The document analyzes the opening title sequence of the film Pulp Fiction, focusing on the cinematography, camera techniques, visual effects, sound, editing, and genres used. It discusses how the director employs close-ups of characters' faces to convey emotion, two-shots to show body language and reactions, point-of-view shots to involve the audience, and over-the-shoulder shots to create tension. High key lighting, diegetic sound, and continuity editing are also analyzed. The genres of crime, drama and thriller are said to be followed to develop the characters as criminals operating outside the law.
Pulp fiction film opening sequence analysis report sheet
1. Film Opening Sequence Analysis
*Comment on the following aspects in relation to your film opening title sequence choice
Pulp Fiction - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jomr9SAjcyw
Name:
Reece Mechan
My Analysis
Supporting Images
Cinematography
& Camera
Techniques
One of the techniques used in the pulp fiction opening
title sequence is the close up. The director uses this
technique uses this technique twice. He uses it when
the waitress comes over and offers them coffee and
again when the man slams the gun on the table. The
director uses the close up because a close-up
exaggerates facial expressions which convey emotion.
The audience is drawn into the subject's personal
space and shares their feelings. So when the waitress
came in and the camera did a close up on her face
then we got to see that she seems happy in the place
she is working and that she doesn’t seem to have a
care in the world, the close up makes us feel sympathy
for the waitress because we automatically sorry for her
because she doesn’t deserve to experience the
robbery of the diner. The director has used a close up
on the gun to show us that the guy is serious about
performing the robbery and the way he slams the gun
down shows us that they have no other way of making
a living other than robbing various types of businesses.
Another one of the techniques the director uses is a
two shot. This technique is used a lot in the opening
title sequence. He opens the title sequence with this
shot and has done this because you can see the two
characters full body and be able to see their body
language by how they’re sitting. Also by using a two
shot it also shows the emotion the other is feeling
whilst the other is speaking. Using a two shot is better
2. Film Opening Sequence Analysis
*Comment on the following aspects in relation to your film opening title sequence choice
than just showing the person who is speaking because
you can see the facial expressions of the person who is
speaking whilst they are speaking and you can see the
other person’s emotion as the person is speaking to
them.
The director also uses a point-of-view shot. He uses
this when the waitress is pouring the coffee for the
woman and we can see it through the man’s eyes. The
director has used this because it makes us feel closer
to the character. It also makes us feel like were in that
situation with the characters in that scene so
automatically makes us favour them characters
compared to anybody else. I think the director has
chosen to put a point-of-view shot in with these two
characters because they are basically the bad people
because the conversation is about whether or not they
should rob somewhere. The director has used the
point-of-view shot before they say that they’re going to
rob the diner because then we have already started to
like them so then he just completely changes the
opinion the audience has on these two characters.
One of the last techniques the director has used that
are in the opening title sequence is an over the
shoulder shot. He has used this to make us think that
there is a third person looking/listening into the
conversation and its someone who we aren’t seeing.
This makes the audience more interested because they
think that something is going to happen to these two
characters that the opening scene is based around or
3. Film Opening Sequence Analysis
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that something is going to happen to the person who
we think is there but are unsure whether or not they
are. The director used this when they were mid
conversation to add to the idea of another character
looking/listening to them.
Visual Effects &
Colour Scheme
The director uses high key lighting throughout the
sequence because is used to suggest an upbeat mood.
It is used mostly for comedy or sitcoms. I think that
Quentin Tarantino has done this because he wants to
try and fool the audience by making them think that it is
a comedy film.
Genre
Conventions
The three genres of Pulp Fiction are Crime, Drama and
Thriller. Quentin Tarantino mostly follows the genre
conventions of a crime film within the opening title
sequence. He has done this because the genre
conventions of a crime film are developed around the
sinister actions of criminals or gangsters, particularly
bank robbers, underworld figures, or ruthless hoodlums
who operate outside the law. He has followed this by
opening the film with two robbers talking about where
they should rob next.
Narrative
Quentin Tarantino uses diegetic sound throughout the
opening title sequence because the scene is based
around the two characters having a conversation. The
benefit of using diegetic sound for this scene is to help
the audience hear/know what’s going on.
The director uses non-diegetic sound when the guy
slams the gun on the table. We know this because
there is a louder bang than there would be in real life.
He has edited the sound in because then it shows that
the guy is serious about the robbery at the diner.
4. Film Opening Sequence Analysis
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Editing
Techniques
One of the editing techniques used is Continuity editing.
Which basically means that you can’t tell that they’re having
been cuts in between the scenes because it just looks like it
all got filmed together. This technique is used all the way
through the opening title sequence.
Another editing technique used is the eye-line match. We
see this frequently during the opening title sequence. Eye-line
match is basically when the director follows the
180dergee rule.
Title Credit Design
The feature didn’t include a title credit design.