Peer Review (Opening Sequence)

1. “The Entity After Hours”

https://youtu.be/uISgY-24Fkw

My favorite thing about this opening sequence is the lighting while they sneak into the classroom. The red from the emergency exit sign created a suspenseful feeling. The Dutch angles made it feel like someone or something was watching them. The dark lighting was great as well, making the red signs pop out more and create a sort of dangerous atmosphere. This was also during the time they started talking about there being a ghost in the school, setting up the premise of the film. I wasn’t the biggest fan on the master shot towards the end though. I will say that the zoom-in they used made it a bit better and the ending itself was very good at making me wonder “well what happened?!” The diegetic sounds at the end really added to the overall sense of looming danger that was already present. I felt like the opening was understandable and wasn’t really confusing. I understood that the overall premise was kids sneaking into their school after hours to change a bad grade, but little did they know that some sort of entity was roaming around the school. It was easy to follow along and the sequence of events made sense. The only suggestion I have to make, is to maybe have more variety in technical elements at the beginning of the opening. Maybe like a low angle shot of the actor while the door is getting local picked at the beginning of the film. There could have also been like a close up shot at 1:27, since the light of the laptop is already perfectly lighting his face and bring the audience's attention to it. So, a closeup shot could show his expression of worry and shock even more.

2.https://youtu.be/eX32iRuSMvc

The editing in this opening sequence was very good and definitely my favorite part of this opening. The split between both actors legs as they walk is very good. Showing what both actors are doing at the same time helps build anticipation the moment of when they finally meet. While watching, that was exactly what I felt. Also the low-angle shot of Claudia while she picked up the product was good too. I didn’t really like the close-up shot of Rolando. I feel like it looked a little off and maybe too low of an angle. The idea wasn’t bad, but maybe the camera should have been more at eye-level. The opening though, felt more like a short film than an opening. It looks like a romance genre and probably would feel more like an opening if the characters didn’t seem to progress so much in terms of their relationship from strangers to liking each other. I was a little confused by how quickly it went but it wasn’t bad. And my only suggestion would be to pace it a bit slower just so you can leave people wondering about their progression. It is an opening after all, so there is no need to rush the story. If you’re trying to make a romance film, then the opening should just be setting them up for the eventual relationship.

3.”Now What?”

https://youtu.be/ORoNP73icvo

Now the sounds in this opening sequence were great and the emphasis placed on these sounds made it feel weirdly intense, which I actually liked. It felt as if there was tension before a single word was spoken. This was great because it shows that the film has a conflict that’ll drive the plot, making everything seem very coherent and deliberate. For example, the foot tapping, the bubblegum chewing, and the dead silence; all the diegetic sounds work together really well. I didn’t really like lack of different camera angles. At the very beginning there was the usage of the tracking shot. There was also the over the shoulder shot while the two actors had a confrontation. There was also a wide shot that showed most of the main cast in the film. There was a variety in camera shots, but not the angles in which the audience can see the characters. Like a low angle could make someone look powerful or as if they feel like it. It did, however, feel very much like an opening scene and the reveal of the main conflict between the two characters is what makes the audience think of what may happen next. The only thing I was confused about is what fight they were talking about, but I assume that was on purpose and maybe meant to make the film seem like a retelling of events. The only suggestion I have is to possibly add a bit more camera angles, like low angles. Just so that the characters are more characterized. The score at the beginning did that, and it made me think the character was rebellious. 

4.”Dr. Carter”

https://youtu.be/OsLQ4OGn1tU

My favorite part of this opening sequence is definitely the ending and the editing done while the surgeon rips his face mask. It reveals a man who is clearly disturbed and this is also accomplished by the tilt shot that shows the blood squirting on him. The editing was great and the grey filter on the actor makes him look psychotic. I didn’t really like the lighting, it was very bright but I believe that the lighting should’ve been a bit darker. If the film had included some lowkey lighting to help add to the ominous atmosphere of the scene, it would have been better. The setting would have also been a bit more unsettling and worrisome for the audience. I do think it looked like an opening sequence as the way it ended seemed as if there was going to be some sort of flashback or skip in time into something much darker. This was due to the editing and the static like filter that seems as if a sudden cut into another action might occur. I wasn’t really confused while watching. The sequence of events made sense and not much other than a surgery was taking place. The only suggestion I have is to utilize darker, lowkey lighting to make the opening more suspenseful and match the genre better. I believe the genre was more psychological thriller and it would be aided a lot by darker lighting. 

5.https://youtu.be/SZf7mfqLTdA

My favorite part of the film was the switching between a vlog and the filming of the group by the camera man. I think this sets up a cool concept in which we get to see different perspectives. Or it gets possibly used for evidence by police for investigating a kidnapping. It has a lot of possibilities as well as it adds more technical elements like the close up shot seamlessly. I didn’t really like the lack of score. Score usually helps set up a tone for a scene and without it, I didn’t really know what to expect. It did look like a movie opener but it did lack some sort of suspense. There was just a sudden kidnapping that seemed to be out of nowhere. Thought i was left wondering “what just happened?” And wondered what would happen to the character considering it seemed to be some type of betrayal. I was confused at first because of how sudden everything was but I think I understood the gist of the opening. To make it better, maybe there could have been some type of score or maybe more angles to make the kidnapper seem more sinister. A Dutch angle could’ve accomplished this, or some type of score that represented a sudden twist in mood. Or maybe some diegetic sound that overemphasized footsteps.