Assignment 20: Opening Sequence Analysis

Judy IbelgauptieneKatia MartinsLeticia Silva

Noor Naoum

Judy Ibelgauptiene

Katia Martins Leticia Silva Noor Naoum

Editing + 1 Narrative Theory

Purpose/Conventions + Some sound + 1 Narrative Theory

Narrative(Structure/Enigma/Type) + MES + 1 Narrative Theory

CAM SAMC + Some Sound + 1 Narrative Theory

‘U TURN’

Film Details

Genre Crime Drama Thriller

Year 1997

Director Oliver Stone

Main Actors Sean PennJennifer Lopez

Nick Nolte

Film: U TURNGenre: Crime Drama Thriller

Template Notes

Genre Purpose

Crime, Drama + Thriller

Purpose (Opening Sequence)

The purpose is…

(four points?)

Conventions

*Input table*

Colum 1: General conventions of genre

2: Conventions in U TURN (reinforce or challenge)

3: Similar Films

And how many ever rows u think u need

Extreme close ups Close ups Purpose

There was the shot of the dead animal which creates enigma. This is because it could foreshadow a death within the movie

The extreme close up of the horse could symbolise the journey of life and time passing quickly.

The extreme close up of the radio could suggest his sense of comfort

The idea of cards could suggest a gamble in life and that he is choosing between life and death

The close up of seeing a dead animal and a bird eating the animal could forebode the mans death

The close up of his injured hand could suggest that this man is exposed to a lot of danger

The close up of his face could portray he emotionally feels.

Camera Shots

Camera AnglesLow angles High angles Purpose

The purpose of this allows us to think how he has the courage to be alone in such an abandoned place.

This low angle could suggest that this deserted area has hidden dangerous places.

This high angle could suggest his isolation and vulnerability of being alone in a deserted place.

The sunset from a low angle could symbolise danger as the dark is approaching.

This low angle could also portray the fact that he has the power and the strength to be in this place on his own. This conveys him as being dominant

This also symbolises his isolation of being surrounded by nature which shows us he is exposed to a lot of danger especially being alone with no help.

Camera Movements Track Panning Purpose

This creates enigma becausewhen he reaches to the end we want to know whether he keeps on going or not.

Tracking in this scene could suggest that he has a long journey to reach his destination.

This could also establish the setting around him showing he is in a deserted location.

This long journey could represent his life and time moving quickly.

This portrays the act that he is isolated within nature (deserted place)

This portrays his journey taking a lot of time but also establishing through nature what may happen to him.

Being surrounded by beautiful nature and being on his own could portray confusion and isolation.

Mise-en-scene: settingThe opening sequence is set in a type of dessert and an open high road.

This setting could symbolise the fact that he is on a journey somewhere and the fact that he is alone could symbolise running away from a problem.

This setting of the mountains could symbolise the obstacles that he has to take during his life time.

The train on its track could symbolise that this is a path that he has taken before and is taking again on his own.

The car in the distance going through the dry unsteady road could symbolise how his life is going at the moment or throughout his life.

Mise-en-scene: LightingMost of the time in this opening sequence it has a naturalistic lighting but at some points it has a tinted orange colour that could represent different timing.

The orange tinted colour could represent timing that he has been on the road for a long time portraying that he is trying to travel really far.

The mid key lighting could represent the foreshadowing and mystery in his life at the moment. That fact that the shadows and light are split means they are balanced or he is trying to balance them out.

The high key lighting could represent how he seems to feel that the way he is going is going to bring him the peace that he is trying to find or the answers to his questions.

Mise-en-scene: CharacterTerm Screen grab Annotation

Representation The character is an angry tempered person who has a problem in his life at the moment. He is also a careless person.

Body language His body language is very unsettled and uneasy. Also a trying to keep calm type of body language. When he shakes his head out of distress.

Costume His costumes is very messy and scruffy representing his stress and his tempered state.

Props the red car= representing his anger. Grave stone= foreshadowing death. bandage-= representing the wounds in his life. Medicine and cigar= establishing his stress.Sun glasses= trying to run away from life.

Editing: Text/TitlesThe type of text used throughout the opening sequence looks hand written.

The way the titles move are in four different main ways:1) Move closer to each other 2) In a firework like way 3) Slide down the screen 4) Flash like

slowly (Jump) (Fireworks/spark like)

1

2

1

2

Editing: Continuity EditingMatch On Action Eye-line Match Insert Shot

Match on action is used when the man hits the cat with his car.

In the opening sequence a few eye-line matches are used.

There’s a few insert shots used.

For example this one is where he is looking at the carcass.

This one is of his car key.

This one is of a caveman drawing in the beginning.

Cat running across road.

Characters reaction.

Cats reaction.

Cat gets hit.

Remains of cat.

Editing: PaceThere are two paces seen within the opening sequence, medium and fast.

Medium This is the pace used through out the opening sequence.

FastThis is the other pace used within the opening sequence.The fast pace is parallel with the upbeat music in the opening sequence which makes the audience feel excited.

The music in this scene of a truck driving by really fast was parallel with the pace as the pace of the editing increased.

In these screen shots the pace isn’t as dramatic and fast.Its quite relaxing as its at a medium pace and no tension is created.

Editing: TimeTypes of time used in the opening sequence

Flash-forward Ellipsis Time Allocation

A flash-forward is used to show the birds eating the carcass and then the main character witness’ the birds eating it.

Ellipsis is used as we don’t see him driving from the moment he gets in the car and we don’t see the whole of the car journey but random snippets.

Time allocation is mainly on the main character which is the only character within the opening sequence, as throughout the opening sequence we are introduced to him.

Here is the flash-forward of the bids eating the carcass and then in the second photo the man witness’ it and we see it through his glasses/ point of view.

Through out the opening sequence he is the only character we are introduced to so most of the time allocation is on him. If not him then its usually of insert shots.

We follow the main character around in his car. However different shots of him in different places driving are used therefore there's ellipsis as we don’t see the one whole straight journey but random parts of it.

Editing: Transitions

The two transitions used are: fade out and straight cut.

Fade OutFade out is used a few times within the opening sequence.

Straight CutMost of the transitions are straight cuts within the opening sequence this is probably to create realism.

One scene fades out as the other overlaps it.

Here we are looking at the key hole in the car and then at the man driving the car.

Editing: Special EffectsBlurr Black & White Fisheye

The blurr effect is used one or twice within the opening sequence.Here in these photos a blurring effect is used on the dashboard of the car.

In the opening sequence the black and white effect is only used once.

It is used when filming in this low angle shot.

A sort of fisheye effect is used for a glasses effect.As if the audience is viewing from the main characters point of view.

Sound: Diegetic

Sound: Non-diegetic

• In the background the music seems to be calm and a happy type of atmosphere. When he reaches the signs the volume control decreases and allows us to hear the diegetic sound of him turning off the car.

Narrative STRUCTURE TYPE ENIGMA

The structure in non-linear because it has moments where the opening sequence has a scene from 2 birds eating a wolf and then when he drives past he sees it. So the timings are placed to go back and forth but to still link together.

The type is restricted (implicit) because you don’t know what is going on in the opening sequence and it doesn’t give away to much which causes the audience to have their own theory of what is the meaning behind this opening sequence and by being restricted it helps to capture the audiences attention id order to keep them interested in the opening sequence.

The enigmas are : Who is he? What is he doing out in the middle of the road on his own? Why is he in the middle of the high road on his own and why is he so stressed out? Why the cigars and medicines? Where is he going? What is he doing and what did he do?

Leticia Silva

Narrative Theory Todorov

Is it equilibrium, disequilibrium or new equilibrium in the opening sequence? Why?

If you don’t know, why do you think this is?

Narrative TheoryPropp

Hero dispatcher Villain Donor Helper

The man on the search probably looking for someone (psychologically)

There is no dispatcher.

There is no villain but he could possibly be the villain at the same time.

He drank medicine which could give him the power energy for strength

There is no helper he is just isolated and alone in a car in a deserted place.

False Hero Heroine

There is no falsehero.

There is no Heroine.

Narrative TheoryBarthes

Enigma Action Semantic Symbolic Cultural

The enigma is that he is driving on the high road as if he is running away which creates the question for the audience of what he is doing in the middle of the high road and why is he there.

The actions code is that he is smoking cigarettes and taking medicine which leads the audience to think that he has a serious condition. Also when he shakes his head as if in distress and having a mental issue. Which could lead the audience to think that he is crazy.

The semantic code here is the colour red on his car which could symbolise his anger and a warning of his dangerous behaviours.

The symbolic code here is when the 2 birds are eating the wolf. Usually the wolf would eat the birds. This could be a symbolic of the fact that he is in serious danger and that he is the wolf and whatever he is running from is the bird trying to eat him.

The cultural code is that usually when the person is on a high road on their own it suggests isolation or a sense of wanting to run away enhancing the possibility of him having a mental problem.

Narrative TheoryCameron

Anachronic Forking Path Split Screen Episodic

Within this opening sequence we see flash-forwards of the birds eating the dead carcass and then the character sees it. This is evidence for an anachronic narrative.

There is no use of forking path in the first sequence as we only meet one character who isprobably the main character and we see him living his life in the present moment with no repetitions of his day from the start.

There is no split screen present as we follow one character for the whole of the opening sequenceand the screen doesn't’t split and show any other characters or what they’re doing. This is probably is because the focus is on one character.

The opening sequence for U TURN has no episodic narrative as there seems to be no abstract or anthology narrative. The opening sequence is too brief to establish anything episodic about it.

Judy Ibelgauptiene