Movie Opening Scenes

Superman - Man of Steel - Opening Scene

 

Starting off with a black screen to prepare the audience for the high key lighting about to come in. First seen is the mother, this is known by the pain on her face, hinting at child birth. This is accompanied by an out of focus shot to show a feeling of distortion to emphasise the mother's pain. This is all filmed in a close up to get all the facial expressions in.

Shortly following it cuts to a silver heart looking thing. This instantly gives away the genre of sci-fi. After a short two shot of the mother and i'm guessing father (by using initiative and the fact this same hand appeared gracing hers with a grip earlier) it then cuts to a more scenery filled shot with the transformation of a weird silver heart beat to a baby on a monitor, furthermore indicating the genre of the movie.

The father's face is now introduced in a two shot with the mother, this is shown incorporating mise-en-scene where the father is wearing a silver jacket and the mother brandishing tribal looking robes, again using mise-en-scene to indicate genre. -- 0.00-0.29

0.53 - There is now a long-shot of the baby(seeing that it does involve all body parts), as the title is Superman: Man Of Steel, it is made obvious to the viewer that this is indeed the birth of Superman.

There is now a two shot of the baby and father, the father being the made object of the shot despite not being in the middle of the shot. The father has the lighting focused on him so the viewer can see the expression on his face, furthermore prognosticating the decision yet to come by the bond from the son and father, seen through lighting being focused on his facial expressions.

1.04 - To put all our minds at ease and finally reveal the movie is going to be a sci-fi flick, there is a shot of the scenery of the supposed planet they are on. Featuring an unknown animal to us in the center of the shot. Zooming out to the sunrise to show the birth a new born king.

  

 Snatch - Opening Scene

Starting off with speech from the 4 soon to be robbers. The location of the robbery. Nothing indicates it's a burglary yet. In fact the mise-en-scene represents the actors as orthodox jews. The high security at the start, present in the mise-en-scene letting the viewer know they are going through a security check, does in fact hint at a burglary or something suspicious, given the films genre. There is the effect of a security tape, through a monitor and in black and white. This effect in turn tells the reader it's security footage.There is an effect on the tracking of the two Jewish men in which as the characters walk the the left so does the camera and in turn switching monitor to the left. This concept edit draws in the viewer as it's unusual also fitting to show the progress of movement. This same effect is further used when they proceed to walking into the lift. Props wise in the background of the men there is a no smoking sign in a foreign language, this also is a give away to the setting. As the four Jewish men go up in the lift another concept edit is used in the metaphor of going up in a lift meaning going up on the security monitor. The scene continues on with concept edits until the characters are all on the final monitor and one character lets out an English accent. Letting the viewer know these men are frauds and due to the genre this is a heist of some sort. The effect of a wipe of screen is used as there is a continuation of sound through the screen changing effect.

In fact it is unfortunate this footage is longer as later on in the opening scene when the heist actually happens through mise-en-scene Brad Pitt is revealed prognosticating his role throughout the film as a 'pikey'. Guy Ritchie also uses edits going into dual screen showing different characters doing different things during the heist, this gives an uptempo off beat feel to the movie, also contributing to the genre of action.

Zombieland - Opening Scene

0.00: To me this is the indubitably, undisputed, undefeated best opening scene of all time. Scene starting with a sound-bridged transition from a black screen to the American flag seen to be as if it's on the presidents cavalcade. This let's the viewer instantly know the setting of the movie, USA, and in this particular part of the movie Washington DC. This is fitting seeing that the narrator is sound-bridging the scene telling the audience about the zombie apocalypse in America. The black screen with a sound-bridge also let's the audience know the movie is starting so they better pay attention. 

Then the camera pans around awkwardly to give a POV effect filled with action shots to see guns, the White house and burning cars and the BOOM in your face a zombie to end all viewers question on genre. The camera jogs to give a more POV view to show both that the camera man is running to get away from the zombie, during this the camera displays the zombie in both medium and long shots showing again the natural bounce while running with a camera to create a POV shot. To make it obvious to viewers the person that is now getting eaten is the camera man there is an effect to represent the breaking of a screen and the occurrence of minor distortion to the viewing experience to show both the viewer is now in trouble and the camera is broken. - 0.39

0.55 to 1.07 - Starting with a rather plump man running in slow motion with a medium shot. Then posting a sub title of 'CARDIO' beating to emulate the pumping of a heart and give the audience an interactive feel. To show the pace difference between both the fat man and the zombie the camera then tracks the lateral movement of both in a medium two shot. Then transitioning to very quick close-up-action-two-shot to show the man has been caught. Then cutting to an extreme long shot to show the zombie devouring the man.

1.10 to - In three seconds there is an extreme-long-action shot to show the car crash, then a close up up the two cars to show the crash happening then a crane shot to see both the devastation of the crash and reaction of the sheriff. Mise-en-scene let's the audience know this happening is also in a metropolis and the costume of the man on the right lets the audience know he is a sheriff. There is then a long two shot of the zombies scurrying through the destruction. Then an action shot to the sheriff getting hit by a car and carrying on, emphasising to the audience that this man is no longer just a sheriff yet a zombie too. Then two quick cuts the second being a tracking of two people in the form of a worm's eye view shot to show the panic. Then a medium shot tracking the sheriff till the shot pans over to show the next title 'Double Tap' which is interactive like the last title considering a zombie in the background splits the title which is turned 270 degrees anti-clockwise. Proceeding to an action shot of the sheriff getting shot. Then a reaction-medium shot to woman who shot the viewer: She shot the sheriff but she did not shoot the deputy. Exceberating the dire times.