Genre Comparison

  Following on from my ideas of what I want my film to be about, I have decided to compare three films within the same or similar genre, crime/thriller, to see what features are in the film and in particular, the opening sequence.  The three films I have decided to compare include: The Dark Knight Rises, Collateral and Goodfellas.  I have chosen these three films in particular because they cover a wide spectrum of the crime and thriller genre so that I have a clear idea of what my film is focused and centred around.

  One of the main features that make the films effective is the use of camera shots.  In the first film, the Dark Knight rises, the use of camera is effective throughout.  At the beginning, there is an extreme long shot of the aeroplane which establishes the scene of a mountain and open land.  Following this, there are some close ups of the main characters such as the doctor and the bane, interrupted with medium shots to reveal the situation of the criminals tied up in captivity.  There are also close ups of the gun which also creates tension because the audience are in expectation that something bad is going to happen.

  In the opening sequence of Collateral, there are also lots of close ups of the main character which helps to introduce him to the audience.  Also, there is the use of shallow focus where the audience can see the focused image of the main character through the crowded and blurred focus of the crowd at the airport.  This is an effective way in establishing the main character.  Also, there is an effective use of medium shots because it reveals the other character and also builds up tension when they bump into each other.

  In the opening sequence of Goodfellas, there is also the use of medium shots to introduce the main characters and establishes the Gangsters driving the car.  Following this, when the gangsters her a knocking sound coming from the back of the car, there is another medium shot from the side of the car showing the back of the car and the gangsters stood behind, now knowing that the noise is coming from inside the car.  The medium/close up shot that follows, showing the back, creates tension because the audience are in eager anticipation to find out what is making the noise.

  Creating tension through camera shots is a very good way to capture the attention of the audience  to watch on and see what happens.  It is also very effective in setting the tone and theme for the crime/thriller genre.

  Editing is another way in which the opening sequence can appear as being more tense or flows for continuity.  For example, in the opening sequence of the Dark Knight Rises, the shots are edited so that they appear as being jumpy and choppy.  Also, the use of shot reverse shot when the man is talking to the bane also makes the sequence edgy, increasing the amount of tension as the audience are in expectation that something bad or wrong will likely take place.

  In Collateral, there is an effective use of the editing technique 'crosscutting' when the two characters are walking in the airport.  The editing makes it look as if they have nothing to do with each other as the scene cuts from one person walking to another person.  This is then joined together when the two of them bump into each other and swap brief cases.  This is effective because it introduces the characters separately before revealing what the relationship is between them.  Also, in the build up to this, it creates ambiguity in the audience's mind so it intrigues them to watch on further.

  In the opening sequence of Goodfellas, there is also the use of shot reverse shot when the gangsters are stood behind the car and camera shot cuts from the back of the car and then to the gangsters to show their response to what has happened.  This is an effective technique to use because it allows the audience to see an event and then the reaction of the main characters.  Also, in this scene, the gangsters don't look too surprised to see the dying body in the back of the car making lots of noise which reveals to the audience that these gangsters are professional and are clearly used to this situation.  This helps to build a clear picture of the character's personality.

  Editing is a very important process in post production because if edited successfully and to a good standard, the camera shots can create even more tension with techniques such as shot reverse shot, crosscutting and match on action.  This is a really important feature in these crime thrillers so I will try to apply this to my own work when it comes to editing my opening sequence.

  Sound is an important feature in the opening sequence of any film to create tension and set the tone for the film.  Sound is so important that is is said to have a 50% value compared to the other 50% of what is seen on the screen.  If the scenes create tension but is accompanied by a poor soundtrack, the opening sequence will loose all the tension built.  In the Dark Knight Rises, sound has been used very effectively.  For example, at the start of the opening sequence when the plane is flying over the mountainous region, there is non diegetic mood music that comes in quietly under the sound of the plane itself.  This sound is very subtle but is very effective as it builds tension throughout the scene.  Also, the non diegetic sound of the gun being pulled from the holster is very effective because this emphasises the sound even more to symbolise to the audience that this scene is tense but could also have a foreboding effect that something bad will happen.  The use of dialogue is also very effective as the bane has a distinct voice though non diegetic sound effects.  This makes the character of the bane seem very imposing, distinct and threatening.  Also, the sound effects of the breathing of the bane is emphasised as it creates tension and fear.

  In the opening scene of Collateral, there is also the use of non diegetic sound to emphasise the sound of the footsteps which is effective in creating a tense atmosphere.  There is also an effective use of diegetic sound of the busy airport with the announcements over the sound of the crowd.  This is important because it makes the setting of the airport more realistic and more believable, therefore engaging the audience in.  Another use of sound in the opening sequence is the use of dialogue when the two characters are speaking to each other. The speech within the dialogue is ambiguous which draws the audience in as they don't know much about the characters.  After the dialogue has ended, the mood music is in the background which suggests to the audience that one of the characters is about to move to a different location.   The use of music in this way is clever in communicating to the audience what is about to happen.

  The use of sound is also effective in the opening sequence of Goodfellas in creating a tense atmosphere and setting up the story for the rest of the film.  For example, when the titles are seen and then fade of the screen, the use of non-diegetic sound effects of a car driving past has been used to link in with the opening of the gang driving a car.  There is also the use of diegetic sound of a rattling noise in the car.  This use of sound is also clever because it is ambiguous and it makes the audience think and question what is making the sound, all the time building more tension.  The use of dialogue in this scene also fits in with the gangster theme as there is use of swearing and quick, short, snappy speeches to each other.  This makes the character types of the gangsters more believable and realistic.

   Another important feature of any opening sequence is the use of Mise-en-scene.  If used correctly, Mise-en-scene can make the opening sequence realistic and believable as well as building up character profiles and creating tension through the setting.

  In the opening sequence of The Dark Knight Rises, there are many features of Mise-en-scene which have been used effectively to build the tension up.  For example, the use of props such as the gun are effectively used because before it is even used, it has a foreboding effect on the audience that something bad is going to happen due to the connotations of crime, gangs and death.  Also, the costumes used for the captives makes the scene realistic and mysterious because you can't see their faces so you don't know what they are thinking due to not being able to see their facial expressions.  It also makes the scene more believable to the audience because if these people were really being captured, they are likely to be covered up.  The location of the aeroplane in the sky is effective because it is unstable and could crash or break.  However, it also creates a sense of loneliness as the captured people are alone and appear vulnerable which makes the audience assume that there is no way of escape for them.  A final feature of Mise-en-scene in this sequence is the use of costume for the bane.  In the opening scene, he is wearing a black shirt and a black mask which covers his mouth. This makes the character of the bane mysterious and makes him seem imposing and threatening.

  Mise-en-scene has also been used effectively in the opening sequence of Collateral to also build tension up effectively but also to help the audience to understand the character profiles of those in the film.  For example, in the airport scene, the audience are able to quickly identify the main characters as being villains due to the Mise-en-scene, especially due to the costume of wearing a suit and tie.  Also, the use of props with the brief cases helps the audience to understand the main characters are likely to be criminals.  However, it also builds tension up because the audience don't know what could be in the brief case and therefore, it creates a sense of mystery and ambiguity in the character, intriguing the audience to watch on.  As in The Dark Knight Rises, the Mise-en-scene used to present the characters is effective in making the characters quickly identifiable within the busy airport full of people and makes their character profile more believable.

  The opening sequence of Goodfellas also uses Mise-en-scene effectively in building up tension and making the characters and story line more believable to the audience.  For example, in the opening, there is a medium shot used in tracking the car driven by the gangsters.  In this scene, Mise-en-scene has been effectively used to portray a different time period (1970).  Although there is a title which states the opening is "New York 1970," the use of props such as the old 1970's American car with the costumes of the gangsters wearing suits makes the opening more believable for the audience to watch and therefore conveys more meaning and, as a result, they are more likely to watch the film.  If the costumes used were not from the same time period, it would ruin the illusion of the 1970's and could result in all the tension being lost.  This is further evident in the scene of the dying person in the back of the car covered in blood.  If the blood and costume looked unrealistic in this scene, it could almost become comical rather than tense or shocking.  However, as the use of Mise-en-scene is accurate and realistic, it makes the opening scene believable and creates tension well.

  Furthermore, another feature that is used in all opening sequences is the reference to a narrative and typical story lines of a particular genre that helps the audience to decipher the genre of the film.  In the Dark Knight Rises, the main storyline is about a terrorist leader called the Bane who tries to destroy Gotham and Batman.  In response, Batman is pushed to the limit in order to stop the Bane and save Gotham city.  This is a typical narrative for action and crime films as the equilibrium is disrupted by a dilemma caused by the antagonist and as a result, the protagonist must respond to bring back the equilibrium.  The underlying theme of the film is that of good versus evil and also that of terrorism.  There is a clear heroic figure in the protagonist of Batman, a typical character found in most action films.

  Similarly in Collateral, there is a story line and narrative of a taxi driver who is held hostage by the main character, who is a killer, and is immersed in crime scene to crime scene in LA.  Therefore, the taxi driver must try to save himself and others.  This, once again follows the story of a person who has to try to save people as well as himself in a less heroic way than in The Dark Knight Rises.  The underlying theme of this film is of criminal activity with an innocent hostage who must fight for what is right, once again coming back to the theme of good versus evil.

  In Goodfellas, the story line is about a man called Henry Hill and a group of friends who try to make their way as gangsters.  The underlying theme is that of a gangster squad and criminal activity.  This conforms to the typical features of an action/ crime film and helps the audience to identify the film genre easily as well.

  Titles are a common feature in opening sequence and can either be a separate sequence on their own away from the story line (such as used in the James Bond films) or are integrated with the action.  In The Dark Knight rises, the use of titles is simple and selective with more of focus on the actual opening sequence and the action.  In the opening sequence of Goodfellas, the use of titles is effective because the font used and the colour is not elaborate and fancy so as to detract from the action in the sequence but is informative and fits in nicely with the 1970s time period.  Moreover, one feature of this title sequence that is effective is the transition of the titles - flying off the screen accompanied by the sound of cars driving past - to create tension and lead nicely into the car scene.  This shows the titles are well integrated and fit the story line well.

  Every opening sequence has a function whether that is to introduce the main characters or to set the scene.  Nevertheless, every opening sequence has to do one thing - engage the audience and keep them hooked so that they want to watch the rest of the film.

 In The Dark Knight Rises, there are a number of functions that can be noted from the opening sequence.  For example, the aeroplane sets the scene and location for the film, the different camera shots used to show the Bane introduces the antagonist and throughout the sequence, due to sound, camera and Mise-en-scene, the tone is set for the rest of the film by building up a tense atmosphere.  Altogether, this is an effective way to engage the audience as there is a lot of action that makes the scene edgy and entertaining as well as ambiguity as to what could happen, therefore captivating the audience to carry on watching the film.

  In Collateral, there are also many functions of the opening scene.  One example of the function of the opening for Collateral is in the busy airport scene.  This scene is effective as it suggests, through the hustle and bustle of crowd in the airport, that the film will be very dramatic and action packed and busy.  Also, the opening scenes act as establishing shots as it reveals the main character for the film and just gives enough information, though constume, dialogue and props, for the audience to make a judgement of his character profile and work out what will happen in the film.  It does this by giving enough information to question what will happen and to be intrigued but not so much information that the audience lose interest by the plot being revealed too early.

  In Goodfellas, the opening sequence also has a purpose and function in order to intigue the audience.  It does this by setting the tone for the rest of the film as it starts off violent and a bit of action.  Also, through Mise-en-scene (costume in particular), the film opening reveals a little about the story line being about gangsters, also revealing and introducing the main characters and what they are like.  This helps the audience to work out who they are and what they will do in the film.  The shooting at the start also acts as a climax in tension because it makes the audience think about the consequences and whether they will get caught.  This is a clever way in making the marketability think about not only what is happening but also what will happen.

  From my comparison of three films, I will now be able to draw out some features that I will be able to use in my own crime/thriller genre.  Some of the key features that have come up include:

•  Long shots to establish the location of the opening
• Close ups to establish the main characters, create a claustrophobic feel and hide information from the audience
• Fast pace, snappy editing of scenes to build up tension and unnerve the audience
• Tense, sinister, scary soundtrack to make the scenes build up in tension to a dramatic climax
• Good use of costume, props etc. to make the scene more realistic and to aid the audience in building a character profile
• Typical narrative theme of good against bad, a disruption of an equilibrium and a challenge to return to the equilibrium.  Sometimes including heroic figures
• Function of an opening sequence to intrigue the audience by making building tension