Viewing Other Student Work

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! We just got back from 2 weeks of winter break and we took a look at the opening scenes of other students. Today, I'll be reviewing them and discussing them with a partner.

1. "Dare to Thrill"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=nYpjHCwRO6Q

In this video, there are many technical elements to look at. One of the first things we see is a group of young adults walking at night who are walking towards a parking garage. Here, they utilize a master shot which shows the back of all the characters involved. As they walk up the stairs, a tracking shot is utilized to follow them up the stairs. This makes the audience feel as if they're walking with them and also makes the audience feel the excitement of the multiple scenes it is used in. They then find a key and the car the key is for which they take on a joy-ride. Inside the car many quick, close-up shots are included which help to create a chaotic environment and emphasizes the fun the group is having.  The night scenery and score really helps to emphasize the thrill and fun that they're experiencing on the joyride, making the film feel authentic and something the audience can relate to.

2. "Always Watching"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-yrsmQS7bo&feature=youtu.be

This open scene was very clearly supposed to be suspenseful, and it was. The close-up shots of what seems to be the main character and the mannerisms of his face while he talked made the character seem disturbing. The score also aided in that feeling, creating suspense as it continued on. The two-shot between the character and the lady he is talking to, maybe his therapist, demonstrates the built up anger that he has against his friend. It also makes him seem dangerous as the camera slightly tilts up tracking his movement as he gets up and begins to loom over the therapist. It makes him feel like a danger towards those around him and clearly his is not in his right mind. This was a good opening scene but the end of the scene was a bit lacking as it just suddenly cut off.

3. "Blue Boar"

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-yrsmQS7bo&feature=youtu.be

This opening scene was unlike the others. It began with the protagonist having dialogue with her mother. While the mother reprimanded the protagonist, the director did a close-up shot of her mouth. It created a bit of an eerie feeling, making the audience realize that the mother was very strict on her daughter. The unique part of this opening is that the protagonist began singing and it created a tone of freedom while she was going through nature. To end the opening scene, the director utilized a match cut, that transitioned into the name of the movie. The opening scene utilized the many different editing and technical elements. It was overall a good opening scene, setting the tone for the rest of the movie while introducing the character and their main conflict.

4. "White Coat"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=dvAsmo32uo0

Now this opening scene did great in terms of transitions, lighting, and mise-en-scene to create the tone of the movie. Using fade-in transitions at the beginning to slowly bring the audience into the situation the protagonist is in. They utilize many pan shots as well, moving the camera left-right to help show the area and build some sort of interest in what is going on. The usage of dark-lighting was very good and it made the scene very suspenseful along with the score's assistance. The props around and the costume of the person mixing up mysterious liquids also helps to make the scene suspenseful but also aids in the topic of the movie, which seems to be that the protagonist is being tested on by someone. This is a very good opening scene and personally, one of my favorites.

5. "Stalker"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxIZJKdc-Sw&feature=youtu.be

This opening scene is the worst of all I've talked about on this blog in my opinion. It lacks a variety of technical elements that would naturally pull in an audience's attention. The director does utilize a good close up shot that demonstrates the protagonists worry as sudden camera shutter sounds come from her window. They also include an over-the-shoulder shot while also using the rule of thirds concept. However, there isn't much else to praise. The costumes help to show the protagonist is just an average girl who goes to school as it is very casual. The lighting doesn't have much variety either and is mostly just natural lighting from the sun. Overall the opening sequence isn't the greatest and doesn't garner much of my attention.

6. "Nostalgia"

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p8azlLRHyqaShaOJC6SBJwzGx7s9Cjpk/view

In this opening sequence, the director is trying to encapsulate the feeling of nostalgia that an old lady gets from looking at a painting of an older, possibly traditionally Hispanic house. I believe that this opening sequence had a lot of potential but unfortunately it did not live up to it. This is due to a lack of variety in the technical aspects. The film has a heavy reliance on straight cuts which disrupts the flow of the opening and makes it very clunky. There could have been more usage of transitions such as fade-ins or outs to help the film move smoothly between shots. However, the film did use the close shot as well as the insert transition very effectively. It helped direct the audience towards what the lady was looking at and the emotions that may have been rushing through her. Additionally, the score added on top of the close-up shots developed a very saddening tone.

7. "Rise"

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9AKdUT8nyg&feature=youtu.be

In this opening sequence, the main focus is on a young man who is practicing soccer. The score helps to create a motivational feeling as if the protagonist is attempting to reach some sort of goal. It makes the audience feel motivated for whatever is in store. Furthermore, the close-up shot and tracking shot is used together to help invest the audience into the scene. It also brings attention toward what the protagonist is practicing and the fluidity of the motions. There is also a very clever transition used in which the camera is rolling toward the ball and suddenly we transition to an over-the-shoulder shot of a man who happens to be in the park as well. There was also a close-up shot incorporated to show his face. He notices the main character practicing and it makes the audience believe that the person in this scene is important to the film, and it is done within just a few seconds of him being shown on camera. I believe this opening utilized technical elements very effectively. 

8. "Dear Lover"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_bKQDg6fiI&feature=youtu.be

In this final opening, the audience is introduced to a woman who ran away from home due to a judgmental mother who didn't approve of her having a relationship with the same sex. The opening begins with an establishing shot, showing the location of where the character is. It also uses a voice-over that is meant to give us context of the protagonists situation. They also use a bit of a melancholic score and close-up shots to make the audience feel empathetic toward the protagonist's situation. They also use the J-cut, which shows the character in the present time and sets up the story as a retelling of prior events. The techniques were used well and the opening scene was good.