Film Opening Research #2 - Seven

how many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?

"New Line Cinema" is the only title displayed.

what images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

The policeman and the crime scene is prioritized, especially the blood and the bodies.

what connotations do the images carry?

The policeman is apart of the police force that is trying to capture the serial killer, making him the protagonist. The crime scene is the carnege from the killer, who is the antoganist. These images convey a sense of good vs. evil and man vs. society conflicts. 

how is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

Seven is a detetctive/mystery film. The dark lighting makes the film feel mysterious and ominous. The close up of the police badge clues in the audience that it is a detetive movie. The panning shot of the bodies on the ground also are a dead giveaway that this movie is centered around findng a serial killer. 

how does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The crime scene and the bodies on the floor are a clear indicator of an enigma from the onset. The enigma is the serial killer.

what strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

The dark lighting, digestic sound of the sirens and cars honking, and the close ups of the crime scene all appeal to the target audience by creating a sense of mystery and overall dark mood. The target audience for crime/mystery would genreally be intersted in these images and sounds. 

how has technology been used effectively? 

The digestic sound of the sirens wailing and the vehicles honking immediately grabs the audience's attention. 

Film Opening Research #1 - The Golden Compass

how many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
Three titles: one saying "New Line Cinema", "Ingenious Film Partners" and another saying "The Golden Compass".

what images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
Bright Lights are prioritized because they are supposed to be the "dust", which is essentially someone's soul. Animals, called daemons are also prioritized because they serve as companions to people in the universe that the movie takes place in.  

what connotations do the images carry?
The bright lights and dust symbolize a person's soul.
The animals are spiritually linked to people. The animals represent a person's personality.

The Aurora Lights symbolize a passage to another world.

how is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The genre is fantasy. The talking animals and the contrast between the dark city and the bright lights reaffirm the magic of the universe. The close up of the witches and the talking polar bears also reaffirm that this is a fantasy film.

how does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film establishes an enigma from the onset because it immediately cuts to a scene of children playing. They are chasing each other while the adults yell at them to behave. The kids are chasing the protagonist, Lyra. This chase sets the tone for the rest of the movie. Lyra is racing against time throughout the movie because she is trying to save children from being magically severed from their daemons. 

what strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

The film immediately cuts to images of magical dust, witches, and talking animals to appeal to those who like fantasy.

how has technology been used effectively? 

Technology has been used effectively with the CGI. The animals that have been used throughout the film, such as the ice bears, are somewhat realistic looking. The close-up shots used are effective because they capture the happiness and sense of wonder in the children who are playing. The voice over is effective because it explains the universe of the Golden Compass but is still engaging because the images of the dust, witches, and animals captivate the audience. 

My Favorite Genre Powerpoint