Dark Knight Rises Opening Scene Analysis

Director: Christoper Nolan

Budget: $250,000,000

Opening Weekend Gross: $160,887,295

The scene is a long shot of the character therefore showing most of his body. He is stood in a very tall posture which suggests power and he is confident. The angle of the camera is level therefore giving us a neutral power status. This changes whilst the film progresses, when Bane becomes out of control. His status then has a lack of power therefore the camera angles drop looking down on him. The environment is very dull and has hangers in the background. As the runway is very dusty this suggests that it is private therefore showing wealth. The other guards with the guns also shows wealth as it looks like a criminal escort. The weather is very overcast therefore setting the mood of the scene.

The sound added to the scene is non-diegetic and helps to build up the tension of the film. This is effective as it helps to keep the viewer held in suspense with both the visuals and the sound, therefore trying to guess what is going to happen.

This panning establishing shot helps to show the environment and that they are in the middle of nowhere. The scene also shows, because of the shadows, is is still overcast. This helps still sets the mood. Also as there is not much light, this suggests that anything could happen this is also supported by that they are in the middle of nowhere. In the scene we see some motion blur on the environment, this suggests movement, as the plane is focused.

This next close up shot shows the captured being threatened to be thrown out of the plane. But blurring the background of the shot and focusing on the vulnerable helps to give the effect that the viewer should focus their attention on. By placing a gun in the shot also give the effect to the viewer that they are being threatened. As the background is blurry it make it look misty and cloudy this adds the whole aspect of the whole scene being grim. The black face mask is moving and blurred due to the wind, this suggests that the plane is moving and gives us the sence that he could be thrown out of the plane.

This next over the shoulder shot/third person shot (OTS) is paired with another OTS (therefore creating a shot reverse shot). Because Bane is blurred this helps the viewer concentrate and focus on the other characters expressions. Because the other character is knelt down like bane, and he is shorter, therefore smaller than him suggests that Bane has more power over him even though he is captured.
When the shot reverses to show Bane, the angle of the camera is looking up at him which gives this idea of power again. Where as the other shot the camera angle is looking down at the other character. The lighting has a blue tinge to it therefore connoting a cold feeling for the viewer. Because of this change in colour, this changes the mood of the characters and the viewer watching.

The facial expressions on Bane helps to make the viewer denote that he is powerful and uncontrollable. Also the mask on his face makes him look even more intimidating for the viewer and the other characters. The sound in this shot is mainly dialogue between the two characters, therefore diegetic. There is also non-diegetic dramatic music playing in the background to give the viewer a sense that something bad is going to happen or that something is following the plane (As shown later in the film opening).
As this is the first time we encounter with Bane this signifer (being the villan) which shows and relates to the genre of the film.

This next shot is effecive as it shows the side of the plane being hyjacked. As the hyjackers swing down, this show that the plane in now out of control. This shows the power of Bane and his employees due to the hyjack of the plane. The sound in the shot has dramatic non-diegetic music playing behind the dialogue to build the tension and inform the viewer that something is going to happen. This is effective as the viewer can assume that the plane is going to be hijacked due to the shots showing the other plane foreshadowing and hinting at what is going to happen.
The temperature of the shot is blue showing coldness which outlines the narrative at this specific time.

This irregular medium shot has the idea of power. As the viewer is looking up at Bane, this gives the sense that he holds the power and is in control of the plane. Because he is hanging from the seat also shows that he is confident unlike the others grasping the seats. This tells the viewer he is not scared unlike the others. This shows what type of personality he has and shows that it would take a lot to scare him. This signifies a stereotypical villain.

The Matrix Film Opening Scene Analysis

Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski

Budget: $63,000,000
Opening Weekend Gross: $27,788,331

The first scene in the opening of the film shows an establishing shot of the area. The blurred and wavy scene showing something is not right which then foreshadows the following scenes later in the film. The green tinge filter also connotes aliens. Therefore there is a meaning of the unknown and not knowing what is going to happen. The waves and blur also suggest the director did not want us to clearly see where the central protagonist is, which gives us the idea of the protagonist is being secretive and on the run. This is then shown later in the film opening. Because the shot has a very dark, this helps to show another aspect of secrecy.

Sound is used very effectively in the scene, as the idents and the establishing shot progresses, there is non-diegetic sounds effects added on for dramatic effect. The sounds are wobbly and suggest mystery and the unknown.

The shot then leads onto and forms to an altered green indent to show the production company. This helps to give the indent mote relativity toward the film.
The clouds in the background also denote a gloomy day, they are inevitable. This then symbolizes that the clouds are trying to hide and block out something. They also have a green tinge which relates the whole idea of the green theme of the unknown.

The use of font and colour the titles in the first section of the opening tells all about the film. by using a pale lime green colour connotes: secret code, hacking, etc. Also the font of the text suggests this idea of hacking.

The title screen is faded into from a 'matrix'. This then helps to give the title more relativity towards the film.

The sounds in this clip have glitchy and computeristic identificaton to them. Because they are part of the scene they are diegetic. The combination of the visuals and the sound help to give the film extra meaning, as the sound helps to emphasise the meaning of what is onscreen.

The next shot shows another matrix, this then symbolizes that something has been hacked and leaves the viewer to wonder what is going on. At the same time this scene is being shown, a phone call is ongoing.
During the phone call the protagonist (we assume this) starts to believe that their phone call is hacked and they are being listened to. This then relates back to the visuals on screen, therefore the viewer can relate the to things together.

In this part of the clip there is a phone conversation, which is diegetic, but also the addition of the glitchy and computerised sounds help to show and foreshadow to the viewer that the call has been hacked. The viewer can assume that the glitchy sounds and the 'matrix' visuals makeup the hacking, as these glitchy sounds and the visuals have connotations of this.

This extreme closeup (ECU) helps to keep the viewer contained and gives the viewer minimal view of the surroundings which makes them feel on the edge of their seat. The shot also sows a lot of detail of the person. Their expressions and feelings can be read from the ECU. The director of photography (DOP) or the cinematographer has decided not to include the whole face but just the eyes. This helps to show some of their expression, bu the viewer cannot be sure what they are exactly feeling.
The shot has a very shallow depth of field (SDOF) as the character is sharp and in focus to help us concentrate on him which is what the director wants us to do. But also the background is very blurred which helps us to not concentrate on the other things in the background as they are not important at this time. Also the light held by the other officer (we see this as the film progresses) helps to keep the character we see back lit. This helps to highlight his eye lashes and parts of his nose so we can see some of his expression without it being too dark. The colour of the torch has a very cold blue colour to it. This connotes coldness, darkness and also keeps the viewer in suspense. This then relates back to the film and the plot, where the protagonist is on the run and it keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat.

The sound in this extract is very minimal, because of the stealth and silence of the police. the helps to build tension in the film opening, therefore creating a build up before the first fight encounter. This helps to intensify the whole scene.

As the shot before cuts to this one, the character becomes focused gradually, to help us as a viewer to concentrate on his face. As the character starts to look away the camera pans and moves across his face to show the viewer more of the setting they are in and the other police officers (we can assume this now). The focus is then changes tho focus on the other police officers in the background, because of the SDOP, the first character we see is very blurred and the others in the background are sharp and in focus.
The lighting in the shot is very specific. Because their is not lighting on the face of the character and it being completely dark, it helps us to focus on the surroundings rather than the blurred dark face in the foreground. The lighting, due to it being blue, makes it look misty, therefore having connotations of darkness and blocking and disrupting vision. Because of the back lit environment, the blurred gun is highlighted. This helps to give the scene a gloomy feel as there is only a outline of the prop.

The gun has connotations of protection, therefore making the viewer think that the protagonist is uncontrollable, as they have to use life-threatening weapons. Also the torches in the scene give an aspect of darkness, therefore having connotations that anything can happen.

This closeup of the central protagonist makes them look vulnerable therefore making the viewer think they are in trouble. Because of the light from the torches shining down on her verifys this. Also the use of the hands rasing helps to suggest this as well.
The black dark background also connotes the unknown therefore questioning the reader what is going to happen. Beacause of the back lighting, the outline of the protagonist's face is litup, this helps to contrast the dark background.

Favourite Film

Ex Machina (2015) - Alex Garland

The plot it cleverly manipulated to trick and confuse the audience, as there are many plot twists. Nearer the end of the film there is a twist where Ava (the programmed human) takes over and tricks Caleb and betrays him ending up locking him inside the secure building. This film leads you to think what is actually happening in the real world what companies are doing with your information and whether artificial intelligence will actually have a big impact in the real world therefore a possibility of whether ai could actually take over.

I find it interesting how the director decided to use a female as the ai robot. Like most ai in the real world, female voices are used (Siri, Google and Windows' alternative). Therefore having the female ai overpower and out smart the male dominated society helps to prove the stereotype of a male-dominated society, wrong. Some may argue that Ava was programmed by a male therefore defending themselves.

Ex Machina has a really well thought out storyline. The build of the story leads little secrets and hints showing why Nathan (Oscar Isaac) actually brought Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) to his isolated home. Whilst the film progresses, Nathan reveals that he brought Caleb not from a competition, but selected very carefully from his company, showing he manipulated his employee Caleb with a reward he could not reject.

The film is cleverly thought out as the Si-Fi elements are not over done. As the film is based on the future of computing and scientific experiments, the suttle use of special effects helps to keep the film more realistic, therefore the audience can relate the film to real life experiences.