Initial Ideas for my Opening scene project

Whilst studying and analysing films such as "Pulp Fiction", "Goodellas" and "Harry Brown" I have been inspired to create a film in the same Gangster style and genre. What strikes me particularly about "Pulp Fiction" is the way in which casual conversation is used to comedic effect. The content of the conversation clearly gives them away as career criminals, but their calm nature and measured approach to the planning of the robbery is counter typical of the stereotypical criminal/gangster. This makes the characters intriguing and funny to the viewer and sets a precedent for the rest of the film. I will try and replicate this use of dialogue and acting in my film for this same effect, in order to bring an element of comedy to an otherwise serious and quite dark film opening. Whilst drawing inspiration from Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas represents the darker, more unforgiving side of the gangster world, one where the use of knives and guns as a means of protection or indeed persuasion is commonplace. In order to incorporate this into my film, I will use minimal lighting and dark incriminating costumes for the actors, to create an imposing atmosphere for the action to take place in.
The rough idea for the plot so far is that two first time gangsters have just killed someone, but have no idea how or where to discard the body. A discussion follows and using their knowledge of gangster movies, they eventually come up with a solution. I am currently in the process of scriptwriting for this peice, this will be posted as soon as it is finalised.

Storyboards for my Film

Textual Analysis Presentation

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Harry Brown Opening Scene Analysis

This is the opening scene of Harry Brown; this film clip is relevant to my research as it is of a similar genre and style. The film opens with footage shot from a camera phone of some boys in the underpass of an estate, forcing another younger looking boy to undertake a gang initiation, which involves smoking drugs and holding a gun. This instantly gives the viewer information about the characters and types of people that will get involved with Harry Brown, whom we already know is an elderly, peaceful old man, thus setting the tone in a foreboding style.

After beginning the clip in this way, the truly criminal and chaotic nature of the estate is revealed when the same boy who was smoking drugs in the first scene is shown riding on the back of a moped whilst a friend steers it, both are quite obviously still under the influence of drugs. The camera is close up and wobbling right in front of the boys faces and cuts between them as the moped journey through the estate continues, these blurry wobbly close-ups show their insane expressions, which are mix between ecstatic laughter and great anger. After they come down from the apartments of the estate, the boy on the back gets a gun out and whilst still going at speed starts firing it across a park. The camera shots are still shaky and blurry, almost as if one the culprits are holding it whilst on the moped. The most shocking part of this clip is at the end when the two boys notice a woman walking her baby in a pram, they begin shooting in her direction despite the presence of the baby, and after a short burst of fire the boy on the back shoots her in the head which kills her. The boys on the moped then attempt a getaway across a busy London road, but are run over by an oncoming a lorry.

The setting within this clip is used very effectively, as it shows the reality of the surroundings we presume the main character will inhabit. The unsafe, un-predictable environment creates tension for the viewer immediately, causing us as audience to instantly empathize with the dead woman, and any other innocent residents of the estate. The camera phone footage adds a juvenile element to the scene, and shows how casual these men/boys are towards crime, violence, and drug use. This is an attitude that would shock and disgust most viewers, as the violently provocative image of the mother being shot in the park is a result of this attitude.

The costume is typical of the type of area it depicts. At the start of the scene all the characters wear black hooded tracksuits, and some cover their faces with bandanas and hat, this style also carries on to the moped scene. This is typically representative of the street gangster, all extrovert and loud attempting to intimidate and pressurize. The way that the first scene is lit also adds to the intimidating atmosphere the characters in shot create. The lighting is dark, and shadow like, but suitable to the scene, because these street thugs would be looking to conceal their criminal activities and identities.

Finally there is minimal sound used in the clip, as the only noise heard is dialogue from the characters, nearby traffic noise or sound from the moped.

Goodfellas Opening Scene (watch up to 2:08)

Pulp Fiction Opening Scene

Goodfellas Opening Scene Analysis

The film “Goodfellas” was released in 1990, and directed by renowned Italian American director Martin Scorsese. The narrative follows the main character Henry from his late teens, building up to his career as a professional criminal associated with the mafia. The opening scene is a harrowing and graphic example of the casual violence that surrounds Henry. The disturbing reality depicted in this opening scene has what has made it particularly iconic in the Gangster genre of film.

The first shot of the film is of a black background with the credits. Minimal wording appears on the screen, and the words quickly slide across the screen from the right in a large white font. The word that has just slid across the screen then reappears in a smaller white font, and stays still until it is replaced by the next larger word sliding across. The sound, that goes with the word transitions is presumably diegetic traffic noise, and gives the viewer an idea of the setting. The final sentence that the audience see on this background is “This film is based on a true story” this is used to get the viewer instantly believing of the story and the characters portrayed within it.

The first opening shot containing real images is the tracking shot of the car driving down the road in the darkness. The shot instantly promotes a foreboding atmosphere that is consistent with the gangster image. This shot pans left and comes alongside the car, giving the viewers the impression that we are following the car, and that the characters inside the car are perhaps key to the story.

When the audience eventually sees inside the car there is a medium close up of the driver, although we can see two other men in the car. The focus on the driver gives the audience a subtle hint that he could be the main character. The next shot of note in the scene is when the men get out of the car to investigate the noise in the boot. The shot is a low angle of the characters in side profile, for the viewers looking up at them, it shows the characters have an authoritative and controlling air about them, which makes them more believable as gangsters.

There is then the gradual close up to the boot of the car; the camera zooms in to the source of the noise like a person reluctantly going to open it. This cuts to a medium shot of all three of the men that gradually zooms in on the two holding weapons, who obviously getting ready for a confrontation. The man holding the shovel nods to the character who is out of shot, then the camera pans round to focus in on the un-armed man to reveal the contents of the car. The camera moves slowly again here to convey the trepidation that all of the men are feeling towards having to deal with whatever is making the noise in the back of the car. Also from an audiences point of view this creates anticipation through the build of tension. The scene ends with a still of who we can assume to be the main character, slamming the boot shut in time with a song from a typical 50s Italian American singer Tony Bennett. This is appropriate as the 50’s is a time in history, often thought of as the peak of the American Mafia’s powers. The song is also contemporary to the setting of the next scene.

The editing throughout this scene maintains a slow pace, to ensure the build up of tension. However, the level of tension that the audience may feel as the scene develops is not matched by the characters involved, as they remain stony faced and uncaring throughout. The type of shots used also effect the time between cuts, as the panning shots, tracking shots and shots that slowly zoom in from medium to a close up, prolong the time that the audience has to wait to find out what is making noise in the boot. The editing during the kill follows the same slow pattern to expose the audience to the brutal realism of the world that the characters inhabit.

The costume and general style used in this scene is typical of the Gangster genre. All three characters swear crisp neat suits, and have hair that has been combed back in a style dating from around the fifties. Other iconic films such as “The Godfather” and “Scarface” support this smart wealthy image of Italian mafia gangsters. The lighting and setting, aside from the smart suits and haircuts, supports the secretive nature of the events that are taking place. The lighting is minimal, with only the car headlights to light the murder scene, and presumably streetlamps that light up the inside of the car at points. The lighting is deliberately dark because as I have said, the characters are trying to hide their criminal activities and do not want to be seen. However, use of a torch by the men or any other lighting device would have an inappropriate and unrealistic prop given the circumstances. The weapon props however are realistic and are used to define the brutality and the ruthlessness of criminals of that level. The carving knife, the shovel and the gun all appear in this scene to show that whatever is in making noise in the boot will die very painfully, thus the trepidation in the camera work.