Lesson Review, Natalie, 26/11/09

After last weeks lesson where each group individually analysed a genre and opening sequence, each group did a small presentation of the genre they analysed and the rest of us took notes. Each group did a different opening sequence from James Bond: Casino Royale to Texas Chainsaw massacre.

Each group did a review of an opening sequence explaining its conventions and how it is used. Every sequence showed different conventions of its genre as well as different conventions of an opening sequence. Some included credits whereas others didn’t, some included introduction of main characters where as some were only introductory of the genre.

Individually I evaluated each groups opening sequence and took notes on what conventions appeared in each sequence. The main conventions of opening sequence includes introduction of an characters, settings, genre, time & date, plot, narrative, and uses credits and has a hook which entices the audience to want to watch more.

The first sequence we went through was from the crime and gangster genre, conventions of this genre include, death/crime, hero & villain, criminals, authority which is represented negatively, set in a busy urban city and an easy to recognise set. The opening sequence was the film ‘Lock, stock & two smoking barrels’, the plot Is of a gambler selling illegal goods on the street, it is set in an urban area of east London, this can be seen from the costume and the accent of the main character. There is use of credits between shots to break up the narrative but keep the audience interested at the same time. We are introduced to the main characters as an audience. AS well as this, we are introduced to the setting and genre. There is grey use of lighting which represents the area and lifestyle. There is a use of slow motion at the end of the sequence with a voice over spoken over the top. The slow motion adds emphasis to the central characters and the situation they are in, the slow motion also represents that the characters are running out of time and allows the audience to take in what has happened prior to this. There is music also within the sequence which adds pace and keeps the audience interested. The hook used is at the slow motion section which keeps the audience amused.

This is the opening sequence of Lock, Stock And two Smoking Barrels

The second sequence was of the Thriller genre. The conventions of this genre includes adding intensity, tension and suspense. Other conventions include, scary & dark music, isolated setting, death, dark lighting, tracking shot, point of view shots to add mystery and tracking shots. The sequence that this group analysed was the ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, This sequence was a very different sequence to the others that I viewed, it contained a series of dark and montage images which represented death and a sinister feel. There was use of dark lighting to emphasis the genre. The character was introduced by a name instead of an image. There were images of mutations to introduce the genre and the title of ‘Massacre’. The character is mysterious as we don’t actually see them and are not properly introduced to them. We are engaged as an audience with use of burning images, sinister and creepy music and powerful images.

This is the opening sequence of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The two sequences are incredibly different, 'lock, stock and two smoking barrels' uses credtis, continuity editing and introduction of characters where as 'the texas chainsaw massacre' doesn't use credits and uses montage editing. The music for both sequences are incredibly different too, this is because the target audiences and genres are both different so serve different purposes.

I learnt a lot from viewing others sequences and it added to my knowledge of other genres. Now when we decide as a group what genre opening sequence to do, i feel we will have far more knowledge on how to do this and our options won't be as limited as they were previously.

Websites used: www.Youtube.com