Assignment 9: opening sequence analysis.

RosieHelen

Marisha

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Marisha Purpose/conventions

MES Barthes

Helen CAM SAM sound Levis –Straus

Rosie Editing narrative Allan Cameron

GattacaFilm details

Genre: Sci-fi, drama romance

Year: 1997

Director: Andrew Niccol

Main characters:

Uma Thurman Jude LawEthan Hawke

Film: Gattaca

Genre: sci-fi drama romance

The Purpose and conventions

• The purpose of the opening sequence of Gattaca is to create an enigma as to what the character is doing and why is he doing it.

• Only up and till the end the audience is able to understand his actions.

Representation The representation of this is that this male character is trying to remove his identity by removing all these things that contain his DNA.

Extreme close up of hair, this is shot is used to create an enigma to what it is.

Close up shot of hair, this time the audience is able to recognise what is.

Camera shotsShot-establishing shot gives you a idea of where the location is. Or where scene is being set

Shot –close up Close up usually focuses on a subject or a persons whole head in one frame.

They used this shot to show main character emotion.

Shot –extreme close up Extreme close up are shot to show specific detail, reaction or emotion of a particular thing .

Close ups –Shot

Extreme close up-Shot

Establishing Shot

Purpose

Close up usually focuses on a subject or a persons whole head in one frame.

Extreme close up are shot to show specific detail, reaction or emotion of a particular thing .

Showing in detail of what he is doing .

Shot-establishing shot gives you a idea of where the location is. Or where scene is being set.

-no mid shots or long shots To create enigma and mystery also the character face is always hidden which create enigma .The extreme close –ups are done to hide the identity of the character in order to reflect what the film is about –Hidden identity.

They used this shot to show main character emotion.

Camera anglesPoint of view /high angle • A point of view shot is

positioned between a shot and a object or subject to show what the character is looking at.

• This is done in this shot to show what the character is reaching out to get .This shot represents his eyes.

Canted angle –this is camera angle which is deliberately slanted to one side.

• This is used in this scene for a dramatic effect to portray dramatic effect to help create the madness.

Camera movement

Tracking movement • A tracking shot is a movement perpendicular to the camera lens axis. • This is done in the sequence to slow steady motion of the long strand

of hair in detail on the grand .

Special effects

• Colour • Looks like this has been saturated make it look

more like a early hours of the morning scene or mid day scene. This effect is used to make it look like a sunny bright day.

Mis-En-Scene : lighting

• Lighting Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or visual effect.

The different types of lighting:

• The different types of lighting:1. Natural lighting – is from a natural source

such as fire or sun.2. Available lighting – is natural occurring light

on set.3. Artificial light – not provided by natural or

available source such as fire or the sun and it is man made.

Mis-En-Scene : lighting

Lighting in these scenes determine a mood of calm and relaxation.

In this scene it uses sepia which sets a warm, calming and bright mood.

MES – Characters (costume/prop/makeup/body lang. etc.)

Dressed in a robe (costume)

Shows character using a bag of urine strapped to his thigh (prop)

Syringe (prop) used to inject blood into finger prints.

Bag of bloods (prop) preserved in a fridge.

Close up shot of character using a razor (prop)

Cont. Character is using a paintbrush to securely place the finger print of someone else’s over his finger print.

Test tubes filled with dark liquid

Random jars filled with a substance

Microscope, lamp, table and office chair (props)

Editing

• Diegesis• Continuity editing• Pace• Time allocation• Text/Titles• Transitions

DiegesisDiegesis – the internal world that the characters themselves experience.

The characters home.

The character in his car.

The character’s workplace.

Continuity editing• Continuity editing – makes the scene look continuous

In this shot the man is wearing a white robe.

In the next shot the man is wearing the same robe.

Pace• Slow pace – cuts are longer + not many shots• Medium pace – average number of shots• Fast pace – cuts are short + lots of shots

The pace in this clip is slow and this is to create a calm yet suspenseful atmosphere.

This shot in the clip lasts for about 11 seconds.

Time allocationAt the beginning about 17 seconds are used to show these two quotes, which could mean they are important in understanding the movie.

The credits take about 1 minute and 32 seconds and mention most of the main characters.

Text/Titles • The text fades in and out

Text/Titles

When the names appear there are letters which appear faster and more bright than the rest.

These letters are ‘G’, ’A’, ’T’ and ‘C’ which also make up the name of the film ‘Gattaca’.

These letters also appear in a different font than the rest of the letters that make up the name.

Transitions

• Fade in/out• Overlap/Dissolve

Fade in/outFade in/out – one shot gets lighter or darker. Lighter = fade in. Darker = fade out.

This shot is an example of a fade out.

Overlap/ dissolve• This is where one shot overlaps another – as we can see in this shot we can see the

character in the background and the new shot coming through.

Old shot New shot

Sound Non –diegetic • At the beginning of the sequence non diagetic sounds

stats off very calm and relaxed • It then gradually builds tension• Instrument used sound like a piano(intense soft music)

playing throughout.

Diegetic • halfway through the sequence I could hear diagetic

sounds of him shaving his hair off his skin• There was diagetic sounds of him washing himself • There was also sound of the shower

Sound

• Score (music)- music arranged and played specifically for the open sequence. The purpose is to sets mood and atmospheres to the scene.

• Volume control –the control of how quite or loud sound is this is set to emphasize mood/atmosphere in the opening sequence of gattca

Special effects

• Colour • Looks like this has been saturated

make it look more like a early hours of the morning scene or mid day scene. This effect is used to make it look like a sunny bright day.

Narrative

• This narrative is restricted and unrestricted. This is because it does give the audience information about who is in the film and who created it, but it doesn't give any information as to what the film is about.

• The narrative depth is subjective in this opening sequence as we do not see anything in the characters point of view and towards the end of the clip we see other characters.

• There are enigmas within the opening sequence which are: Who is the man and what is he doing? Why was he removing traces of his identity? What was he burning and why?

Narrative theory :Barthes

•Barthe says that the audiences experiences of narrative involves anticipation and experience.

•Barthe identified this by codes:•Enigma code•Action code •Semantic code•Symbolic code•Cultural code.

Narrative Theory

• Enigma code (Barthes Theory) is used in the opening sequence of Gattaca as narrative is set as a puzzle/mystery as they are extreme close ups.

This may allow the audience to feel puzzled because of the characters actions.

Cont.

Furthermore, at the beginning of the opening sequence it poses a bible verse and a quote. - creates more mystery - makes the audience wonder whether it has any relation to the film.

Levi-Strauss • Levi-Strauss theory talks

about our world is described in binary opposites .When we look at themes within stories and real life we realise they consist differences.

Good Bad

Night Day

Male Female uyiiy87uo

Dark Light

In this place the lighting is much darker and isolated.

In this place the lighting is much more brighter.

Narrative theory: Allan Cameron

•Allan Cameron identified four types of modular narratives which are:• Forking path• Episodic• Anachronic• Split screen

Cameron’s theory in relation to Gattaca Forking path Episodic Anachronic Split screen

Does this apply to the sequence?

No Yes and No

Abstract.

No No

Explanation: There is no alternative to the story shown in the opening sequence.

There are different shots without the character in it.

There are no flashbacks or flash forwards.

There is no split screen in the opening sequence.

Evidence none none none