Deconstruction of Film Opening- The Betrayal

Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task

As a 2.36 minute sequence, I feel its was a good film opening, introducing to the audience what was happening in that sequence, but still making them ask questions about who different people were and why this was happening. It also linked really well to the title "The Betrayal" and made it clear as to where this "betrayal" happened within the film opening. It also was quite shocking in the killing scene of the first main male character that we saw with the well done special effects makeup spurting blood as he was shot.

Regarding target audience, being an action film with minimal blood, it would have probably been around a 12A, aimed at the male audience. It also had the convention of the "damsel in distress" and the dominant strong male characters that were there to "fight" using guns and threats.

Conventions of the action genre that this film opening met:

• Target audience directed at men- woman is the damsel in distress, the men are in control with the big guns and are dominant.
• The location isn't a upbeat place or within a major city, but it is a high security protected, grand building that is quite secluded and reminds me of a prison. 
• Weapons are used- prop always used within action films.
• Battle and fight scenes between two of the main opposing side characters- the security that the first main man kills on his way to the main villain and the woman.
• Chasing scene of the first main man running after the main villain and the woman.
• Explosions- There weren't actually any explosions, but when the different characters were shot, strings of blood came from their bullet wounds, which was quite grotesque but effective.
• Sacrificing of the first main male character- being shot- linking to the idea of "betrayal"
• Hero and villain are male- We don't actually know who is the "good guy" and who is the "bad guy", but either way, the two main characters shown on opposite sides are male within this film opening.
• Finding out that something that was thought to be one thing but is actually another- the person who was supposed to help the first main character by killing the other man holding the woman actually shot the first main man.
• Special effects- the shooting of guns and the wounds afterwards- special effects makeup
• Small sections of light moments to not emotionally drain- we see this main guy, going into a building full of security guards, but when we see that the guy is "winning" the mood lightens because we followed him from the beginning of the scene and we are made to want him to survive, until he eventually is shot and killed, dampening the mood again.
• The features such as crime, kidnapping and killing are all scene in this film opening.

 Using Titles appropriately according to institutional conventions

The production company comes first, and its straight into the film opening. After a few short changes in shots, the producers name appears in large, grand silver typography on a black background that has been edited in. Again after a few more quick changes in shot, the screen shows a black background with the first main actors name in grand silver typography. This continues until the main actors, the director, the editor and the maker of the music are all mentioned in the opening titles. At this point, it is around three quarters of the way through the 2.36 minute film opening, but all of the conventional areas of the opening titles such as production company and main actors are mentioned.

The only thing I would say as a note for the appearances of the opening titles is that it looked a little odd having the contrast of watching a sequence to a black screen with a title on, changing back to the sequence again. It made it look a little like a trailer, but looking past that, the opening titles were successful.

Using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set

The sequence starts off with violin non-diegetic music with an inspirational mood over the top of the quick changes in shots and opening titles. As goes along the sequence and the image gets more intense and dangerous, the music builds adding suspense and creating an atmosphere. The music then starts sounding sad as he get further into the building, the effect making the audience feel that the first main male character is doing something that is detrimental to him, making him determined but also reckless, as if he is sacrificing something to do what he is doing. The pace starts slowing down, but the music is getting more intense as the first main male character gets onto the roof of the building, but starts fading out when dialogue

starts. When the shots change to the snipers point of view, you can still hear music as you see the him aiming his shot until the first main male character is shot dead and the music cuts off to silents- adding to the shock effect that is trying to be brought across after the "betrayal" of the sniper, killing him instead of the one holding the woman hostage. Sad non-diegetic music playing when title appears, played with string and wind instruments. Then long, deep, constant cello chords are played as the scene plays again in a much faster pace as if the character is "remembering" the event, ending the scene nicely.

Shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use for the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise en scene

 

 Camera Angle and Framing

Establishing long shot of island with old, grand building- zoom in , close up shots of car and hands of the first main male character, long shot of island with old, grand building- zoom in, close up shots of car and  first main male character, character walks from left to right side of the screen- close up of feet, high angleshot of first main male character- being watched but shoots camera watching- violence- action starts, character walks from left to right side of the screen again- he is specifically going somewhere, close up of gun, to the left of the screen- gun shoots man, and blood spurt from left to right- all leading to ending destination, changes direction from right to left as going up the stairs, close ups of hands with gun again, goes from left to right again- getting closer to destination. Long shot of villain with woman held at gun point, close up of man holding woman holding a gun to her head. Point of view shot of the sniper aiming at his targets, long shot as first main male character is shot dead, low angle shot of woman running to him as image gets blurry- point of view shot of first main male character. Panning shot across bedroom to man laying in bed, quick rewind of event that has just happened leading to a close up shot of his surprised face- him in bed.

Mise en Scene

The sea, expensive car, suit- professional, glasses, gun, in a car park- seaside, grand, old rundown building, cloudy weather, use of security cameras, security guards wearing suits, but ski masks- criminals- no identity- just part of collective, man holding woman hostage is wearing a suit, white shoes- on grass- natural- public area that this is happening- power, woman wearing dress and white-purity. When goes into bedroom, can see side table holding gun, home phone, a lamp and a framed photo of the man and woman who was held as a hostage- professional-neat-sophisticated, white sheets on bed- good, wearing white top- pure and good.

Using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects

Establishing shot of location, and then quick changes in shot of the first main male character, his car and his gun gives the audience an idea of what is about to happen. Fading out transitions at the beginning
separating each change in shot, make it clear that the shots shown on
screen are just to allow the viewer to get to terms with what is happening by feeding them small sections of the action, developing into long shots of the first main male character going into the building that we saw as the

establishing shot with the gun. This

allows the viewer to infer that this is
going to be an action film, putting everything they have seen so far into a context. At this point, straight cut editing is used, save the implementation of the opening titles fading in and out, until the sniper point of view shot is shown, adding an "gun aiming" effect over the video, making it look like the sniper getting ready to shoot his target. Through the sequence so far, the audience have been led to believe that the first main male character is the good guy and is going to win, but with the gun aiming effect over the video, it makes it clear to the viewer from the change from aiming at the guy holding the woman to the "good guy", shooting him dead, leading with a blurred transition leading to the title to be shown on a black background. This escapade tells the audience that the sniper should have killer the guy holding the woman, not the "good guy", linking to the name of the film "The Betrayal". After the film name is shown, a straight cut edit leads to  the panning shot within a bedroom where the "good guy" is lying in bed asleep. Suddenly a sped up reversed clip of the event that was just shown, followed by a quick straight cut back to the "good guy" in his bed with a close up of his eyes. This allows the audience to understand that it was all just a dream or a "vision", ending the film opening.  

Evaluation

Overall, I think that this film opening was really successful. It ticked all the boxes for conventions with the genre of an action movie and the conventions of a the opening titles. It also wasn't confusing, and linked to the name of the film. I think that if I was to mark this film opening with the mark scheme, I would give it a mark of 58 out of 60, taking away two points only for the small issues such as dialogue not being convincing enough and the opening titles making it look a little bit like a trailer with the black backgrounds, but other than that, I think its very good.