Film opening analysis of DREDD

The fifth film opening I analysed was the 2012 DREDD film (00:00:10 - 00:02:41)

DREDD opens with an establishing shot of Mega City One which the soundtrack playing in the background, there is then a voiceover of Dredd (Karl Urban) speaking and explaining the plot of the film and setting the scene. There is an aerial shot moving forward to the Mega City followed by a tilt the a zoom in where a drone appears on screen which then transitions to a close up of Dredd wrapping up his hand. This is followed by a low angle shot of rioters when there is a cut to dredd slipping his jacket over his shoulder. There is use of a news report to add realism to the film, followed by another shot of Dredd putting his bullet proof vest on where there is a transition to a point of view shot from the drone there is another aerial shot revealing the hall of justice building which pans up to show all of it. After this shot there is a cut to a close up of the I.D. check on Dredd's gun which then jump cuts to a close up of Dredd putting his iconic helmet on followed by a jump cut to a medium shot to show Dredd in his uniform. This is followed by a fade in 3D effect of the DREDD title appearing on screen, as this happens the soundtrack gets louder and more intense. The titles are then followed by a fast fade in to a quick moving steadicam moving right which transfers to a locked down shot of Dredd speeding away on his Motorcycle. there is then a fast transition to an aerial shot of the City with a follow on long shot of the control room with the operators talking. the camera then cuts to an operator on the computer which zooms in slightly, which is then disrupted by a extreme close up of the screen transitioning between three to reveal the perpetrators. A tracking shot is then used to show Dredd in pursuit of them followed by a jump transition to a high angle tracking shot of the criminals in the van which then cuts to the same shot but with Dredd in focus. There is a following shot of the van which then switches to Dredd instead. This is followed by a locked down shot of between two busses where Dredd drives up to the camera to add effect. 

Mise en scene:

The lighting seems to be natural, however when it shows Dredd preparing himself the lighting is very low adding a threatening effect to Dredd, the costumes are based on the comic of Judge Dredd so they look like the comic book series. The colour design is plain and industrial showing that it is a rough area that Dredd is in. 

Target audience:

The target audience is anyone (18+) who may like the Judge Dredd franchise or who likes action films, this film may also appeal to sci-fi fans as well.

Synopsis:

Mega City One is a vast, violent metropolis where felons rule the streets. The only law lies with cops called "judges," who act as judge, jury and executioner, and Dredd (Karl Urban) is one of the city's most feared. One day, Dredd is partnered with Cassandra (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities. A report of a terrible crime sends Dredd and Cassandra to a dangerous area controlled by Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), a drug lord who will stop at nothing to protect her empire.

Timeline:
00:00:10- Fade in, establishing shot with soundtrack
00:00:15- Voiceover starts
00:00:23- Aerial shot moving forward over to city
00:00:39- Pan right to establish setting
00:00:51- High shot, drone appears
00:01:01- Point of view shot from drone
00:01:06- Close up of Dredd's hand
00:01:09- Low angle shot of rioters
00:01:12- Close up shot of Dredd putting on jacket
00:01;14- News report
00:01:20- Medium shot of Dredd putting on vest
00;01:22- Point of view shot from drone
00:01:28- Aerial shot of hall of justice
00:01:33- Pan up to reveal whole building
00:01:44- Medium shot of Dredd
00:01:46- Close up of Dredd's gun I.D. check
00:01:49- Close up of Dredd putting on helmet
00:01:53- Medium shot of Dredd
00:01:55-  'DREDD' titles and soundtrack gets louder
00:01:57- Fade out to reveal fast moving steadicam
00:02:00- Locked down shot of Dredd riding into distance
00:02:02- Aerial moving shot
00:02:07- Diegetic police radio stars quietly and gradually gets louder
00:02:14- Long shot, pan right inside control room
00:02:17- Close up, zooming in to woman's screen
00:02:19- Extreme close up of computer screen
00:02:21- Cut to another computer screen
00:02:22- Cut to another computer screen
00:02:24- Long tracking shot
00:02:31- High angle tracking of criminals van
00:02:33- High angle in same position track of Dredd
00:02:34- Medium shot of van rear, tracking shot
00:02:36- Medium shot of Dredd rear, tracking shot
00:02:37- Locked down shot between two busses where Dredd gets close to the camera

Reflection:
I chose to analyse this film as i am a fan of the Dredd comics and i enjoyed the 1990's film starring Sylvester Stallone. I am also a fan of sci-fi action films as i have always been, I think that the opening to DREDD is effective and eye catching as it describes the setting as well as showing the scene which allows you to take in the scenery and understand the genre.

Film opening analysis of FURY

The fourth film opening i analysed was the opening scene to FURY (00:00:50 - 00:04:05)

(This clip only contains some of what i have analysed)

The film opens with some text describing when an where the film is set which also gives the genre (war), while the text is on screen there is a radio transmission playing in the background adding suspense and raising question from the audience. There is then a cut to the titles which then zoom in and then cut to a low angle wide shot of a German officer appearing on a horse with back lighting creating a silhouette of the officer. There is non diegetic soundtrack playing in the background but is very quiet, the camera then moves to the left tracking the officer which then cuts to a tracking close up of the horses hooves followed by a transition to a long shot following the officer still, this shot shows the scenery and devastation that war can create. As the German gets to 'FURY' the character 'wardaddy' (Brad Pitt) jumps on the officer and begins to stab him followed by transitioning to a close up of 'wardaddy' stabbing the officer which pans up to a reaction shot of Brad Pitt,. There is a cut to a medium shot of brad Pitt taking the reins off of the horse and letting it go, the camera continues to track Brad Pitt as he climbs upon the 'FURY' tank and pans up as he climbs upon the turret.

Miss-en-scene:

In the scene there is low key lighting creating an errie/threatening effect, on set there are a lot of destroyed vehicles and tanks making the genre even more clear. The costumes are ww2 uniforms and the tanks are the typical Second World War tanks. Brad Pitt brings a strong presence on screen and a strong masculine figure in the movie. 

Target audience: 

The target audience is anyone (15+) who is a fan of war films or tanks as the movie is a great combination of both, the fact that there is a popular actor in the film may draw more attention from the actors fans.

Synopsis:

It is April 1945, the Allies are making their final push in the European theater. A battle-hardened Army sergeant named Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Brad Pitt), leading a Sherman tank and a five-man crew, undertakes a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Hopelessly outnumbered, outgunned and saddled with an inexperienced soldier (Logan Lerman) in their midst, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds as they move to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.

Timeline: 

00:00:50- cut to text

00:01:06- quick fade to FURY

00:01:17- cut to text

00:01:38- cut to low angle establishing shot

00:01:43- German officer appears on screen, long tracking shot, soundtrack begins (quietly) 

00:02:45-transition to long tracking shot

00:03:05- Brad Pitt jumps on officer 

00:03:11- close up 

00:03:12- pan up to reveal reaction shot

00:03:24- cut to medium shot of Brad Pitt releasing horse

00:03:38- music gets louder

00:03:53- tracking shot 

00:04:00- pan up, tracking shot

Reflection:
I chose to analyse FURY as i am a huge fan of military history and action films, a massive push for me to watch this film is that i have seen the tanks from the film which made me want to watch the film to see how they were portrayed. I am very interested in WW2 films as they have always appealed to me, i believe that the opening to Fury is very effective as it shows the true side of war even though the film has not gotten into the thick of the plot.

Film opening analysis of Saving Private Ryan

The third film opening I analysed was Saving Private Ryan (00:00:40 - 00:03:50)

Saving Private Ryan opens with a close up shot of a mans feet as he is walking down a path, there is non diegetic soundtrack playing which gives an upsetting feeling as the music is quite slow tempo and sad. The camera is following the man and tilts up to a medium, eye-line shot. There is a jump cut to view the mans family behind him which then jumps to a close up of the sons face as he takes a picture, which transfers to a close up of his wife's face. There is a jump cut to a long tracking shot as the man is walking towards the camera, a jump cut to the U.S. and French flag help to show where they are and where the main character is from, there is then a transition to a tracking close up of the man as he walks forward which shows the mans emotions which can add effect to the scene and cause the viewers to get emotional aswell, the shot then jumps to a long tracking shot of the man and his family behind him creating ease for the viewers as it shows that he is with someone. There is a high angle shot to show the mass of graves creating an upsetting feeling for the viewers, there is a jump cut to the man walking towards a specific grave the camera tracks him as he does so. There is an establishing shot of some graves followed by two more, this along with the soundtrack creates an emotional atmosphere, a jump cut to a close up zoom to the mans face shows his emotions, creating another emotional affect, the camera zooms to an extreme close up to the mans eyes showing the effect that war had on him. There is a jump cut to an establishing shot to set the scene and the genre of the film which is war, there is a diegetic sound of the waves in the beach and the camera tilts down, followed by some text on screen.

Mise-en-scene

The setting in the beginning is the Omaha beach memorial/graves. The lighting is natural as it is to seem true and realistic to the audience, the scene that followed this was more lowly lit giving a threatening affect and the scene was a lot more negative and war-like.

Target audience:

The target audience of Saving Private Ryan is anyone (15+) who is interested in war films or the history of the second world war, the film is mainly aimed at adults as the subject it is about is a serious matter meaning it is not maybe suitable for the younger viewer.

Synopsis:

Captain John Miller (Tom hanks) takes his men behind enemy lines after D-Day to find one Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded by the brutal realities of war, while searching for Ryan, each man embarks upon a personal journey and discovers their own strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honour, decency and courage.

Reflection:
The reason i chose to analyse Saving Private Ryan is because it is a film i have enjoyed the film ever since i first saw it, I found the film very moving and emotional as it shows the true cost of war. I believe that the opening to Saving Private Ryan is very effective and moving as it shows a small part of what some war veterans have been through.

Film opening analysis of Kelly's Heroes

The second film opening i analysed was Kelly's Heroes (00:00:10- 00:03:35)

Kelly's Heroes opens with a fade in shot of German soldiers on a tank with a burning building behind them, this shows what genre the film is, which is an action/war film. Across the screen there are some credits although the image is still visible behind them, the camera then pans left to set the scene with multiple German troops and tanks with more credits on screen. The camera then tracks a particular German soldier at a medium shot, the tracking then stops to reveal the protagonists in a jeep. The camera starts to zoom in on the jeep which then cuts to a close up of a German officer in the jeep, the camera then moves right to reveal the main protagonist (Clint Eastwood). Main credits appear on screen, there is a jump cut to a locked down shot of soldiers walking, then back to a tracking shot of the German soldier again, there is a shot-reverse-shot of the German and the protagonist to show each others reaction. This is followed by a medium tracking shot as the jeep drives off down an alley, non diegetic music starts as the jeep drives off, followed by a point of view shot inside the jeep, after the point of view shot there are a series of tracking shots. There is a close up shot of Clint Eastwood as he is driving which then cuts back to tracking shots of the vehicle. Credits roll over the screen as the action continues, a point of view shot follows the tracking shot, then there is a medium shot of the protagonist followed by another jump cut to a  POV shot which jump cuts to a locked down shot of some German soldiers while the jeep drives past. The final part of the scene is a long lasting tracking shot. The opening of Kelly's heroes sets the scene and allows you to understand the situation and get an understanding of what the story is about.

Mise-en scene:

The location is a partly destroyed village, the lighting is low key lighting emphasising the darkness of war even though the film is partially comedic. The props used such as tanks add to the dramatic affect of the film as they are seen as deadly and dangerous.

Target audience:

The target audience is anyone who is a fan of any war film or comedy as Kelly's Heroes has a few comedic scenes in the film.

Synopsis:

Set in the midst of World War 2, a selection of colourful American GI's get inside information from a German officer about millions of dollars worth of gold behind enemy lines. Kelly (Clint Eastwood) devises a plan sneak behind enemy lines to retrieve the gold, they enlist the help of a hippie Tank Commander, Oddball (Donald Sutherland) to help them. despite several casualties the men are determined to press forward, even if it means making a deal with the enemy.

Reflection:

The reason i chose to analyse Kelly's Heroes is because i'm a fan of WW2 films and also the actor Clint Eastwood and Donald Sutherland, also i am interested in the history behind the plots of films. I think that the opening o Kelly's Heroes is effective as it sets the scene of the film and adds a comedic effect within it.

Film opening analysis of Mad Max: Fury Road

The first film opening i analysed was the opening to Mad Max: Fury Road (00:00:00 - 00:03:04)

Mad Max: Fury Road  opens with titles and a voiceover from Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) talking about how the world got destroyed, setting the scene and explains what genre the film which is post-apocalyptic fiction or action. There is a transition in the credits to show footage from a documentary of a nuclear bomb effect on  some trees, it then cuts back to the credits continuing with the voiceover followed by a jump cut to an establishing shot of Max and his V8 interceptor (which is an icon of all of the previous Mad Max films, creating something recognisable for the older viewers) on a high point looking over the wasteland, this sets the scene and gives information about where the film is set. A crane shot moving down is used to bring the viewers attention to a lizard on a rock, while this is happening there is a diegetic dialogue of a girl followed by the voiceover of Max the camera then settles to focus on the lizard, the camera zooms in, to focus on max and the Interceptor. There is a jump cut to a close up of Max eating the lizard, there is not diegetic soundtrack as max packs up his things in a series of jump cuts, this tells the viewer that something bad is going to happen. There is then a close up shot of the turbocharger from the bonnet of Max's V8 Interceptor followed by another close up of the rear tyre as Max drives off. There is a tracking shot of the interceptor driving down the hill, The camera then cuts to a locked-down shot of the Interceptor driving out of view. This implies that there is something to follow to pursue Max, as the enemy cars drive over and around the camera there is a crane shot followed by a cut to a long shot of the pursuit then there is a jump cut to a closer shot of the pursuit in which the interceptor crashes, there is a tracking shot of the car as it flips. When the interceptor comes to a halt there is a voiceover from max again, a jump cut to a close up to the car door shows Max climbing out adding to the suspense of the scene as it makes the viewer concerned if he will make it out or not. A medium shot shows max crawling out of the wreckage, there is a flashback where a young girl is getting chased, it then cuts back to the scene where max is climbing out of the wreckage in which a gun is pointed at him, there is then a jump cut to a locked down shot of the landscape in which the cars and enemies drive past but the camera tracks max as he is pulled behind. A Non-diegetic soundtrack starts followed by a fade out for dramatic effect.

Mise-en-scene:

The location is post-apocalyptic Australia, there is high key lighting making everything look brighter than usual, the costumes were dark and dusty to suit the location, there is Max's iconic V8 interceptor and turbocharger in the engine making it instantly noticeable that it is a Mad Max film.

Target audience:
The target audience is anyone who is interested n the Mad Max franchise, although Mad Max:Fury Road is the beginning of a new series of the franchise. The main audience is either younger viewers or older viewers who are familiar with the old Mad Max trilogy.

Synopsis:
Years after the collapse of civilisation, Immortan Joe enslaves apocalypse survivors in a desert fortress called the Citadel. When the female warrior (Charlize Theron) leads Immortan Joe's five wives on a daring escape across the wasteland, she forms an alliance with Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) a lone wasteland wanderer who was captured by the Citadel. They attempt their escape in a massive armoured truck called the War Rig, trying to escape the pursuing warlord and his henchmen in a deadly high-speed chase through the wasteland.

Reflection:

I chose to analyse Mad Max: Fury Road as i am a fan of the original Mad Max trilogy, also i found the movie very good and i found all of the effects (visual, special and practical) remarkable and the amount of effort put in to making the film was stunning.

Introductory post

 The reason i chose to do A-Level Media Studies is because i enjoy films and television, also a few of my hobbies link in with media studies such as;model making and i would like to create videos to publish on youtube, the subject has always seemed interesting to me. I believe that i will enjoy Media Studies as the aspects that make up Media Studies look very intersting and I think that i will enjoy making and producing a film opening later on in the year. Some of the other subjects i have chosen can link in with Media Studies which might hopefully help me and allow me to achieve a good grade to my benefit, also i hope that studying Media will open up new pathways for me and allow me to see what job i could get in the future.