Opening Sequence Analysis

Leah Walden

Setting(Mise-en-Scene)

1) Ferry PortThe setting contrasts with the thriller genre since the first location in the opening sequence is a ferry port; happy sailors boarding the ferry to go on holiday. It works effectively because it starts to create tension and curiosity amongst the audience, where they find themselves asking questions such as: What could possibly go wrong? It starts to build anticipation knowing that soon something will happen that is a feature of a thriller film.

Costume(Mise-en-Scene)

1) White SuitsHundreds of US Navy Sailors wear white suits in the opening sequence, showing the audience their job profession. White also represents purity and innocence, showing how they are the victims. Since there are hundreds of the sailors, it is eye-catching for the audience, emphasising later on how horrific the domestic terrorist attack was.

Props(Mise-en-Scene)

1) DollWhen the little girl drops her doll overboard in the water, the camera shot shows her saddened expression. This can be portrayed as a foreshadow of events of when the US Navy Sailors get killed in the water, therefore making it an iconic prop, hence why the post-production editing made the footage slow motion as the doll feel overboard.

2) No Number PlateThe truck on the ferry has no number plate, which we know was there for a reason since the camera shows a close up shot of it. This is typical of a thriller film because the antagonist’s identity is hidden for the majority of the film.

Editing &Cinematography

1) Flipped ShotWhen analysing the opening sequence of this film, a clever edit is the occasional flipped image shots that follow quickly on from each other. It links in with the title and plot of the film, since Déjà Vu means “a feeling of having already experienced the present situation.”

2) Blurred ShotAs the opening credits are

displayed, the shots occasionally go out of focus, which was done

post-production. This links into the plot and how the footage

which the audience is currently viewing will soon be a blur and a

memory later on in the storyline.

3) Fade to WhiteSome of the shots in the

opening sequence fade to white, making it appear like a

flashback or memory to the audience. Yet again, this links

in to the plot.

4) POINT-OF-VIEW SHOTUnlike most point-of-view shots where

the camera acts as the characters vision, this shot focuses on the

reflection of the ferry captain and then changes the focus to what the captain is

looking at- the bridge. This is another foreshadow of the plot because later on in the film the audience discovers that the bridge was used by the antagonist

as part of their evil scheme.

Editing &Cinematography

5) Long ShotThis is the first time the audience sees the antagonist, however it is extremely hard to notice. This is typical of a thriller film, where the antagonist’s identity is hidden for the majority of the film. This shot shows the antagonist using the bridge as an escape route form the explosion of the ferry which is about to occur. At this moment in the film, the audience do not know who the man on the motorbike is, however it is revealed later on.

Film Score/Sound

1) Non-diegetic SoundAs the production logo appears, sad piano music which is very quiet and slow paced starts to place. This instantly makes the

audience feel sorrow: foreshadowing the sad event which is soon to occur in the film.

2) Pleonastic SoundIn post-production, pleonastic sound was

added over the shots of people laughing to reinforce the action. However it is quite faint

so it appears to be a memory, as it plays over the saddened background piano music.

The laughter contradicts the miserable music.

3) Diegetic SoundThroughout the opening title sequence as the sailors board the ferry, diegetic sounds are played. For example, the bus, the bell,

dialogue. It makes it seem more realistic for the audience, as if they were in the situation.

4) Contrapuntal SoundWhen there are shots of happy families and sailors, the

background music is very sad. However, suddenly it changes to extremely jolly music which contradicts what is about to

happen (the terrorist attack). The use of this sound is to create disharmony in the film and to make the audience very tense

and uneasy.

ColourGrade

In Thriller Films, the colour is usually de-saturated to show how negative and eerie the atmosphere is and to help make the

audience feel tense whilst watching the film.

Since “Déjà Vu” is a thriller film that starts off with a contrasting scene which is supposed to be joyous, the colours do follow the Thriller Film colour grade rule of de-saturated blue and grey, however occasionally there are some extracts of vibrant colours. This could portray how the good and bad events intertwine; the happy occasion for the Navy Sailors, but the evil scheme of the antagonist.