As my opening sequence, I have chosen to do a coming of age film as I have seen several different films of this genre. After researching a few different films, I decided to analyse 'The Breakfast Club' as this film has several different stereotypes which are portrayed during the film.
Camerawork
At the beginning of 'The Breakfast Club' it starts off with a long establishing shot of 'Shermer High School' which immediately gives the audience an idea of where the film or part of the film is set. After that it switches to a close up of a clock on the wall as we see the clock ticking away which shows that time is moving and could imply that the characters will be looking at that during some parts of the opening sequence. Furthermore, after this close up of the clock it then changes to some more close ups of different parts of the school; like the corridor and the kitchen.This gives the audience an insight into what the school looks like so they can create a rough image in their heads.
Then, it shows more close ups of different types of graffiti that are around the school which shows that it isn't a very posh school and that the students aren't well behaved. This also makes things clear as to why they are in detention in the next scene. In this opening scene, two shots are also used in the cars with the different families as this shows that they are a family and that they are all different.
Mise-En-Scene
The costumes that are used in this opening sequence are very much stereotypical as the boys are wearing big jackets and the girls are wearing skirts and dresses. This immediately gives the audience an insight into what the characters might be like. It also allows the audience to get a feel of the different sorts of characters that might be in the movie. Furthermore, the fact that they all go into the same room and the same school shows the audience that this school is where the majority of the film will be set. In this opening sequence there are several different characters and each character is different as they are meant to highlight and symbolise the generic types of people that are shown in the media. For example; there is a 'Jock' which is traditionally the sporty kind and very popular. He will usually wear shorts or a sports kit of some sort. There is also the 'Rich Girl' which always has the best clothing and is always supposed to look the best and show off to other people. She will usually wear bright and expensive looking clothing to show that she is of a higher class that everybody else- this person is often seen as cocky and very spoilt. Another character is the 'Nerd' of the group which symbolises the people that work hard at school and stereotypically dont have many friends. This type of stereotype will often wear glasses and look very smart as they will usually wear a school uniform. Finally there is the 'Outcast' of the group which is often seen as a weirdo and is very often rebellious. This stereotype will often wear very dark and gothic clothing and will seem different to the others.
Sound
Within this opening sequence, not much sound is used. However the sound thats used is used very well as it adds to the moment and highlights the atmosphere very well. An example of this is the non-diegetic music that is playing softly in the background. It sets the tone for the entire sequence as it is upbeat and pretty slow. This could also symbolise that time is moving very slowly for the characters. Furthermore, more non-diegetic sound is used during the beginning of this opening sequence in the form of narration. This narration gives away key pieces of information like the date and the type of school it is. It also gives little bits of detail about all the different types off characters like what they're into and what their characteristics are so that the audience know a little bit of background knowledge about each individual character. When all of the characters enter the classroom there is the diegetic sound of the chairs moving and the teacher's footsteps as he walks down the corridor to the detention room. As a result of this it makes it feel more realistsic as there is no background music and it makes you focus entirely on the characters.
Editing
At the beginning of this opening scene it starts off with the billing and up beat music over the top which plays throughout the entire opening sequence and sets the tone and gives the audience an insight to the feeling of the opening to this film. As soon as the billing is over it fades into an establishing shot of the school. While it does this, there is a narrative voice over the top which gives away information about each of the different characters that we see in this opening sequence. It also gives away the date which lets the audience know when the film is taking place. As the narrator is speaking, it cuts to quick shots of the different areas around the school like the corridors and some of the class rooms. This lets the audience know what the school is like so they can begin to create a picture of the different sorts of people that might go to this school. This is later revealed as it then cuts to the several different people in their cars with their families.
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