MJ: Technical Analysis

Underworld (Wiseman, 2003)

 

Duration:22 seconds
Technique: Production companies credits appear on screen in a white, basic font. Suddenly the title "Underworld" appears in a Gothic font.

Duration:36 seconds
Camera Technique: Tilt down from ceiling, then zooms in to figure sat on balcony.
Mise-en-scene: Bats fly at camera, lightning effects, long dark cape.

Duration:3 seconds
Camera Technique: Long shot (LS) of building, frame partially obscured by tower spire.
Mise-en-scene: Lightning effect, dark towers.

Duration:7 seconds
Camera Technique: Camera focused on spire in close up (CU) as it crabs round, refocusing on an extreme long shot (ELS) of woman on balcony.
Mise-en-scene: Gothic towers with artworks clearly shown.

Duration:5 seconds
Camera Technique: Long shot of woman, with a well-lit street out of focus in background
Mise-en-scene: Dark clothes, bright street.

Duration:2 seconds
Camera Technique: Extreme close up (ECU) of woman's hand.
Mise-en-scene: Water drops from finger-tips.

Duration:4 seconds
Camera Technique: CU on woman's shoulders-head.
Mise-en-scene: Black leather jacket, long hair draped over face.

Duration:4 seconds
Camera Technique: ELS of street
Mise-en-scene: Umbrellas, couple of streetlamps, lightning.

Duration:3 seconds
Camera Technique: CU on woman again, but she turns slightly, as if something has caught her eye.

Duration:3 seconds
Camera Technique: ELS of single tower, other buildings of the city can be seen in background.
Mise-en-scene: A man can be seen on another balcony.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: LS of man on balcony.
Mise-en-scene: Similar clothes to woman, holding a camera in hands.

Duration:2 seconds
Camera Technique: Mid shot (MS) of man looking through camera.
Mise-en-scene: Man changes zoom on camera, we can see his pale skin.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: ECU of camera lens as the man takes pictures.
Mise-en-scene: Camera looks directly into camera.

Duration:3 seconds
Camera Technique: Handicam shot in LS creating POV shot as man looks through lens, zooms in and out as he searches for target.
Mise-en-scene: Post-production effect of looking through camera, with a blue wash for a futuristic feel. Quickly cuts to black to seem like shutter of camera closing.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: Back to shot of man changing zoom and focus.

Duration:4 seconds
Camera Technique: Another POV from camera, this time in MS.
Mise-en-scene: Two men in heavy jackets walk the streets.

Duration:2 seconds
Camera Technique: Back to shot of man, this time taking camera away from his face.
Mise-en-scene: Pale skin and leather jacket.

Duration:2 seconds
Camera Technique: Cut back to woman in CU as she watches him.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: Cut back to man, who looks up at woman.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: Reverse shot, in CU as she nods to him
Mise-en-scene: Non-verbal communication (NVC) used to show they are together.

Duration:4 seconds
Camera Technique: CU of man, as he nods back, then returns looking down.
Mise-en-scene: NVC shows communication between the two.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: LS of man on balcony.
Mise-en-scene: He readies himself to jump.

Duration:3 seconds
Camera Technique: Another LS of man as he drops out of shot.
Mise-en-scene: The graceful jump the man performs.

Duration:6 seconds
Camera Technique: Back to CU of woman.

Duration:4 seconds
Camera Technique: LS of woman on balcony.
Mise-en-scene: Full leather, catsuit-like outfit.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: ELS of the street
Mise-en-scene: Umbrellas again.

Duration:4 seconds
Camera Technique: MS of woman.
Mise-en-scene: She stands up as she throws herself from balcony.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: ELS from spire.
Mise-en-scene: Shows jump again.

Duration:2 seconds
Camera Technique: Worm's eye view (WEV) looking up at building.
Mise-en-scene: Streetlamp, woman can be seen falling.

Duration:2 seconds
Camera Technique: LS shows woman land on street
Mise-en-scene: Dark streets add to the Gothic feel of the film.

Duration:1 second
Camera Technique: MS of woman's legs as she walks off.
Mise-en-scene: Action shows she has superhuman powers.

Soundtrack:
There is no single soundtrack that can be heard throughout the opening scene, however there is a strong mix of diegetic and non-diegetic sound. Such as the sound of the bats, shutter closing, rain and lightning in the diegetic region, and Selene's story-telling narration and various sound effects are the non-diegetic sounds. One such sound effect is the metallic noise that plays as the characters jump from the balcony, creating a more terrifying and mysterious effect.

What have I learnt?
From this opening sequence I have found that for a vampire film a CU is very useful, allowing the film to show they are vampires without having to state the fact, as the CU shows the audience the Gothic look and pale skin that is symbolic of vampires. This technique also allows the audience to be drawn into the mystery that is created by the way the vampires move and act towards each other, as the NVC from across the balconies is extremely effective.

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