Student Film opening analysis

In this opening of a film, it is made clear that it is a sports film as we see the actor doing various exercise routines. Before that, their was credits in the beginning and a few establishing shots which gives the audience an insight of what it might be about. The continuity editing is effective. They made good use of sounds and background music, while she was exercising. However, the narrator talking can't be heard properly meaning I had to strain to hear what was being said. Use of costumes (sportswear) was used which also hinted the genre of the film. The transitions used in the beginning were mostly fade outs and the camera shots also used in the beginning of the sequence was a Pan. This was followed by an aerial shot of when she was waking up. The use of match on action was used when she moved to turn her alarm clock off. This shot may keep the audience focused on the film and would've allowed them to follow the character. We then see an over the shoulder shot when she goes to tie her hair up in front of the mirror, this is then followed by a mid-shot which shows the audience the costume the character is wearing. The use of match-on match action could've been used again when the character had opened the house door.

From this I have learn't that using various shots help make it seem as though it's not so long to watch and makes it less boring. I have learn't that when using music to use synchronous sound, this was used in the student opening and it was effective as it helped to create the diegetic world. This will help us with planning our own opening as it gives us ideas about using range of sounds. When the door had closed I think that the use of Foley sound would've made it more better as it was just really quiet until she played her music. Also it will help us with showing the genre of the opening. The costumes used clearly displayed the genre of the opening and gave me an insight as to what the opening might be about. This can be useful for planning as it would help the diegesis of the opening. Also, while I was watching the student opening I didn't feel that their was an enigma behind the character. This means that by the end of the opening I didn't feel like I had any questions to ask and I felt that I personally wouldn't want to watch the film after watching just the opening. This means that for our film opening, as a director I would have to include dialogues and maybe start with something that would give a hint to the audience about the genre and/or background of the character. The use of a flashback didn't give me an idea of the dilemma the character would've faced which could make some people switch off as the usual flashback would give an idea of the journey and character development the actor would have to go through.

Overall, I believe that the film opening could've been better in areas that include: Sound, Camera shots, editing and even the whole flashback scene which had left me confused as I felt that their was no correlation to the main character and again didn't really have any effect and didn't allow me to make assumptions of what was to happen in the film.