Understanding Micro Elements in film openings

By Travis Quailey

We can see in the opening shot how they used a different camera techniques e.g pan shot and close up shot) in the opening sequence, because it starts with a tilt on the main character daughter playing and some shots close up shots on the father and her daughter, which suggest the close relationship between them.

A beautiful tracking shot then when the father go to open the door and the frame moves from side to side a lot, this shows that something is wrong and maybe something is about to happen. The music also here playing a big role when it change to a slow and calm which make the scene more scary and create the suspense of the film.

In the shot of the father attacked and fall on the floor they use a tilt shot to suggest the father is impotent and helpless. Then fast moving shots for the scene where the robber is beating his wife and stealing the objects in the house, they are all fast shots and they have used action and reaction from the father when they attacked his wife.

There is few close ups of the father struggling on the floor which suggest his impotent and helpless. In the end of the scene, the thieves go out with the daughter then they show father in a close up of his eyes, his eyes close that suggest that he has given up.

Lighting also plays a major role with the viewers feeling and perceptions of the scene and characters. The entire scene is in soft low light, light not directly from the source, to provide the impression of good night for the family

Cinematography

This will seriously help me out in my film opening production because this research allows me to understand that I have to be exact and precise with all my acting and filming because if the audience cannot understand what's going on in the film it wouldn’t attract them as much. Also just by understanding the micro elements that are included in a thriller is really useful as it has educated me towards making sure everything is done in a certain way.

Conclusion

Diegetic sound in the opening scene of the film law abiding citizen happens when you hear the beads which the father and daughter are making, the mother who is clearly cooking a meal for her family and as the door rings you can hear an aggressive bang noise which turns out to be a pair of burglars.

Diegetic

Facial Expression – Shows emotion which could make the audience feel bad the characters

Body Language – This gives everyone an idea of what the characters feelings are in the film and what could happen next in the film

Action(fights and abuse) – Makes the film much more exciting and gets you involved in the film

Sound effects (items braking and people being attacked) – Exaggerates the stunts and action which makes it sound more realistic

Performance

Now in the beginning of the film it shows Clyde’s family is just a stereotypical happy family and all the family is where white or cream e.g:- Clyde is wearing a creamy white jumper, his daughter is wearing cream jacket and his wife is wearing cream sweater. The fact that they are all wearing white and cream just predicts that they are an innocent, positive and pure family. It symbolizes the united relationship they have and how much Clyde loves his family. So when they get attacked it makes the audience feel like they should give sympathy and that message the film is giving you to make you understand that ‘life is so unfair’, even the good and innocent, the law abiding citizen experiences injustice. In contrast Darby and his ‘so called’ partner in crime are both wearing black clothing.

The bat and the knife are also really important as they are only used by one of the robbers to harm Clyde and his family throughout the scene. Additionally when each tool is used a close up shot occurs so that the viewer can see it in full details. The camera is positioned on the ground level to shows that Clyde is now completely useless and cannot do nothing to save his family. Now that Darby has authority and is more superior and dominant to overpowering Clyde's family, it allows the audience to feel as if they are the victims. This meaning is also enhanced with the light lit up on Darby’s face and his shadow over Clyde.

Micro Elements

The opening starts off so calm and sweet by the daughter making her father a bracelet, the wife is cooking dinner and the husband is clearly doing some sort of work, which makes you wonder whether this is really a thriller film. Until the actor opens the front door is when it has a sudden twist in the story by the two men breaking and entering there household and rapes the wife and child and then eventually kills them. Gives a shocking and distraught feeling that the audience is completely confused of what just happened as it is so fast paced, this makes you get involved in the story more and want to know what surprises is going to come next.

What is the response the film opening provokes?

In this shot the audience gets a glimpse of scene with the two main characters of the film and as it is mostly set in a prison and political locations. This could be a climax scene of one of the main characters as Gerard Butler is on his knees in handcuffs helpless as Jamie Foxx is shadowing over him shows dominance by his body language and facial expressions. Its as if he is trying to get information from the prisoner as you can see the costume difference shows a complete contrast between the characters and as the protagonist is trying to gain information from the antagonist so the audience can learn more about the story and what could happen next.

Mise en scene (Setting, costume, figure expression, props)

Extreme close up is basically like a close up but even closer, this is a scene where the wife is being raped in a scene and as it is a 15 it doesn’t show the full extent of what is going on in the film but shows her facial expressions which makes you understand that the woman is in serious pain. This emphasis’s the scene a whole lot more than a close up this is why it is called an extreme close up.

Extreme close up

A close up shot is an effective shot in a movie which is used by a lot of different genres such as action, horror and sci-fi for the audience to get involved in the film more by showing the characters feelings by his facial expressions which could show what might happen next in the film.

Close up

It shows medium shot of one of the robbers in the film with his facial expressions and body language showing he is clearly upset about the situation and what is happening to the main characters family which is an effective shot and typical convention of a thriller.

Medium Shot

This a motion video shot where a woman in the movie is thrown across the room to stop her from assisting her husband during the robbery. This shot is very effective towards moving action such as hand-to-hand combat.

Pan