Drama opening sequence - Ladybird

 

Analysing the opening sequence to Ladybird

Ladybird is a Drama/Comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig that released on February 16th 2018 and was produced by IAC films, the cast features Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Laurie Metcalf and Beanie Feldstein.

LADYBIRD

NARRATIVE

This sequence follows a young woman, presumably in her teens, and her mother in a car going back home from a college trip (as revealed by the dialogue) their conversation then descends into an argument over believing the other to be ungrateful, selfish, a bad mother etc... Following a series of disagreements where the mother harshly states that the daughter would end up in community college and prison, it ends in the daughter (revealed to be nicknamed ‘Ladybird’) unbuckling her seat belt and jumping out of the car rather suddenly. This suggests that the rest of the movie could follow the seemingly fragile relationship between them and how they hopefully mend it, the mention of college could also suggest that we will follow Ladybird through her last year of high school and preparing to go to college. 

TARGET AUDIENCE

This film targets both younger and older female audiences; older audiences, especially mothers, could watch the film through the mother’s perspective and perhaps relate to having a “difficult” teenage child. However, young women, particularly in their late teens, seem to be the predominant target audience as it is revealed we will be potentially following Ladybird’s last year through high school and preparation for college, which women her age could relate to as they find themselves in, or approaching, a similar situation. The complicated relationship (or at the very least petty arguments) between the two could suggest themes of emotional maturity and understanding, which women are stereotyped to be more susceptible to.

GENRE & TONE

The film’s drama genre is made clear once the two characters begin to argue as their conversation very rapidly turns petty and dramatic. Typical conventions of the drama genre in this opening feature a fragile relationship between the two main characters with themes of family drama, purely verbal arguments are also heavily associated with this genre due to their emotional complexity. The tone seems to be serious due to themes of an unhealthy mother daughter dynamic, but is also proven to be somewhat lighthearted in a comedic sense as Ladybird’s response to this conflict is to jump out of the car - an exaggerated reaction to her part, adhering to the moody and over dramatic teenager stereotype.

CHARACTERS

We are introduced to the film’s two primary characters; Ladybird, the protagonist (as main characters in drama films tend to be teenage girls), and her mother. The opening scene features a few lines of diegetic dialogue from each character revealing their key traits; Ladybird asks ‘do you think I look like I’m from Sacramento?’, suggesting that her supposed hometown plays a large part in her life as she seemingly wants to separate herself from it. Her mother is then shown straightening out the bed’s duvet, stating that ‘it’s nice to make things neat and clean’, revealing that she cares about order and is somewhat worried about superficial details. The difference in their characters can also be observed visually through their costume and hair as Ladybird has hers dyed pink and is wearing a bright blue shirt, contrasting with her mother’s natural brown hair and muted patterned top - this enforces their differing ages and personalities. Additionally, the inclusion of Ladybird simply jumping out of the car as a response to get out of the conversation also sums up how her character deals with her problems through running away from and refusing to solve them.

TECHNIQUES

Camera and editing remain minimal throughout this sequence, mainly regularly cutting between a medium shot of both characters next to each other, and separate close up shots of their faces that directly oppose each other. Similarly, the only sounds that are prominent throughout are the diegetic dialogue between them and the ambient sound of the car on the road, the lack of sound or music creates an emphasis on the dialogue between them as it is the most important aspect of this sequence. Additionally, certain lines of dialogue reveal the time and place: Sacramento (or at least the journey back there) in 2002.

SUCCESSFUL?

I think this opening sequence succeeds in establishing the film’s main focus on the themes of relationships through the fragile dynamic between these two characters, it also perfectly reflects both of their slight stereotypes of the somewhat strict and confrontational mom, and the moody dramatic teenager, who both clearly hold some form of resentment or annoyance at each other.

War opening sequence - Apocalypse Now

 Analysing the opening sequence to Apocalypse Now

Apocalypse Now is a War/Drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola that released on December 1st 1979 and was produced by Coppola's own production company American Zoetrope, the cast features Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall and Harrison Ford.

APOCALYPSE NOW

NARRATIVE

This sequence opens on simultaneous shots of pure chaos in a war setting, and a close up of a man’s face in bed seemingly in deep thought. He appears to be thinking about the war, and based on the fact that he is thinking of this whilst simply laying in bed in no immediate danger suggests that the war takes up a large role in his life. We can assume that the narrative will follow this man dealing with fighting in the war and perhaps dealing with any challenges set for him.

TARGET AUDIENCE

This film targets adult male audiences, the war setting could potentially appeal to older men who could be veterans, but mainly to younger adult men who are of a similar age to the man shown - they could relate to his distress by imagining themselves in his position. War also obviously suggests heavy violence, which tends to be aimed at male audiences as women are stereotyped to not handle violence as well.

GENRE & TONE

The establishing shot showcases a landscape of palm trees, the film’s genre then becomes evident within the first few seconds as a helicopter flies past and smoke begins to enter the shot, eventually leading to the trees catching fire, adding to the commotion - this reveals the film’s War setting due to fire and helicopters connoting danger and panic, and the main character featured is a man of appropriate age to enlist in war, further proving genre. The chaotic nature of this scene paired with the man’s look of distress also suggests the tone throughout will be serious and stressful.

CHARACTERS

Only one character is properly shown - a man of appropriate age for a soldier. The combined close up of his face next to a background showcasing intense warfare suggests that he is fighting in that war - he sports a troubled facial expression despite being in a seemingly safe situation as he is just lying in his bed, it is also revealed that he keeps a gun next to him. This danger shown in the shots of heavy war contrast with the man’s quiet room, creating a significant difference between both situations, emphasising that even in an opposing setting, the horrors of what he has been through still occupy his mind - this all reveals that he is still troubled by this dangerous situation and his role in it. The added shots of a cigarette in his hand and a bottle of alcohol on his table suggest that he is stressed and not coping well.

TECHNIQUES

The choice of soundtrack creates an eerie atmosphere to the scene, the non diegetic song playing features the lyrics ‘this is the end’ played over the opening shot of palm trees catching on fire, adding to the apocalyptic theme.

Towards the end of this scene, the shots the palm trees and helicopters fade away, along with the non diegetic song that was playing, yet the non diegetic sounds effects of a helicopter remain; these are played over a shot of a ceiling fan in the man’s room, which physically resembles a helicopter’s blades, creating some form of visual pun, yet suggesting that the thought of war haunts the man even in regular situations.

The editing throughout the first half includes fading shot reverse shots between fire, chaos and destruction, and of the man lying in his bed, particularly close ups of his face in deep thought - this makes it clear that this is what he is thinking about.

SUCCESSFUL?

I think this opening sequence engages the audience through the sense of worry and anxiety that can be perceived from the man’s behaviour, it makes them wonder about the man’s role in the war and how he will deal with that dangerous situation later in the movie. This introduction to the main character is also successful in the sense that we know nothing about him, except that he is perhaps a soldier and that these chaotic and distressing thoughts haunt him, encouraging the audience to find out more about his character and life.