In your Powerpoint Evaluation, you have to explain forms and conventions used in your film opening:
•Titles, distribution & production company •Mise-en-scene(locations)
•Costumes
•SFX
•Sound
•Atmosphere
•Suspense, tension
•Enigma
Do you remember studying the opening titles of the BBC television drama Zen? WATCH ZEN HERE
Think of analysing your own work in the way we analysed Zen. You might draw attention to its use of codes and conventions in this way Zen establishes its crime/detective genre rapidly in its opening sequence through mise-en-scene: guns suggest the world of police work and criminals, the Questura building sets the scene in Rome's police headquarters, keys refer to imprisonment.
The central characters are introduced immediately and seen in close up and mid shot to convey their significance. They are presented entirely in still photographs, like a newspaper photo or surveillance shot. The black and white tones lend a serious, professional quality to the depictions: these are people involved in serious work. Zen himself wears a suit and tie and is seen wearing dark glasses and through a constricted frame, as if concealing himself. This builds in enigma and mystery. He holds a gun, is poised to shoot, is in action. Caterina is glamorous, professional, Italian. Both central characters are attractive, offering hints of a romantic connection.
The music is haunting and lyrical, rather wistful, conveying the sense of potential beauty despite the dirty criminal world.
The design style is a grid-like division of the frame into sections with horizontal bars slicing through the visual space like prison bars sliding shut.
There are many indicators of Italianicity, that is, the world of the drama: the red, white and green of the Italian flag is used, Fiat cars line up on crowded streets, the outline of St Peter's famous dome is glimpsed and a wide shot of St Peter's Square lends authority. Altogether, authenticity and verisimilitude is established. We have no doubt that this world is real.
The choice of the title 'Vendetta' immediately establishes the genre with its sense of threat, danger, crime and tension.
