Children of Men

How effectively does the opening sequence from ‘Children of Men’ use the forms and conventions of film openings? What is your personal response as a member of the audience?

The film starts with a black screen which includes a few credits as to which production made the film which creates expectations. To begin with the audience just hear voices this creates suspicion among the audience as to why we can’t see the characters.  After the black background has disappeared there is a high shot establishing location of a busy coffee shop and all the people are staring and look very interested at the TV news. The lighting used in the cafe is very dull and natural lighting to create the atmosphere and sense of a gloomy depressing day it isn’t an uplifting colour. The view where the camera is placed is what the tv would see it personifies the tv showing it the view of the people making the audience feel included. The clothing of the people in the cafe is very dull including colours like greys, blues and blacks; this establishes the mood and the atmosphere and shows it’s depressing and dark. The use of the outfit colours chosen relate to the dialogue being heard through the tv which is based on the youngest person in London dying. The dialogue is very important as it explains what’s going on and informs the audience on the storyline.

The news report it’s London which establishes the setting so the audience immediately notice it’s in London so should include elements of the city for example the background of buildings and sky scrapers. The person who has died is 18 years old which is the first enigma and use of a narrative convention this effect makes the audience question why people aren’t having babies anymore and what’s changed. It’s made clear three times throughout the sequence that its set in 2027 London in the future it is repeated so many times so they make sure the audience understand and don’t miss out on an important part. The main character is introduced which is included in the narrative function of the film he moves his way through the people and doesn’t seem at all concerned about what is going on. The camera then follows him out on to the street , the new London is very dull and polluted and creates a dark atmosphere and makes the audience feel as though they don’t aspire to be there it isn’t a welcoming environment. On the streets they have the modern day bikes where passengers can get on the back but they choose to use these with a motor, so emissions and smoke pollute the area. These bikes make the audience associate them with a third world country so maybe London has declined in its development. The smoke that is produced is black and makes London seem dirty and dark not a pleasant place to be in, to add to this idea rubbish bins are piled on the side of the road to enforce the idea of dirt and rubbish and being  a un wealthy place.

 A tracking shot is used to follow the man down the street which is busy to relate back to the fact it’s a city. The man pulls a bottle of alcohol out of his pocket and pours it into his drink which creates another enigma as to why he is doing that is he an alcoholic. The shot then comes back around and you see him from the other side and down the street and see the cafe he has just been into. Suddenly an explosion goes off in the cafe he was in and smoke is everywhere and women is screaming this creates a serious and gore atmosphere the audience feel shocked and question why it has gone off which makes them want to carry on watching the film and pay attention. They decide to include the important explosion nearer the end of the sequence as if the audience are watching it in the cinema by the time they have settled down they have caught their attention, and won’t miss the important element to the film.