Analysis of Opening Title Sequences- Slide Show 1

Jane LawranceMedia Studies

Varndean College

The Sixth Sense (1999) M. Night Shymalan

How are the Titles presented?

• Production Companies shown first – lead actor second (Bruce Willis) and then the title followed by other Actors and Designers. – unusually long title sequence.

• Shadow runs across movie title – supports the ghost theory.

• Blue almost typed font on a Black background.

• Fading Titles in and out with a spread.

How are the Titles supported by the sound track?

• Music uses strings and piano to show tension and unease.

• A humming at the beginning helps the audience to better feel the music and therefore effects them better.

• Music uses sharp changes when titles appear and uses slight changes throughout actor names in titles to hint at character profiles.

Light bulb used to show light source in a dark room

Lighting similar to the case of the movie.

Cant tell the feel of the Scene now, but there is dustOn the light bulb fitting and the Lack of natural light suggestsSomething underground.

CLOSE UP

Use of Voyeurism through the wine rack hints at the ghost theme, being watched by something you can’t see.

Being able to afford expensive wineHaving a wine cellar shows money

Heeled shoes show the ‘night out’ or ‘getting ready to go out’ hard to escape or run in those types of shoes.

You can tell that although there is a light the crew have used another light source for the room.

MEDIUM SHOT

Use of reflection to showCharacters.

Prop toShow the Education And socialStatus Of the protagonist

Warm colour pallet used…romantic,Warm and cosy

An ordinary surrounding/ setting

Fire placeWith fireshows the The time ofYear…coldWinter or autumn?

MEDIUM SHOT

Cellar still open from Where she rushed outSuggestion of bad things escaping

Alcohol on display, suggesting celebration

Showing a loving relationship between Man and women, Women is lower downMaybe to suggest man’s social standing.

An ordinary Situation/ setting

MEDIUM SHOT

LONG SHOT

Normally used to at the end of a shot in a thrillerChandellier suggests expensive Life style.

Framing suggests a large house with a big hall way Neutral colour pallet.

Large grand father clock, door and corner of living roomGive dark focus points for the eye.

We see the damage before the cause.

Phone off the hook and bag knocked over with papers and tape recorder sprawled…suggestions of later event Especially with the tape recorder.

Broken glass suggests an act of someSort of brute force.

Darker pallet used than before

Light source from a separate room.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP

Light sources from two separate places,Both brighter than the current room.

Picture of Bruce Willis with his friends, shows his character is athletic and popular.

MEDIUM SHOT

Black clothes suggest a bad character, howeverBecause they are on the floor not the person itSuggest a lack of control for his actions and An innocence.

White room, clean, innocentBack grounf

Off white pants, suggests wealth, poor.

Dirt on legSuggests An Injury GettingThrough The window

WIDE SHOT

Gun suggests violence but Also escape.

Tracks Left to the Scene of Bruce Willis’s Past picture.

Takes away from the goriness of the act, makes the shock of the event more prominent.

TRACKING WIDE SHOT

What elements of the location/setting in the first scene

indicate the genre?• A dark cellar

• A women wearing heels – indicates both wealth and the non practicality of the foot wear.

• The shot used is almost like she’s being watched (voyeurism)

• Use of half shadow.

• Indication of one light source from the light bulb.

What does the first scene tell us about the character?

• She is wealthy

• There is a cellar in the house

• They have vintage wines

• She is wearing high heels in the house and is made up to go out.

• She is vulnerable wearing the shoes she can’t run.

• Shots make her look like she’s being watched.

How is the narrative introduced?• The plaque introducing the doctors

profession.

• The cold breath and shivering in the cellar.

• The broken window.

• The lighting in the bathroom compared to the rest of the house.

• The story given by the patient and his innocence even when doing something bad.

How is the atmosphere created? How is it typical of a Thriller film?

• Dark half shadows used.

• Reflections used to show characters – the plaque

• Introduction of story – shivers and cold ness.

• Normality turns into abnormal when brake in happens

• Seeing the damage before the cause

• Night time

• Music used when things turn bad.

Sound Track

MusicViolins, Strings and Piano.

Sound EffectsThe phone upstairs off the hook, the

light bulb in the beginning, the fire place, the gun

DialogueNormal chat between a couple and

then the conversation between patient and doctor. Contrasts.