CdL; Conventions of a Film Opening

Brick (Johnson, 2006)

(trailer taken from YouTube as whole film not availabe)

What are the conventions used in this clip?

• It is between two and four minutes long and introduces the protagonist in such a way that questions are asked by the audience, in this case by showing a highly stylized shot of him in an enigmatic pose and in the presence of a dead body in the first few shots
• It also introduces the title of the film, in white font on a black background which stands out in sharp contrast and zooms out as it fades into the static shot of the protagonist's feet approaching the locker, which creates a link with the first scene in the same way as the MCU shots of the girls' arm and distinctive bangles, although unlike in some opening scenes, things such as the director's name and those of the main actors were not included.
• A slow rhythmic soundtrack which pauses to give tension building periods of silence, and along with the minimal use of dialogue and the quavering, vulnerable voice used by the girl on the phone also contributes to the tension.
• The use of BCU shots and shallow depth of field encourages the audience to focus on particular aspects of the shots, allowing them to pick out possible enigma codes and work out their relevance in the narrative, and not allowing them to see the whole picture in some places.
• Use of flashback mixes up the narrative and the audience are shown this through the use of text on screen, "two days previous".
• Slow cutting rate at the beginning of the clip is effective in creating tension because the audience become aware of how things are not quite right, or as they seem at first. It also makes the fast speed of the car as it passes the phone box, along with the cry of the girl on the phone, more of a shock, contrasted with the quiet and slow nature of the previous shots.