As the audience, the first image we are presented is a long shot of a female character running towards the camera. She is the first actor we see, this tells us she is going to be an important character. Her body language and facial expressions tell us she is running from something or someone, this is all code for fear. The audience are thrown straight into the action with this shot and they are already left asking questions; What is she running from? Where is she running to? What is she going to do next? Her costume is very basic but meaningful, it consists of a pair of boots, leggings and a big jumper. We can see this is a man's jumper, although it is pink which is the only bright colour she is wearing.
The camera then edits to a mid shot of her continuing to run towards the camera, this is very cinematic and gives the impression she has been running for a long time. We then see the image fade to white and a black and white image of the same character with her boyfriend. This gives the impression of a flashback, the black and white separates these images from the present time. The transition is also very cinematic. Their body language; staring into each others eyes, kissing and cuddling, is code for young love, romance and happiness. We can tell they are comfortable with each other. We then see a hand held POV shot of the female looking around her from left to right in a sweeping movement, the area around her is quite quiet, we see a collection trees and greenery along one side and a bridge to the other, we are in quite a secluded area. This shot gives the impression that the audience are seeing exactly what she is seeing. We are put right into her position, right in with the action. The next image we see is another flashback, using the same transition and colourings this keeps the continuity. This time we see the character with another female, assuming by their body language this is her best friend. The pillowfight, smiling and laughing to eachother is all code for friendship and happiness.
The camera edits here putting us back in the present time, we see a long shot of the female walking towards the middle of the bridge. Her body language is code for nervousness and fear. She isn't standing up tall, her head is not held high and she is holding and playing with the bottom of her sleeves. She stops in the middle of the bridge looking over the edge, this tells us she has reached the end of her journey, this is where she was going. Again we are presented with a flashback, this time with her boyfriend. We see a long shot of the two of them holding hands and walking down a road this is telling us they are in love.
The next image of a close up reveals the girl's face properly for the first time, we see her facial expressions. We can see she is calm but nervous at the same time, her expressions are code for this.
The audience then witness a scene with her best friend, which again is a flashback. The activity taking place is a typical 'girly' scene, sitting having a conversation with a mug of hot chocolate. This is the first scene where we see any type of conversation take place. We cannot hear the dialogue but we do not need to. They are laughing and smiling which is code for happiness and therefore we know nothing bad has yet happened.
But the next flashback we see is the female character with an older actress, this tells us that they must be mother and daughter. Both their body language and facial expressions are quite rigid and tense, this is code for awkwardness and uncomfortable. The facial expressions of the mother tell us they are having an argument, her body language also, she leans forward, we can tell she is shouting. This time we also cannot hear the dialogue taking place but again it is not needed.
We now see an image, in the present time, of the character looking from side to side across the bridge and over the side. This is probably the first time we sort of have an idea of what she is thinking about in her head. She is seeing how high the bridge is and how far down is the drop. The next flashback gives the audience is big help in understanding what she is thinking. The camera starts with a close up of the female kneeling on the floor upset and holding onto the same jumper she is wearing in the present time, which we can now tell is her boyfriends. The camera zooms out to reveal where she is, in a cemetery. This tells us she has lost him, we don't know how or when but she has lost the most important being to her. She is also holding a piece of paper which she leaves by the headstone, this tells us that she has proably wrote something for him. Her body language is code for scared, alone and facial expressions are code for loss, fear and upset.
When the camera edits back to the present time this is the first time we really see what she is planning. The audience are presented with a wide low angle shot the the female standing on the edge of the bridge, this tells us she feels above everyone and everything else, she feels in control of her life for the first time. She is the one in control of fate. Her arms are the only thing keeping her there. This zooms to a close up where we see her face, she is breathing heaily, we can tell this as we can she her breath in the cold weather. She is looking around her, scared. When she looks down her expressions are code for fear, she is so scared about what she is about to do but feels she has no other way out.
The next image also relates to this, another flashback. We see her sitting on the floor in a tucked position. The mise-en-scene tells us we are in her bathroom, there is a towel above her head and a mirror to her left. We see her first attempt at suicide here, the camera is at mid shot and we see her pick up a pair of sissors as she cuts her wrists. This edits to a close up where we can see her facial expressions which are code for pain and hurt.
From here the audience see a series of flashbacks which get shorter and faster as they go on. This is a very cinematic effect, something seen in other films like this. At the end of this the audience are presented another mid shot of the girl on the bridge, which finishes the opening sequence. This is as far as we get to see of her journey, we do not know how the film is going to end, if she is going to jump or if she isn't.
No comments:
Post a Comment