Good Will Hunting:
Description: In the opening scene of Good Will Hunting, the film begins with credits displayed over images of books and mathematical equations coming in and out of focus. Around the two-minute mark, Will Hunting (played by Matt Damon) appears, sitting in a small, cluttered room, fully engrossed in reading math books. The camera then zooms out and it reveals a very basic living space. There is only a mattress on the floor with books scattered everywhere. At this point his friend arrives to pick him up, and you can get a better sense of where he lives. It’s on the south side of Boston, where there is more poverty. The scene then shifts to MIT where we find Will dressed as a janitor. He watches a professor writing a difficult equation on a chalkboard as a challenge for his students...
Analysis: Since we only have two minutes for our own film opening, we would need to move through the titles and credits much faster to grab the audience's attention right away. One thing this opening does really well is immediately introducing the main character while showing us that he is a math genius. We also quickly learn that he is in a place like MIT, which can challenge his abilities and possibly offer him opportunities. This makes me wonder what will happen next - will he pursue his interest in math in some way? Did he take this janitor job on purpose so he could be close to some of the best math professors?
The challenge written on the board also acts as foreshadowing, hinting at the conflict and story to come. Overall, this opening is executed extremely well. The pacing, story development, and introduction of the character and setting are all established effectively in a short amount of time, which makes it a strong example of how to hook an audience early in a film.
The Dark Knight:
Description: In the opening scene of The Dark Knight, the film begins with a bank robbery led by the Joker. A group of criminals wearing clown masks carries out a well-planned heist. Each member is unaware that the Joker has a plan to eliminate them one by one. As the robbery takes place, the thieves keep discussing their mysterious leader. They are anxious to know who it is. Finally, the scene ends up with the Joker unmasking himself and delivering the line, "I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger."
Analysis: Again, given that we have only two minutes for our film opening, it's critical to establish the main character and set the tone quickly, just like this movie. The Dark Knight captivates the audience by immediately immersing them into action from the beginning. It quickly introduces the Joker's malicious nature. The bank robbery not only grabs attention but also provides insight into the Joker's character – he is smart, ruthless and unpredictable. This made me eager to understand how the rest of the movie would unfold.
Description: In the opening scene is where we are introduced to Andy Dufresne, a banker. He is sitting alone in his car at night. He is drinking heavily and has a gun beside him. The scene then shifts to a courtroom where Andy is on trial for the murder of his wife and her lover. The prosecutor presents strong evidence against him, including his presence at the crime scene and fingerprints on bullets. Andy claims he is innocent, but the jury finds him guilty. The judge sentences him to two consecutive life terms at Shawshank State Penitentiary.
Analysis: This opening effectively sets up the story by introducing us to Andy and the serious charges against him. It quickly establishes the film's setting and central conflict, making viewers question whether Andy is truly guilty as well as understanding he will spend the rest of his life in prison. The use of lighting and music enhances the despair that Andy feels. The dark lighting is bleak just like his circumstances and future. Overall, the opening scene efficiently draws the audience into this Andy’s world and feeling a bit hopeless. This is done on purpose because the surprising part of the movie, later, is that life can still have a bit of hope, purpose and friendship in prison (but the audience does not know this yet).
No comments:
Post a Comment