Analysis of opening sequence of Brick

1. The title of the film; The title is in large font and situated in the centre of the frame with white writing in front of a black background. The fact that the shape of the letters is in a rectangle shape- the same shape as a brick-emphasises the name of the film. There are no fancy or animated features just solid text which doesnt give any suggestions of what follows.

2. How the setting/location is revealed; The close up of the girl opening her locker- uses a sound bridge of school bell to represent school. The audience can tell straight away that the female going into her locker is the same character as the one who was found dead a couple of days later- the blue bracelets that are worn by the female when she goes to school are an exact replica of the ones that the girl wears when she is found dead.

3. Costumes and props; The brown heels that the female character is wearing when she is found dead near the tunnel are covered in mud which represents she has been captured and did not intend to be killed or abducted away from whoever she was with. The fact that she was wearing a dress and heels could convey to the audience that maybe she was on her way out that night before she got taken and killed.

4. Interesting camera work/editing; The close up of the main character (Brendan) shows his real emotions after discovering that his friend- maybe his ex girlfriend- is dead. The fact that he is staring at his friend dead on the floor means that perhaps he is in shock of what happened and is questioning why it was her that got killed.

5. Title and font style; The font is not that large but is found in the centre of the frame with a very bright and unusual background.

6. Story- and how the opening sets the story up; The female character puts a note in the male character's locker to meet at 12:30. Emily calls Brendan and casually talks to him for a while before she begins to sound distressed down the phone as she explains a story about using a brick- the title of the film- the audience may question what exactly she did with the brick.

7. Genre (thriller)- and how the opening suggests it; The female character is found dead fits into the thriller genre. The eyline match of the boy to each body part of the victim conveys to the audience that she is dead. Also it encourages the audience to ask questions about the death and for the film to inevitable reveal the answers to the viewers.

8. How any characters are introduced; The main characters are a male and a female and are closely related- good friends perhaps ex boyfriend/girlfriend. The female is very distressed about a particular incident where the brick is used- perhaps as a weapon against somebody else. The picture of her and Brendan together which is found in her book could convey that she is a caring character and perhaps misses being with Brendan.

9. Any special effects (or a particular shot you like); I particularly like the shot of the two characters in front of what looks like a tunnel- Brendan discovers the female is dead and is looking on and praying for her.

Location Research

This is at the end of my front garden where there is little lighting. This creates a sinister atmosphere and perhaps conveys a destructive character as the plant pot has been knocked over. The colours are dull (brown and dark green) which means it is a natural picture.
The fact that this picture is very overcrowded around the outside of the frame with the gap in the middle which could represent an exit for the character or an entrance where danger can approach from. This is also a dark picture which means that the character in the thriller is perhaps vulnerable and can not see what is coming.
This is a plant pot that is situated by my front door, I thought it would make a good photo that could be in a thriller movie as the plant is dead and makes the atmosphere more melancholy. This shot could also be used in other genres of movies- which could represent sadness and times of grievance for characters.
This relates to many thriller films as most characters are attacked while they are in the shower, for example 'Psycho'. The fact that the shower is turned on with water flowing could perhaps show that the character was dragged from the shower before they were able to turn it off and escape.
The shot is taken from my bedroom window which is why it is taken from a higher position. It doesn't angle down meaning that it is not a high angle shot. The fact that the tree doesn't have any leaves on- means it is getting to the winter months. The colours all go together really well.
This is a shot that I created in my bedroom. I think it is an effective shot as it is made from simple items that have been thrown together in an interesting way. The coat stands out as it is a totally different colour from the rest of the items on the bed.
This is a simple shot with everyday objects that have been randomly thrown together in a bathroom sink. The fact that this is an everday object shows that the character can be a bit of a mess and perhaps do not take care.

This is a photo of a cupboard that is crammed with junk and things that are unimportant. This could maybe represent a character of the thriller genre as being untidy and perhaps clumsy with his work that he carries out. The fact that a number of the items are not important to the character could show he has priorities in his life and some things just get put to the bottom of the pile- maybe being a killer is more important than going to work and earning money.

Monsters Inc Opening Credits

The Sixth Sense Analysis

The 9 points / frames are:

1. The title of the film: The fact that the title of the film is in a light blue colour against a dark background could suggest the sinister atmosphere that is represented and also the audience become frightened of the film already withing the first beginning shots. The writing of the title words 'Sixth Sense' appear on the screen at a slow tempo which means that the audience are perhaps lead into the film instead of being 'thrown' into the action from the word go which gurantees that the viewers are concentrating on the film being unvieled.
2. How the setting / location is revealed: The dark cellar that the woman in the film enters to recieve some wine sets the atmosphere for the film. The fact that there is hardly any lighting and the room is covered in dust conveys to the audience that no-body goes down there very often and perhaps it is dangerous for her to be down there. As she is alone perhaps the audience will feel sympathy for her and hope she gets out of the situation carefully which we later discover that she does. The fact that the door is open (toward the back of the shot) could be a deliberate sign to demonstrate to the viewer that something creepy has entered and the woman could be in danger.
3. Costumes and props: The clothes that the female character is wearing is a dress which contrasts to the males perhaps winter clothes (i.e jumper and waistcoat). The fact that the main character (Bruce Willis) is wearing a waistcoat could perhaps represent they are wealthy as they are wearing glamourous clothing- especially the females dress. However some may say that this is everday clothing and in fact these people are pretty ordinary. The frame that is situated in the living room which is personalised to the male character could show that they have good jobs and are paid well for their service.
4. Interesting camera work / editing: The shot of the woman down in the cellar selecting a bottle of wine is an interesting piece of camera work as the way she is standing looking directly at the camera with her body facing forwards could perhaps mean that something or someone is staring at her, however she seems to be oblivious to this until she hears a slight noise behind her. This to me is an unusual shot as it shows the character doing an ordinary job- selecting the wine- but doesn't realise she is in a very vulnerable position.
5. Title and font style: The writing appears slowly onto the screen which represents the characters in a thriller- approaching with caution. The writing is a moderate size which means it does not fill the entire frame however it is still readable and stands out enough to the audience.
6. Story – and how the opening sets the story up: The shot of the light bulb slowly turning on could suggest that something dangerous is going to happen once the lights are completely on. Also the fact that the female character is selecting wine from the cellar could suggest she is not alone but with someone who is going to share the wine with her. The fact that the light bulb is off centre and not in the middle of the frame means that it is unusual and perhaps there is something slightly different about this particular film.
7. Genre (thriller) – and how the opening suggests it: The shot of the woman facing sidewards to the camera with her shadow on the wall is quite a sinister shot as the lines that are either side of the shadow could represent jail bars and this could mean that the character is trapped and has no-where to turn. The fact that the woman gets the shivers and runs up the stairs to escape. The fact that she shivers and turns very cold could mean that this film is about ghosts and the woman is in danger.
8. How any characters are introduced: The shot of the two main characters being confronted in their bedroom by the man standing in his underwear is a great indication of what the characters are like as people. The fact that the man stands in front of the woman to protect her means that he is the dominant figure in the relationship. The female is standing behind which could mean that perhaps she is overshadowed by the male and vulnerable.
9. Any special effects (or a particular shot you really like): For me personally I think that the shot of the telephone, the bag and broken glass scattered on the floor of the bedroom is a really effective shot as it shows that they are vulnerable people and danger is about to happen and perhaps the characters are not safe. This makes the audience feel very uncomfortable and a sinister atmosphere is created.