper Article-

•Suggests that the character is interested in SCI-FI

X-ray Skull

•Suggests that the character is interested with the human body

•Doctor

Term

FacialExpression

Body Language

MES- Character

Hidden- Low Key Lighting

•Suggests that the character is mysterious- Mystery genre

•Wants to keep their identity hidden

Over the shoulder-•Suggests that the character is frustrated

• He couldn't stay still- fidgeting

Term

Costume

MES- Character

N/A

Editing

Sound• Non-Diegetic Score Music: - Slow Pace (Pace does increase throughout the clip)- Dramatic (Creates Tension)

- Classical instruments are used. (Eg Violin, Drums and French Horn)

•Sound Effects :-Foley (When the photo of Jesus appears and gets blurry, this matches the sound effect & Special Effect)

•Volume Control :-As more instruments start to enter the clip, volume control starts getting loud therefore tension rises.

Pace

• The text appears and dissolve out slow but then the insert shots move in and out really fast. So there is an contrast which could mean that’s something could be building up slowly then all of a sudden there is a lot of tension and then everything happens so quick.

Time

• The time for red lights was mainly ellipsis because its not telling you the story so you establish the discourse time. Some of the shots you fill in the gaps yourself because there are pauses.

Cutting• There is a lot of straight cuts. The purpose of

this could be that it could be showing a contrast between the shots. An example is the shot of the statue of Jesus and then the next shot is pictures of people that are dead also there are jump cuts because one shot jumps to another.

Transitions Transitions Evidence Purpose

Fade to black This is to show the ending of that scene so the time period.

Flashes to white This highlights that it could have been a memory or a flashback.

Dissolve It makes the text noticeable and a softer transition

Special Effects

• There was mostly black and white effect but there is a shot that had an x-ray effect. The purpose of this could be to create mystery and suspense and to create a lot of enigmas. It can also symbolise the past or flash backs. There is also fast forward in one scene.

Structure Type Enigma

Non- Linear Restricted Why is there surgical equipment?

Why is there a cross?

Why is there a newspaper article about a combustion?

Narrative Structure

5 Stages

Equilibrium

Disequilibrium

Recognition of equilibrium

Attempt to repair equilibrium

New equilibrium

Narrative TheoryTodorov

Is it equilibrium, disequilibrium or new equilibrium in the opening sequence?

•Its hard to distinguish, because we’re not shown the full movie

•It’s an opening sequence- information is restricted

•Therefore, it doesn’t have a linear narrative structure

#2 Narrative Theory Propp

Character representation is implicit and cannot be identified because the setting is low and high key lighting. The variety of shots used are exreme close up shot therefore they cannot be identified specifically which makes it mysterious. The movements are also fast pace so they are hard to see.

NARRATIVE THEORYBarthes

Enigma Codes Action Codes Semantic Codes Symbolic Codes Cultural Codes

The use of montage editing creates a investigation/puzzle enigma. It has audiences questioning:

•Who’s dead bodies are in the Polaroid pictures? •Why are images and writings in a book?•Why is there a aeroplane taking off?

Action:

•Street lights shaking. •Hands placed on a middle light.•Cross with Jesus on it.

Assumptions:

•Someone is running from or to something and is in a car.•Dead body with arms stretched out.•A person is in church, asking for forgiveness.

Colour:

•The grey and black/white colours connote mystery, fear and dead in this opening sequence.

Experience:

•The use of historian, suspicious images as well as graphs and Polaroid hint to the audience that there is an investigation or intellectual person on a mission.

Iconography:

•Newspapers, graphs, white drawings, books and writing and skulls = Psychological Thriller.

Darkness: •The predominant use of black and shadows creates an ominous, unnatural atmosphere. It is associated with deaths, skulls and evil.

Lightness:

•The use of bright lighting and white hints a sense of hope and direction. It is associated with religion, street lights and medication/health.

Injections, Polaroid pictures, aeroplane, books, operation, these all interpret the themes of violence and crime.

Narrative TheoryCameron

Anachronic Forking Path Split Screen Episodic

This opening sequence is not anachronic because:• There are no

flashbacks.• It doesn’t repeat

scenes.• The scenes

doesn’t relate to one thing.

The opening sequence is not forking path because:• It doesn’t show

one single event • There is not a

numerous. plotline that contradict with one another.

Red lights is not a split screen because:• It doesn’t

divided the screen into two or more.

• It doesn’t go in time-based .

Its more anthology because:• The shots

doesn't connect with the other shot.

• They are different shots but they share a similarity.