https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtVyu-A3vkY

The Paramount image shown at the beginning of this film, shows the audience that this film is of high standards and that the logo is known all around the world as a major film producer who can be trusted. From this image, we can tell when the film was made, due to highlighting the fact that Paramount is in its 100 year of producing.

The first proper shot of the opening sequence is a black screen. This gives no information out to the audience about the film and what the film is about. Even though there’s no mise-en-scene, it still is effective due to creating tension and giving the audience a last opportunity to assume what will happen. This black screen is then accompanied by calming slow music. We already know that sound is important, due to being played within the film, which adds emotion to the film. A Fade shot is then used to introduce the next scene, where the RMS Titanic is shown, ready for departure and people waving from the dock.

Also by using an over the shoulder shot, helps make the audience feel like they were standing in the same position as the spectators were. This is effective because the audience can relate to the emotions that the people were feeling and also how exhilarating it was to watch the ship set sail. The use of non-diegetic sounds of people screaming goodbye and shouting adds to the atmosphere as the people are boarding the ship are excited and are showing this by their facial expressions. As the non-diegetic music still plays in the background, it changes the scene completely as the clip shows a father blowing a kiss to his child on the boat.

The only two colours used in this next sequence is dark yellow and black, this implies that the film was based and set in the past and tries to re-enact how a camera would take a picture in black and white as technology wasn’t developed back then. Also by using these colours, helps suggests that the ship has been at the bottom of the ocean or years and this clip is a flashback of the day that the ship departed. Also this low angle, helps show how big the Titanic was, compared to the people standing on the dock. Also by the costumes of what the people are wearing whilst waiting for the ship to depart, are mostly black and old-fashioned, this helps gives the audience the impression that these people are quite poor and are only there to admire the ship, due to not being able to afford to travel on the ship. A tilt angle also shows the height of the people in comparison to the people on the dock, this is another was to show that they are higher in class. Also, in the same shot, we see an old man using an old fashioned camera, this also contributes to the time period was set and the use of colour in this clip shows how undeveloped technology was and that pictures couldn’t be printed in colour.

By using a fade shot, helps both of these sequences link together smoothly and lets the audience know that the clip showing is still the opening scene as the name of the film hasn’t showed yet.

In the final scene, the colours then change completely as the water makes the scene cold and dark. The use of dark blue implies that they are far out to sea. This sets the location as cold and the scene shows how fast the waves are moving. Contrasting with the stillness of the background, the light that shines on the water, causes a reflection which shows the audience that there is something floating on top of the water. This is effective because then a rotating camera angle is used to show the density of the water and the mysterious reflection causes the audience to wonder what the object is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thYrcltJfB8

The Black Swan opens with a gentle non-diegetic piano piece that gradually builds tension over the course of the intro. This piece of music link with the drawing shown, as the person starts to draw gently ad fluently, but as the music changes tone and meaning, the intro becomes more aggressive as shown in the picture, due to the person putting more pressure on the pastel and then leading it to break. This could be used as dramatic irony as it could reflect the main characters mental and emotional journey throughout the whole film. A fade In from black is used throughout the opening clip to help focus the audiences attention to the middle of the screen as the edge of the screen is darker and to take in the story it is trying to tell. This sticks with the gentle theme of the clip as the fade in is more graceful than a simple cut. This also links in with both the ballet theme and the music. Also dissolves is used as a edit, due to leaving a faded imprint on the next shot. The overlapping effect leaves a sense of mystery as to what is being drawn in the background.

Right before the end, another piece of non-diegetic sound is used, of a glass breaking as the music suddenly drops in intensity. The unconnected sound used could also coincide with the final drawing, which is the climax of the clip.