The Importance of Film Openings:
Openings are very important because they set the mood of the film. They give the audience clues of the genre or what type of movie it will be in just a few minutes without giving away too much.
For example, the beginning of a horror film will most probably be shot in a dark setting with eerie music in the background which will create a spooky mood, or if the opening is for a comedy, it might start with a funny joke, upbeat music or an event which gives the impression that the movie is amusing. It also sets the time-frame/era and the type of audience (whether the movie is meant for kids, teens or adults; who the target audience is).
A good opening should entice the viewers in, pique their interest and leave them on the edge of their seats, wanting more. It's like the movie's first impression: the director only has a few minutes to get the audience hooked or else people will get bored and the movie will not be successful because no one would watch the rest of it.
Film openings can be made exciting with the use of visual effects/techniques, action, dialogues, sound effects, camera shots and angles, music and editing.
Here are some examples of great film openings from some of my favorite movies:
The Matrix The Godfather
For example, the beginning of a horror film will most probably be shot in a dark setting with eerie music in the background which will create a spooky mood, or if the opening is for a comedy, it might start with a funny joke, upbeat music or an event which gives the impression that the movie is amusing. It also sets the time-frame/era and the type of audience (whether the movie is meant for kids, teens or adults; who the target audience is).
A good opening should entice the viewers in, pique their interest and leave them on the edge of their seats, wanting more. It's like the movie's first impression: the director only has a few minutes to get the audience hooked or else people will get bored and the movie will not be successful because no one would watch the rest of it.
Film openings can be made exciting with the use of visual effects/techniques, action, dialogues, sound effects, camera shots and angles, music and editing.
Here are some examples of great film openings from some of my favorite movies:
The Matrix The Godfather
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Guardians of the Galaxy Monty Python and the Holy Grail
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The History of Film Openings:
The history of films dates way back to the 19th century. The first movie ever shown on screen was by the Lumiere brothers (Auguste and Louis) released in 1888 called Roundhay Garden Scene (2.11 seconds long). Other filmmakers soon joined in and started making short movies of their own but the brothers' other later productions (Arrival of a Train, Lumiere and Company, Employees leaving the Lumiere Factory) remained the most popular at that time.
As far as the openings are concerned, none of the earlier works had any credit scene or titles; they just jumped right in. Another well known filmmaker named Georges Melies released many movies in the 19th century too, but none of them contained any openings either.
As far as the openings are concerned, none of the earlier works had any credit scene or titles; they just jumped right in. Another well known filmmaker named Georges Melies released many movies in the 19th century too, but none of them contained any openings either.
The first ever glimpse of a film opening was in 1900 in the short comedy clip How It Feels to Be Run Over directed by Cecil M. Hepworth.
It begins with both the title, year and Hepworth's name on a black screen which transitions into a scene of a horse wagon driving recklessly on the road then smashing straight into the camera.
In 1901, just a year later, filmmakers began including inter-titles (title cards that provide dialogue or set the scene) in their openings. Probably the first movie to use this was Scrooge, Or, Marley's Ghost directed by Walter R. Booth which was an adaptation of the novel A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
At the same time that this was happening, filmmakers even began putting copyright and anti-piracy warnings at the start of the movies, lead by Thomas Edison (he issued a strict warning about plagiarism at the beginning of his film Trap Disrobing Act).
Let's look at The Great Train Robbery, a film produced by Edwin S. Porter in 1903. At this point every movie released had an opening; a plain background with text (titles, director/producer name and copyright stamp) displayed on it, but this movie was special because it was approximately 13 minutes long instead of the usual 2-7 minutes and also had the company's logo in the opening image too.
In these early years of the film making industry, no openings included names of the actors/actresses, camera crew, technicians, makeup and hair artists, set designers, editors, etc. because of a simple reason; the directors did not want them to gain public fame from their performance in the movie and then demand higher wages later.
However, that began to change after 1910 when a filmmaker Carl Laemmle cleverly pulled a huge publicity stunt by faking an actress's (whose character was popular) death and then later using her face to promote his new movie causing her fame to increase tenfold. By 1911, other directors started using star power as well to promote their own movies and to draw more people in.
The first experimental attempt at animating titles was in the movie Humorous Phases of Funny Faces in 1906 by using chalk and stop motion animation. Moving and colorful animations then slowly became popular after a couple of years in Europe, where film making was considered to be more artistic than in American Hollywood.
The Adventures of Prince Achmed (released in 1926) and The Lodger (by Alfred Hitchcock, released in 1927) are both examples of films in which a colorful animated opening was used.
However, that began to change after 1910 when a filmmaker Carl Laemmle cleverly pulled a huge publicity stunt by faking an actress's (whose character was popular) death and then later using her face to promote his new movie causing her fame to increase tenfold. By 1911, other directors started using star power as well to promote their own movies and to draw more people in.
The first experimental attempt at animating titles was in the movie Humorous Phases of Funny Faces in 1906 by using chalk and stop motion animation. Moving and colorful animations then slowly became popular after a couple of years in Europe, where film making was considered to be more artistic than in American Hollywood.
The Adventures of Prince Achmed (released in 1926) and The Lodger (by Alfred Hitchcock, released in 1927) are both examples of films in which a colorful animated opening was used.
Into the 20's, major film studios began using different styles of audio and hiring full time letter designers who designed titles and inter-titles to evoke different moods from the audience.
The majority of the movie intros strictly followed a template: they always started with the studio company's logo, then the film stars' credits played followed by the title and then the credits of the rest of the cast including screenplay, music, cinematography, wardrobe, etc. (not necessarily in a specific order) and ending with the Director's name (video playing in the background with music the whole time).
Some movies added a quick end title card with a list of the names of the cast at the end e.g. The Wizard of Oz, an iconic film released in 1939.
At this time, filmmakers were competing in creating the most creative and clever title openings using the latest technology, typography and soundtracks to draw the viewers in during the first few minutes. Alfred Hitchcock and Maurice Binder were very popular designers, Hitchcock being best known for his hits Vertigo and Psycho, and Binder being the one who created the notorious intro in the film Dr. No released in 1962.
It features the popular James Bond standing and aiming a gun straight at the camera through a barrel and then pressing the trigger, washing the barrel over with blood and causing it to shrink and become a small circle that starts dancing with other colorful circles with the dramatic theme music still playing in the background while credits roll.
Before, only major department heads were credited in the film while minor employees were not. Slowly, as time went on and the studio system was replaced by the producer based system (each movie is a different company with its own set of employees), other cast members also started demanding that they be included in the opening credits too so they have proof that they worked on that film.
This caused the production companies to start including everyone's names and move the long credits with all the extras, minor actors, stylists, cameramen, light, etc. to the end of their movies while keeping the major roles like main actors, producer, director, etc. in the openings. The first movie to do this was Micheal Anderson's Around The World In 80 Days, released in 1956.
The first use of digital technology to develop a title sequence was in 1978 for the movie Superman.
Moving into the 2000's: the Golden Age of Television brought compelling story-lines and beautiful cinematography so film openings became much more modernized and creative, some examples being Saw, The Fight Club, The Dark Knight, Jurassic Park and Shrek.
The majority of movies and TV shows now start with cold opens (teasers that jump straight into the story while the opening credits are rolling to attract the audience right away); The Office, a show by NBC, is notorious for its funny cold opens.
Analysis:
Inception
This movie was released in 2010 by Legendary Pictures and was directed by Christopher Nolan (widely considered to be the best director of the current age).
Its gene lies in science fiction, action, dream and thriller and many stars have acted in this film including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page and Cillian Murphy.
The plot is about a professional thief named Dominick Cobb who has a rare ability to jump into people's dreams and steal private information from them when they are at their most vulnerable state. This makes him a threat to corporate organizations, so he is on the run until he is offered a chance at redemption by completing a seemingly impossible task which could cost him everything he loves.
The film has grossed over US $828 million worldwide and has won four academy awards too: Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects. It is popularly considered to be one of the best movies ever made.
This movie was released in 2010 by Legendary Pictures and was directed by Christopher Nolan (widely considered to be the best director of the current age).
Its gene lies in science fiction, action, dream and thriller and many stars have acted in this film including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page and Cillian Murphy.
The plot is about a professional thief named Dominick Cobb who has a rare ability to jump into people's dreams and steal private information from them when they are at their most vulnerable state. This makes him a threat to corporate organizations, so he is on the run until he is offered a chance at redemption by completing a seemingly impossible task which could cost him everything he loves.
The film has grossed over US $828 million worldwide and has won four academy awards too: Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects. It is popularly considered to be one of the best movies ever made.
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The Lion King
Released in 1994, this movie is a timeless children's classic by Walt Disney Pictures.
It was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, its genres are animation, musical drama and family and it was influenced by William Shakespeare's popular play Hamlet.
The plot is about a young lion prince named Simba who is the only heir to his father Mufasa's throne and is adored in the kingdom by all of the animals. His evil uncle Scar is jealous of this and wants the throne to himself so he murders his brother Musafa and forces Simba to flee into exile. As an adult he returns to his homeland alongside loyal friends to take back what is rightfully his.
The film has grossed over US $766 million worldwide and has won two Academy Awards in music and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture too. It is also the ninth highest grossing animation film of all time, and is still on high demand today.
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Goldeneye
This movie was released in 1995 by Eon Productions and is the 17th addition to the famous James Bond series (but with a new and different cast). It was directed by Martin Campbell and lies under the genres of action, spy and thriller.
The film is about an MI16 special agent - Agent 007, also known as James Bond - who is given the task to recover a deadly satellite weapon called the goldeneye that has been stolen from them and fallen into the wrong hands.
He teams up with a skilled computer programmer (who witnessed the theft firsthand), and together, they rush to Russia to stop the enemies from causing destruction to the world. Along the way he finds out that the person on the other side is someone who was close to him and publicly declared dead.
The movie grossed over US $350.7 million worldwide and received award nominations for Best Achievement in Special Effects and Best Sound by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
This movie was released in 1995 by Eon Productions and is the 17th addition to the famous James Bond series (but with a new and different cast). It was directed by Martin Campbell and lies under the genres of action, spy and thriller.
The film is about an MI16 special agent - Agent 007, also known as James Bond - who is given the task to recover a deadly satellite weapon called the goldeneye that has been stolen from them and fallen into the wrong hands.
He teams up with a skilled computer programmer (who witnessed the theft firsthand), and together, they rush to Russia to stop the enemies from causing destruction to the world. Along the way he finds out that the person on the other side is someone who was close to him and publicly declared dead.
The movie grossed over US $350.7 million worldwide and received award nominations for Best Achievement in Special Effects and Best Sound by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
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Detailed Analysis ~ American Psycho:
This movie was produced by Lions Gate Films and released in 2000. Its genre lies in satire, horror, suspense and drama, and many stars have acted in it including Christian Bale, Reese Witherspoon and Jared Leto. |
The film is based on the novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.
The plot is about an extremely rich investment banker named Patrick Bateman who resides in Wall street and lives a double life; by day he's a man with OCD high up in the social ladder with a beautiful fiancee, and by night he's a psychopathic serial killer who murders freely and fearlessly. The film has grossed over US $34 million worldwide and has won awards like Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay. However, it has also faced controversy and harsh criticism over its gruesome portrayal of killers and gory scenes. |
The title sequence starts with a plain white background with the opening credits rolling, and after every few seconds a dense blob of blood falls down in different sizes and speeds. When the credits reach to the director's name, the drops start falling faster. A few splatter onto the white surface and create a mess as the title of the film American Psycho appears on the screen.
Non-diagetic sound is present throughout all this; low-pitched, chilling humming with violin music that suddenly accelerates and slows down; this is done deliberately to create a sinister or creepy mood.
The drops of blood foreshadow danger ahead. Audiences can easily recognize the genre to be horror because of the different codes used.
The colors used so far are red and white; red symbolizes anger, violence and sensitivity (often represents evil too), while white represents purity, innocence and serenity. Therefore this could show that there will be a dominant theme of violence vs peace, or good vs evil in the movie, with each side fighting to take control.
Could also represent the constant dilemma of choosing between brutality and gentleness in man.
Deeper analysis suggests that the large drop of blood underneath the word 'American' signifies the bloody sacrifices people had to make to liberate America in the revolution; white is also a symbol for freedom, therefore another low-key theme based on this theory could be the fight to liberate oneself or others from violent tendencies.
Non-diagetic sound is present throughout all this; low-pitched, chilling humming with violin music that suddenly accelerates and slows down; this is done deliberately to create a sinister or creepy mood.
The drops of blood foreshadow danger ahead. Audiences can easily recognize the genre to be horror because of the different codes used.
The colors used so far are red and white; red symbolizes anger, violence and sensitivity (often represents evil too), while white represents purity, innocence and serenity. Therefore this could show that there will be a dominant theme of violence vs peace, or good vs evil in the movie, with each side fighting to take control.
Could also represent the constant dilemma of choosing between brutality and gentleness in man.
Deeper analysis suggests that the large drop of blood underneath the word 'American' signifies the bloody sacrifices people had to make to liberate America in the revolution; white is also a symbol for freedom, therefore another low-key theme based on this theory could be the fight to liberate oneself or others from violent tendencies.
Classical violin music starts playing as a viscous red liquid (doesn't look like blood) is poured onto the white surface in squiggly lines. The lead actor (Christian Bale's) name appears on screen as a sharp knife suddenly swooshes upwards like it's slicing the name in half.
Next shot shows grilled steak being chopped in half by the same knife. This scene is designed to make audience members feel uneasy.
The age-group is already established to be adults only (teens could watch it too if they don't mind blood and violence). The music is ironic because the tune is happy and delicate while the images being shown are quite the opposite; this creates suspense and drama.
The knife brings a danger element to the already dark opening.The meat being chopped could foreshadow death and meat (flesh) being cut later on in the movie, or it could just show a chef or butcher chopping steak (hints that food plays an important part). Whoever the person holding the knife is, chef or serial killer, their precision and movements imply that he/she is skilled at using it.
As the next name appears in the credits, raspberrys start falling instead of blood drops (confirming relation to food). An aerial extreme close-up shot shows a raspberry softly fall onto a white plate that has the same squiggly red liquid and the grilled steak from earlier and is decorated with rasberrys and a few pieces of sliced zucchini. It is lifted by two hands and placed onto a white table with fancy utensils and wine glasses filled with blood-red liquid (wine or champagne).
Camera slowly rotates and, in a series of aerial shots, shows other plates full of lavish, expensive looking food.
There is low diagetic sound of people talking and utensils clinking against plates. Camera tilts up from the table to show a lady reading the fancy menu written in beautiful calligraphy (the setting is revealed to be a restaurant named Dastelle) and a couple sitting at the same table, discussing the menu together. There are more food shots and the upbeat violin music in the background continues.
A waiter dressed in a tailored uniform arrives, skillfully balancing two plates with one hand, and heads towards one of the tables. Next shot zooms into a woman's hand delicately breaking a piece of the food off with a fork and the camera reverses to show another person tapping a lit cigarette on the astray.
Only straight cuts and mostly close-up shots have been used so far. The use of different codes and elements make the audience know that the restaurant is for the elite; the dressed up, poised and classy diners, the classical music, beautifully put together cuisines and the shiny utensils all prove this.
Also, there is a very happy and calm atmosphere here unlike in the beginning of the opening; the only reference to danger or violence is from the blood-like ketchup, wine and the frequent use of the color red.
It also hints at the theme I discussed above of civilization vs brutality; by first glance the people might look innocent and refined, but if you dive in deeper, who knows what kind of ugliness they are hiding beneath those polished exteriors.
The lighting here, unlike most horror films, is high-key and well lit.
Camera slowly rotates and, in a series of aerial shots, shows other plates full of lavish, expensive looking food.
There is low diagetic sound of people talking and utensils clinking against plates. Camera tilts up from the table to show a lady reading the fancy menu written in beautiful calligraphy (the setting is revealed to be a restaurant named Dastelle) and a couple sitting at the same table, discussing the menu together. There are more food shots and the upbeat violin music in the background continues.
A waiter dressed in a tailored uniform arrives, skillfully balancing two plates with one hand, and heads towards one of the tables. Next shot zooms into a woman's hand delicately breaking a piece of the food off with a fork and the camera reverses to show another person tapping a lit cigarette on the astray.
Only straight cuts and mostly close-up shots have been used so far. The use of different codes and elements make the audience know that the restaurant is for the elite; the dressed up, poised and classy diners, the classical music, beautifully put together cuisines and the shiny utensils all prove this.
Also, there is a very happy and calm atmosphere here unlike in the beginning of the opening; the only reference to danger or violence is from the blood-like ketchup, wine and the frequent use of the color red.
It also hints at the theme I discussed above of civilization vs brutality; by first glance the people might look innocent and refined, but if you dive in deeper, who knows what kind of ugliness they are hiding beneath those polished exteriors.
The lighting here, unlike most horror films, is high-key and well lit.
Scene cuts to an aerial close-up shot of a creamy dessert with strawberrys surrounded by a sticky red syrup (another reference to blood).
J cuts to a waiter listing a long and strange (includes weird dishes like onion marmalade and grilled rabbit with french fries) menu to an attentive couple (over-the-shoulder shot) and then switches to a medium close up of his face, then quickly cuts to another medium close up shot of a different waiter enthusiastically listing the rest of the menu.
Camera L cuts to show another waiter walking past diners, balancing two plates in one hand (dolly shot) and heads further into the restaurant through a grand opening.
The unusual menu can be a representation of the shallow elitist culture; rich people who are so bored with their 'empty lives' that they are desperate to try something new even if it means eating the strangest combinations; even if the food is garbage, it's filled with exotic ingredients that are expensive so it's automatically considered high-class.
Also, the dresses and hairstyles of the people suggest that the movie takes place somewhere in the late 90's.
In this scene, three important looking men with neatly jelled back hair and tailored three-piece suits dine together. They don't seem to be eating food like everyone else (probably don't like it or they didn't come there to eat). One of them mutters "God, I hate this place, it's a chick's restaurant" implying that he has come there the first time and is clearly disappointed; the others look equally bored so this shows that they dislike the soft and classy atmosphere of the restaurant and would prefer something less 'girly'.
They talk about work, showing that they are coworkers, and cutaway shots are used to show them conversing back and forth.
A new character is then introduced - Paul Allen - who is dining in the corner with other people, and the men keep glancing his way and discussing him, signifying that he is important in the story.
A man abruptly interrupts their conversation, exclaims that the bathroom isn't good enough to do cocaine in and sits down with them. The others ignore him and go back to discussing Allen; shows that he is also their coworker but is considered insignificant.
Their conversation consists of swearing and mild racism so the audience can infer that they are typical white privileged males. The relationship between the four men is not completely formal but they are not friends either; a visible tense wall is seen between them suggesting that they do not like each other but only hang out because of their equal status and social standard, which is another jab at the fake elitist culture.
The bill arrives and one of the men is surprised by how reasonable the price of the food is - $570. They throw their credit cards onto the tray and the scene ends. This shows how rich they are that they think almost six hundred dollars is nothing for a half plate of food. Also shows that they like spending money and showing off their wealth by wasting it over materialistic things.
Nine Frame Analysis ~ Clueless:
Released in 1995, this film was directed by Amy Heckerling and produced by Scott Rudin and Robert Lawrence.
It is a classic that completely changed and defined pop culture in the 90's. Many other classics like Mean Girls were inspired by it and its catchphrase "as if!" is still relevant today. Its genres are romance, comedy, teen and chick-flick.
The plot is about an superficial, sweet and popular teen named Cher Horowitz who lives in the posh area of Beverly Hills with her father who is a successful lawyer. She makes it her mission to boost the new attractive student Tai's popularity in her school and to impress her new crush, but along the way realizes that the thing she wanted all along was right in front of her: Josh, her ex-stepbrother.
This movie has grossed over US $56.1 million in America alone and has won and been nominated for many awards including Funniest Actress and Best Screenplay.
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It is a classic that completely changed and defined pop culture in the 90's. Many other classics like Mean Girls were inspired by it and its catchphrase "as if!" is still relevant today. Its genres are romance, comedy, teen and chick-flick.
The plot is about an superficial, sweet and popular teen named Cher Horowitz who lives in the posh area of Beverly Hills with her father who is a successful lawyer. She makes it her mission to boost the new attractive student Tai's popularity in her school and to impress her new crush, but along the way realizes that the thing she wanted all along was right in front of her: Josh, her ex-stepbrother.
This movie has grossed over US $56.1 million in America alone and has won and been nominated for many awards including Funniest Actress and Best Screenplay.
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Introduction to Genres:
Introduction to Genres:
Our Chosen Genre:
The genre that Zuha, Mahnoor and I have chosen for our film opening is drama, with social problem and tragedy as our sub-genres.
Drama films are serious (sometimes moving) stories with realistic settings, situations and characters who are involved in different conflicts (either with others, themselves or with society itself) and showcase their emotions through action and dialogue. These movies generally portray the journey of character development of the protagonist and his/her constant or ultimate battle with the antagonist, and can also highlight important topics that aren't given enough attention. This is the largest genre because it contains the broadest spectrum of films that could belong to other genres too e.g. romance, tragedy, comedy, musical, etc.
Social problem - or message - films are narratives that depict current issues in the society or express powerful lessons e.g. alcoholism, suffering of the poor, addiction, women's equality and inhumanity. Tragedy films are narratives in which the main character is put through suffering and turmoil because of a tragic flaw, moral weakness or unfriendly circumstances. They are generally meant to make the audience cry or feel sentimental.
Codes & Conventions
Mise en scene
The arrangement of everything that appears in the frame of the camera (visuals). The different elements of mise en scene are:
Setting: locations that reveal a lot about the character's mood, personality and state of mind. Most common locations (relating to our sub-genres) are schools, universities, hospitals, ghettos, workplaces, parking lots, slums, construction areas, prisons, rural towns, factories, villages, pubs, etc.
Props: objects used by the characters/actors as part of the production and are reflective of their personality and narrative. In our case, they are typically mobile phones, weapons, makeup, drugs, books, handcuffs, medicine, jewelry, cash, cigarettes, alcohol bottles, chains, IV drips, etc.
Costume/makeup: reveals their personality, mood, ethnicity, class, financial situation and the time period. Usually are tuxedos, hooded jackets, hospital gowns, uniforms, slacks, rags, period costumes, wedding dresses, overalls, etc. Negative roles often wear black or dull clothes. Makeup is mostly light to show a natural and more raw face but is sometimes really dark (for black-eye/bruises).
Lighting/color: dramas generally have normal lighting with neutral tones to show a realistic atmosphere, but has high-key and vibrant lighting in happy scenes and low--key lighting in emotional or thrilling scenes. Color gives a dramatic effect and adds a theme.
Narrative
The story in the film that has 3 stages, the beginning (conflict), middle (climax) and the end (resolution). The different elements of a narrative are:
Characters: the characters in drama are typically very realistic and relatable so it gets easier for audiences to get attached with them. The protagonist is usually exposed to struggle and embarks on a journey of character development or realization, and the antagonist is an evil obstacle blocking his path by stirring up trouble. The best friend/helper provides emotional and sometimes financial support to the protagonist and is very loyal. Characters develop throughout the film.
Acting: in our type of films, the most common gestures or body language are crying, laughing, shaking, fear, sadness, worry, submission and dominance. Arguing and swearing are also common. Different nationalities, languages and time periods determine the type of accent used, and different situations demand different reactions.
Technical
Camera-work: the most used camera angles and shots in dramas are close up/reaction shots, two shots, long shots, high-angle, low-angle, eye level angle, over the shoulder shots and extreme close up shots (to show the characters emotions and their relationships with each other). There are also a lot of zoom-ins and zoom-outs.The camera's main focus is always the characters.
Music/sound: diagetic sound is used to add suspense and a dramatic effect to the scene. Non-diagetic voice-over of the protagonist or narrator adds emotion to the scene along with the non-diagetic background music. Drama films sometimes have their own soundtrack that are familiar to the audience.
Editing: Eye-line match editing enables the audience to see what the character is seeing (from their POV), fast cutting helps convey a lot of information very briefly and shot reverse shots show each character's reaction to a certain scene or event. Long takes are also commonly used in drama so that characters emotions are portrayed better and to add a dramatic and smooth effect to the scene.
Drama films are serious (sometimes moving) stories with realistic settings, situations and characters who are involved in different conflicts (either with others, themselves or with society itself) and showcase their emotions through action and dialogue. These movies generally portray the journey of character development of the protagonist and his/her constant or ultimate battle with the antagonist, and can also highlight important topics that aren't given enough attention. This is the largest genre because it contains the broadest spectrum of films that could belong to other genres too e.g. romance, tragedy, comedy, musical, etc.
Social problem - or message - films are narratives that depict current issues in the society or express powerful lessons e.g. alcoholism, suffering of the poor, addiction, women's equality and inhumanity. Tragedy films are narratives in which the main character is put through suffering and turmoil because of a tragic flaw, moral weakness or unfriendly circumstances. They are generally meant to make the audience cry or feel sentimental.
Codes & Conventions
Mise en scene
The arrangement of everything that appears in the frame of the camera (visuals). The different elements of mise en scene are:
Setting: locations that reveal a lot about the character's mood, personality and state of mind. Most common locations (relating to our sub-genres) are schools, universities, hospitals, ghettos, workplaces, parking lots, slums, construction areas, prisons, rural towns, factories, villages, pubs, etc.
Props: objects used by the characters/actors as part of the production and are reflective of their personality and narrative. In our case, they are typically mobile phones, weapons, makeup, drugs, books, handcuffs, medicine, jewelry, cash, cigarettes, alcohol bottles, chains, IV drips, etc.
Costume/makeup: reveals their personality, mood, ethnicity, class, financial situation and the time period. Usually are tuxedos, hooded jackets, hospital gowns, uniforms, slacks, rags, period costumes, wedding dresses, overalls, etc. Negative roles often wear black or dull clothes. Makeup is mostly light to show a natural and more raw face but is sometimes really dark (for black-eye/bruises).
Lighting/color: dramas generally have normal lighting with neutral tones to show a realistic atmosphere, but has high-key and vibrant lighting in happy scenes and low--key lighting in emotional or thrilling scenes. Color gives a dramatic effect and adds a theme.
Narrative
The story in the film that has 3 stages, the beginning (conflict), middle (climax) and the end (resolution). The different elements of a narrative are:
Characters: the characters in drama are typically very realistic and relatable so it gets easier for audiences to get attached with them. The protagonist is usually exposed to struggle and embarks on a journey of character development or realization, and the antagonist is an evil obstacle blocking his path by stirring up trouble. The best friend/helper provides emotional and sometimes financial support to the protagonist and is very loyal. Characters develop throughout the film.
Acting: in our type of films, the most common gestures or body language are crying, laughing, shaking, fear, sadness, worry, submission and dominance. Arguing and swearing are also common. Different nationalities, languages and time periods determine the type of accent used, and different situations demand different reactions.
Technical
Camera-work: the most used camera angles and shots in dramas are close up/reaction shots, two shots, long shots, high-angle, low-angle, eye level angle, over the shoulder shots and extreme close up shots (to show the characters emotions and their relationships with each other). There are also a lot of zoom-ins and zoom-outs.The camera's main focus is always the characters.
Music/sound: diagetic sound is used to add suspense and a dramatic effect to the scene. Non-diagetic voice-over of the protagonist or narrator adds emotion to the scene along with the non-diagetic background music. Drama films sometimes have their own soundtrack that are familiar to the audience.
Editing: Eye-line match editing enables the audience to see what the character is seeing (from their POV), fast cutting helps convey a lot of information very briefly and shot reverse shots show each character's reaction to a certain scene or event. Long takes are also commonly used in drama so that characters emotions are portrayed better and to add a dramatic and smooth effect to the scene.
Drama Film Examples:
Here are some examples of movies that belong in the drama genre and social problem sub-genre (the type that our film opening will be based on). Synopsis credits: IMDb.
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