Macro Features

Narrative

How does the opening sequence throw us into the story and what questions are we asking?

The opening sequence is a very quick paced car ride with some close ups on Will Smith which makes the audience feel like they are in the car with the Will Smith.

The opening sequence makes us question why the city is how it is and why is Will Smith there.

Character Types

What role in the film do the main characters have and how is this evident in their costume & performance?

Will Smith’s role in the film is obviously a survivor of this apocalypse as he has a gun and his costume is a dark brown jacket, shirt and trousers. This shows he’s a survivor because he is wearing dark colours to blend in with his surroundings.

Micro Features

Mise-en-scene

Where and when do events take place? How are these places represented?

The film obviously takes place in the post-apocalyptic future of 2007 as you can see posters of films that were not made during 2007. The fact the entire place is destroyed or covered in nature shows that not a lot humans are not around anymore. This is also proven with the amount of animals which you would normally find in the zoo is roaming around.

The film takes place in an abandoned city which has a a lot of tall building or huge attractions. As Will Smith has an american accent the film must take place in new york city or somewhere similar.

Camera and lighting

How does the camera & lighting contribute to the feel of the sequence?

In the opening driving sequence the camera is sometimes in the car, using a close-up on Will Smith or a over the shoulder shot from behind the driver's seat. This makes the audience feel like they are in the car as well to create a sense of tension.

Editing + Titles

How does the edit reveal the story and position us with the characters?  

The CGI animals show that this city is not populated by a lot of humans as there are animals that are normally found in the wild or in zoo’s.

How are the titles designed to enhance the visual style?

The titles are white and blend in with the scenery as which add to the feel of the movie and brings the audience into the film.

Sound

How does the music contribute to the feel of the sequence?

The lack of music through the opening creates a sense of tension as you can’t base anything on the music. It also helps the very quiet dialogue as you can actually hear it which also helps create tension.

What sounds/effects do we hear from the world of the film?

The titles start off with a fake quote which can create a feeling of terror as it’s unknown who has said this and how it sets up the film.

There are a lot of sound effects of animals running which helps put you in the film as they get louder then quieter as the animals get closer then further away.