AT Analysing an opening sequence: Genre, Film Language, Narrative

Watchmen(Zach Synder, 2009)

Genre

• The genre of the film watchmen is a thriller and the sub genres of the film are: action, sci-fi, mystery.
  
• The generic expectations of this film are fulfilled as it has the thriller element of why is this happening? Then with the action of the fight scene, expansion of time to create dramatic effect. Sci-fi with the in-human fighting abilities and strength to throw a fully grown man across the room with ease, however later on in the film we get the full sci-fi generic expectations with a spaceship and as we are introduced to the other characters. And finally we get the mystery of who is this man who has just come in and killed this man? Why is he killing him? What has the other man done? Why does he want this man dead? Many of questions linked with the mystery sub genre.
  
• The text does conform the characteristics of the genre and sub genre's however later on in the film the characteristics of the genre and sub genre's are more playful and ironic, especially within the sci-fi sub genre it is portrayed in the classic sci-fi way in order to connect the audience more however comes of as being ironic and playful with the sci-fi characteristics.

Film Language

• The whole opening sequence is set in the "Comedian's" apartment and seems to have a dull and blue colourwash the meaning conveyed by this colourwash is to help create a sense of the time of day in this case representing night time when it could of been shot durring the day. The room is not lit very well and therefore helps to convey the sub genre of mystery also reinforced when we see the shadow upon the floor. The setting helps to convey the main genre of a thriller as it is a idealistic place to hold a fight where some one breaks in adding the mystery of why the man breaks in and what his motives are for killing him.
  
• There was a variety of camera techniques to help convey different meanings within the text. The first being the use of a MCU of one of the main characters right at the start at the movie establishes who we are positioned with identifying which side we are with and in this case we follow the protagonist. Then the use of a slow track in on the TV screen of which he is watching shows that he is focused in on the TV showing his interests. Use of a high angle on the man in his dressing gown which is followed by a CU to show his facial expression's, however he appears to not be fazed by the other mans appearance also reinforcing the protagonist stereotype of fears nothing.
  
• The music in the background is in such a contrast with the opening scene as it is relaxed and slow whereas the fight is quite quick and is over within a minute. This helps to notice what has happened him sitting alone watching TV then someone breaks in and kills him represents the irony of it all. Selective sound used on the punches and smashing to reinforce the sub genre of action also to help us identify what our main focus is with it competing with the music of the song.
  
• We don't learn much about the characters through the dialogue as there is only little amount of it. Also the non verbal language of the characters doesn't tell us much about them as both stand in dominating positions and from their facial expression show that this is just a normal fight to them.
  
• The director uses allot of expansion of time this does help to dramatise the text by slowing down key punches or key elements to make them more visually attractive. Another visual technique used is the props, most being expensive breakable items which make it seem more intense fight.

Narrative

• The narrative is organised in an asynchronous way starting at the middle and then during the film flashes back then continues from the very beginning to the very end.
  
• The audience are positioned with the protagonist therefore we get the view of the archetypal hero.
  
• The major theme in the narrative is that some man has killed this other man for some reason and this will lead to this investigation being carried out in the film giving us an opening.
  
• Tension is created and built by the use of the minor key music playing leading us to a false sense of security then as we see the use of a stedi-cam walking towards his apartment slowly builds tension, then the cut to his face to glare down at the shadow upon the floor by the door then the slow motion break in and other uses of expansion of time to make the action last longer and make it more significant and this within juxta position with the normal tempo of the clip maintains the tension.