Fame (1980): Opening Sequence Analysis

Mise en Scene

The opening scene starts off with dialogue  alongside a picture on the classroom wall above the boy auditioning. The classroom is dark and gritty not much use of light. A boy is auditioning in front of the teacher and a few older students. We clearing establish that he is in a drama audition as he is performing a personal monologue which he mostly speaks about his complicated and unfortunate relationship with his mother. It's a very touching opening scene and even though he forgets his lines more than half way through we have a feeling he could be a potential student at the performing arts school as the teacher acknowledges that he forgot his lines but made it clear it was okay and that he did well. Another student arriving for his audition is getting out of his fathers yellow cab and it becomes obvious that the film is set in New York City and comes across as very crowded on the road.
The dance scene enters the screen with a shot of a dancers feet while their warming up for their audition. The studio is packed full of dancers waiting to audition and observing others . This creates a cramped and tense atmosphere which we then establish that these auditionees are under intense pressure to catch the teachers attention for their spot in the New York High School of Performing Arts.  
Editing

This film was nominated for a BAFTA Award for the best editing. Great use of editing while cutting to different students auditioning from all performing art departments in the school.
When the boy forgets his line, editing is used to show the teacher sitting down from the side and then again to show the boys worried face.

Light

The only light used is natural light from outside and 3 dull ceiling lights. This natural light isn't very bright so this specific scene is very depressing alongside the boys emotional drama piece. In the dance opening scene only natural light from outside is coming through the windows.

Sound

In the opening scene we hear far away traffic from outside, continious beeping throughtout the boys drama audition. This gives us the idea that this school is in the city.
After the boys touching audition an image of a black boy which immediately takes over the screen who is violently playing away with the drum kit which changes the mood and this surprises the audience and proves to be alarming.

 The other several fast shots are of musicians playing their instruments. The music in the dance scene compliments the type of dance from classical music straight to upbeat POP 80s music.

The sound of all the musicians in one room playing different instruments documents the chaotic atmosphere due to the auditions.

Camera

The camera slowly moves down zooming out at the same time to focus on the auditioning boys face with a camera shot that is of his neck and head. A while after the camera zooms in and his face fills the frame, this is most useful to capture the specific emotion at that very moment. We view the class room and the other people present from at the back of the classroom. In the dance scene panning is used from a high level which allows the audience to see every character before focusing on four girl dancers.

A high angle camera shot is used in the quick shot of all the musicians rehearsing in the same room which is overly crowded and illustrates how eager they are to do their best.

Short Script- The Coffee Shop- 180 degrees rule and Practise Script

The 180 Degree rule while filming is used when two charatcers in a particular scene are having a conversation where they maintain there left and right shoulders so the camera can cross over during the conversation depending on what character is speaking.


Jessie walks into the coffee shop.

Jessie: Hey

Florence: Hi, It’s been a long time since we’ve been out hasn't it

Jessie shrugs and sits at the table opposite Florence.

Jessie: Since you and Rob got together we stopped hanging out

Florence: I’m sorry Jessie, I hope we can be like we were before all of that

Jessie: That’s only because you and Rob broke up Flo

Uses the 180 degree rule, camera moves to Jessie’s side of the table and we see Florence’s reaction from Jessie’s perspective.

Waiter walks to their table.

Camera immediately looks up at the waitress. A high shot is used so we see all the characters.

Waiter looks at Florence.

Waiter: Can I take your order?

Florence: I’ll have a hot chocolate please

Shot of Florence from Jessie’s shoulder.

Jessie:  Stares at Florence for several seconds.

Florence: Jessie?

Jessie: I can’t do this, you get a boyfriend and pretend we never met and now you’re not together you want to be friends!

Waiter: I’ll come back in a few minutes

Jessie: No I’ll have a coffee to go please

Waiter shakes her head, smiles and walks away in a rush.

Camera is positioned in the middle of Jessie and Florence for a full shot.

Florence: Your blowing this way out of proportion, I know it’s my fault

Jessie: Damn right it is!

Florence: Jessie please you’re my best friend

Jessie: Things have changed

Florence: I’m so sorry

Florence looks down into her lap.

Close up shot of Florence’s face while Jessie is talking.

Jessie: I’m moving to Canada, my mum has been offered a job over there. I’m leaving in 2 weeks

Camera looks at Jessie from behind Florence’s shoulder.

Florence's head shoots up

What?! You only tell me now?

Jessie: You’re lucky I even told you. A friend is expected to be there for their friends. You weren’t there

Florence: You hate me, I can’t believe this!

Jessie: I could never hate you Florence. But we can’t pretend the last few months of you ignoring my existence didn’t happen

Waiter appears back at the table with Jessie’s coffee.

Waiter: Here’s your coffee to go

Camera in the centre of the table from the opposite side, full shot of each character present at the table.

Jessie rummages through her purse and hands the waiter the money.

Jessie: Thank you

Waiter: You’re welcome

Waiter smiles and walks away.

*Phone rings*

Close up shot of Florence’s phone screen on the table. Caller I.D reads “Rob”.

Florence looks up at her phone and looks at Jessie watching her phone.

Jessie flings hand in the air and stands up

Go run after Rob like you always do! I’m gone. Bye Florence

Jessie walks away without glancing back and leaves the shop without waiting for a response from Florence.

Camera follows after her up to the door and watches her cross the road to catch a bus.

Camera then turns around to see Florence looking out the window.

                   END OF SCENE

Children Of Men: Opening Sequence Analysis

Mise en scene:

The opening piece starts with a black blank screen accompanied by a English female news reporters voice for 6 seconds. A image of a crowd of people in a coffee shop looking up at a television appears straight away. The surrounding is very claustrophobic and makes us feel uneasy as we don't understand why a crowded group of people are looking terrified at what is being announced on the television. This has been intentionally planned for a particular effect. We as the audience can tell something serious has grabbed the characters attention judging by the depressing atmosphere combined with the distressed and tense emotions captured in this opening scene. When the man enters the shop we the audience understand that he must be a main character or one of them as he is  centered in the middle of the shot.

The colours used including the characters costumes are greys, blues and varied dark colours which creates a gloomy and chilling mood. The colours used gives us an idea what genre the film comes under.

When the man leaves the coffee shop we can tell this film is set in the future because of the flying car in the air and the vehicles look very unusual and adapted and at 1:07 it says "London, 16th November 2027" on the screen but we can guess what city the film is based in because of the red buses on the road.

Editing:

• Editing is used at the opening of the film from the blank screen  when it cuts straight to the crowded coffee shop.
• The text "London, 16th November 2027"  when the man exits the coffee shop has been put in after the scene being shot

Sound:

At the start of the film we are not given a image the screen is pitch black. A voice over of a female reporter's voice come in straight away which also us to concentrate on exactly what she is announcing as it's likely to be a piece of key information that has a lot to do with the rest of the film.

The music played at 0:35 is sad and heartbreaking when the camera focuses on the image of the baby's face on the television.

When the man leaves the coffee shop we get a buzz of car horns, bus engines passing by, motorbikes roaring so we immediantly know this scene is set in busy London. The blast is surely unexpected to us as only moments ago the street was full of people, cars and buses on route to their destinations which the camera focused on for a short while to give us the audience a understanding of the setting.

Camera:

In the coffee shop scene the shot used is called a high angle shot which gives us a birds eye view as the audience and a feeling of being superior unlike the characters. They would be seen as inferior and less powerful. I think this shot is a great way to capture the characters emotions because we can also see almost every character in the coffee shop. 

A panning movement is used to look up the right hand side of the street then back to the man who was walking in the opposite way from the camera. When the man is sorting out his coffee the camera goes behind him and stops at the other side of his face and this is how we can see his reaction to the blast along with the other pedestrians reactions and how much of an impact it made. When the blast occurs the camera run straight towards the smoke from the blast much like as if someone was recording what happened like a documentary.