Understanding Micro Elements in Film Openings

Film: Pulp Fiction By Jamie Tilsley

Mise en scene

In this opening scene, we see the focus on the two characters who are wearing quite casual clothes which shows in way they are relaxed, as they are wearing relaxed clothes also, the character on the right is leaned back with one foot on the seat which also shows he is relaxed. They are set in a restaurant so we see things you would normally see in one, such as; salt, pepper, condiments and food, making the setting more realistic. The use of red chairs may include a hidden meaning, as red is often used to symbolize danger and sometimes love, these elements do become apparent further through the opening. As it is an opening scene so the audience aren't really expecting anything exciting to happen and are lured into a false sense that the film will be casual.

Cinematography

This medium shot cuts off the two characters at their waists as they are sitting down. The shot allows us to see the top half's of both the characters, giving us a view of their faces and upper body. This is effective as the character/actor (Tim Roth) uses his hands when he talks for making gestures. This shows us his personality and his physical reactions to the subjects in the couples dialogue. While on the other hand we see the woman keeping quite still with her hands remaining in a fixed position on top of the table, showing she may be a stiff sort of character. The way they are sat by a window lets light into the scene and gives it natural lighting for a feel of authenticity.

Cinematography

From this close up shot of the waitress we get a good view of her face as it is the only thing in the shot other than the background, which is blurred which shows the character isn't concerned with her surroundings and is focussing on talking to the other characters. She also takes up the majority of the screen to ensure she is focused upon by the viewer. From seeing this segment of the opening, we see the characters emotions and can see that the waitress is quite cheerful due to the slight grin on her face. This makes the audience feel secure as they feel they have nothing to worry about as the situation is calm and the person in the shot is confident in the situation and smiling.

Cinematography

In this shot the angle has switched from up close to the waitress, to a medium close up on the female character. The female is in the centre of the shot which indicates the director wants the viewers attention on her. However, the way the light from the window shines in, creates a shadow on the woman's face, which obstructs the viewers sight a little bit, making it harder to see her facial expression and the look in her eyes. We can see a partial smile on her face as she replies to the waitress, making the situation seem calm and the exchange between characters a friendly one. We also have a hand from the waitress coming in front of the female characters face to refill her drink, taking some of the attention away from her.

Cinematography

This medium close up shot also focuses on the female character. It does zoom in closer from the last medium close up and doesn’t include the waitress, indicating the director wants us to focus even more on the character. Her leaned in posture shows she is focusing on the male character sitting across from her. Again the light through the window in this shot casts a shadow on the left side of the characters face. This may have a hidden meaning that the character has a dark side we haven't seen yet as shown by the shadow. The zoom shows us the character has a stern expression and is quite serious at this point.

Cinematography

This shot shows what the female character was seeing from the previous shot. The fact it is a medium close up too shows the expressions and posture of the male character. We see he is in deep conversation as he is leaned in and is making eye contact with the female. He is also relaxed as his left arm is draped over the chair in a casual way. The way the camera is looking over the woman's shoulder shows subtlety the female may be more dominant and important than the male as she is closer to the camera. The camera is eye level so it is like the director wants the viewer to act as an human actually observing the scene.

Sound

In this small segment, there is quite a bit of diegetic sound. For example, not only are the characters talking, we can also hear cars driving past outside, people chatting and cutlery tapping against plates as people eat. These sounds add to the realness of the film and makes the film seem better as even adding little things can make the film more enjoyable, in this case, adding the various noises make the scene more believable and allows the viewer to get lost in the film.