Opening title sound analysis

I chose to analyse the sound in the opening titles for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
There was no dialogue in this opening sequence so I just analysed the music (a huge part of this sequence & generally the film) and the sound effects.

Music:

• Starts with music - get the sense that the film is a musical.
• Orchestral music from the original score by Stephen Sondheim - gives the dark/ominous atmosphere.
• Starts off quietly and then the violins start to get higher and the trumpets get louder, to the crescendo - overwhelms the audience and adds to the darkness of the film.
• Pace quickens as it takes us through the process of the pies being made - makes the audience feel thrilled in anticipation for the film to start.
• In minor - gives a slight strangeness and seriousness to the film

Sound effects:

• Starts with the sound of a thunderstorm & rain - kind of like pathetic fallacy? - gives the film a dark, scary element.
• Sound of the blood trickling - emphasises horror genre.
• Sound of the cogs turning, meat grinding and the blood dripping - makes the audience feel uneasy which ties into the genre of the film.

5 codes (When Harry Met Sally)

I chose to analyse When Harry Met Sally... (1989) for my film (the first 7 minutes).

Enigma code:

• Who is the old couple? Why are they relevant to the story?
• Who is Harry kissing?
• Where are they driving to? Why are they going together?
• Why are they going to New York? What will happen to them in New York?
• Why are people with such different personalities going to spend an 18 hour road trip together and what will happen?

Action code:

• The old couple are talking - we know (eventually) that they are not Harry and Sally, so this suggests possible foreshadowing of events and how Harry and Sally will fall in love.
• Driving to New York together - a long journey, we know that their meeting and this journey is important to the story. This makes us want to know what happens to them later on.

Semiotic code:

• Big building with lots of young students around - a university/college.
• Sally is wearing make up and her hair is perfectly done - takes pride in her appearance at all times, even for a road trip.
• Harry is wearing jeans and a jumper - a bit scruffy, doesn't really care about his appearance.
• Wide shots of the road & outdoors where they are driving - suggests the length of how long they have been driving for.

Cultural code:

• Titles - simple, with cheerful music - get the sense that this is a lighthearted film, rather than a thriller or horror movie.
• Old couple telling story of how they met - suggests romantic comedy.
• Harry and Sally arguing about Casablanca - a well known romantic film, so we understand what they're discussing and side with Harry or Sally.
• Going to New York - famous for being a big city, we understand that they're going there for opportunities and to experience something new.
• Characters arguing - building tension between the two, and they have to spend the next 18 hours together.

Symbolic code:

• Harry talking about his "dark side" - possibly a bit pretentious? 
• Sally talking about her planning - very organised, maybe irritating?
• Old couple talking at the beginning - foreshadowing of Harry and Sally's relationship?

Analysis of film still

I chose a still from the romantic drama, Atonement (2007). I chose this still because although it is quite a standard shot, the composition and mise-en-scene says a lot about the film just from this single image.

Camera:

• MLS of Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie (James McAvoy), with a sharp focus on Cecilia and Robbie softly out of focus. Cecilia is in the foreground and Robbie is in the background, in a slightly high angle shot, from the point of view of a window.

Mise-en-scene:

• The vivid green colour of Cecilia's dress stands out against the mainly brown background.
• The large bookcase & brown walls makes it looks as though it is in the interior of a library.
• The light at the side of the shot to make the Cecilia's dress stand out more, with light on Robbie - possibly from a window - so it looks as though it is natural light.

People:

• Cecilia is looking off screen and Robbie is looking at her, so we can guess that Robbie is in love with her but because Cecilia is unable to look at him, she may not love him/her love for him is not allowed.
• Cecilia and Robbie both formally dressed, so they are attending an event, possibly a dinner party.

Composition:

• The shot is off center, in order to show both of the characters and both of their facial expressions. 
• They are standing far away from each other to show the friction in their relationship.