Opening film sequences- analysis

To prepare for our filming of our main piece we analysed opening sequences to similar productions that have come out of Hollywood
Flight 93



Flight 93 was a 9/11 tribute filmed in 2006 allowing people gain an incite into what happened the day the twin towers where destroyed by terrorists.
The opening to film is mysterious music creating tension and suspicion, it then shows a shot of pilot getting ready to fly the plane like he would on any other day and saying goodbye to his family, it is unknown that this is the last time he will see them. The pilot is unaware of the fact that he is going to die along with passengers. Following there there is then an establishing shot showing a representation of the airport, this is done by showing a control tower and planes. After this there is a close up of a man shaving of a beard in what looks like the airport toilets, this is to the viewer is random and out of place therefore it creates a sense of unknown and tension. There are also two pilots and air hostess whom are positive and have no idea of what is going to happen once they are in the air. All passengers are unaware an cheerful, there is a shot of key props such as a 'new mothers book' allowing the viewer to understand that there is a pregnant women on board the flight and there is also a shot of a voicemail so that you know that the husband doesn't know that his wife is on that flight .

The terminal



The terminal was filmed in 2004, and is about a whom is declined entry in to America.
The film opens with minor opening credits and production company. It then has a shot if departures board to represent that is going to be based inside an airport. The board also has the title of the film on it. There is then a bus with loads of passengers showing how busy the airport is. Following this there is a shot of the security booth showing how tight security measures are. A group of Chinese people then come on the scene with forged papers and get chased by security for trying to enter the county illegally. It also shows the force of the security. Tom Hanks passport is not working and therefore he do gets declined entry and will have to stay in the airport as he can't retire to his own country due to violence and he can't enter the country because of his passport, this therefore creates the storyline. Opening finishes with Hanks standing on his own shaving in the middle of a terminal, with important people watching him.


Air force One



Air force One was filmed in 1997
Air force One starts with patriotic music playing over the credits. The credits themselves are long at the start, around three minutes. From 3:00 onwards is where we looked at the opening sequence. It starts with a major event which appears to be an assassination in Moscow, Russia which is a major event which leads on to the impact of the main story in the film - which is the hijacking of Air Force One (the President of the United States plane).
There is no evidence of the plane or airport in the opening sequence but it is the demonstration which leaves us wondering what the impact will be as a result of the event. The opening sequence is based around this major event which leads on to the point of the film - the plae hijacking.