This is my analysis for my AS Media work for an opening sequence.

1. The Dark Knight Opening Sequence Analysis
The Dark Knight does
slightly fall into my
generic expectations of an
action/thriller as it begins
with a group of masked
men staging a bank heist.
The first few opening
titles are full of animation
and motion pictures.
It begins with a ripple effect on a
picture of old-fashioned houses
with a morose thunderous beat
that then switches to the
introduction of the Warner
Brothers Pictures. This has a
background of dark clouds that
gives a slight hint at the thriller
component of the movie.

2. Warner Brothers Production Company is
a very famous company which have
made many successful films in the past.
Due to these various successes, they
were in possession of a colossal amount
of money that they could then use for
the production of the Batman sequel. It is
therefore relevant as it shows that by
disposing a large amount of money to
make a film as successful as this film was
generates a large amount of profit in
which institutions such as ones like
Warner Brothers are all about.
It then switches to what looks like gas that then solidifies into a shiny, almost valiant logo of
Legendary Pictures which is also set with dark colours but also has a medal-like edge due
to the shine. This hints at the nature of the character even though it is just an opening title,
who is seemingly heroic but he also has a pained secret. It then quickly switches to
snippets of the Batman comic which shows the basis of the storyline as well as the
company, DC comics, that owns it. This immediately enables the audience to assume that
there will be some action in the film due to the images of the comic shown as they portray
some violence.

3. The screen then shows what is revealed to be various
explosions and a silhouette of a bat. This then fades out
to darkness and therefore been used this way to give
slightly more details about the main protagonist. You
could call this a visual opening title which is very
effective as it allows the viewer to visualise about the
film itself in greater detail as well as spur the audience’s
creativity. These titles have been tailored to suit the
thriller-like nature of the film and make it seem darker
through using a moody thunderous beat that is also
symbolic of the violent and dreary nature of a sad event
that occurs later on in the film .e.g. when the love
interest is murdered in an explosion.
The use of these titles are therefore effective as it explores the genre
subliminally as, again, these are just the opening titles. It then begins
with an establishing long shot of a busy city backdrop with skyscrapers
which shows the audience that it is a normal day in a wealthy town. In
the background you can hear what appears to be a non-diegetic clock
ticking which builds suspense. This also signifies the beginning of the
film. The first event is a surprise when the camera zooms into a window
in a shiny green building that explodes to nothing. This lures the
audience’s interest to the screen as it is unexpected and also shows you
that the film itself will have similar actions throughout which will
therefore keep the audience watching.

4. The green building stands out It then switches to an over-the-shoulder mid shot placed As soon as the gun
as it refers to the main at a high angle which shows another even shorter is shot, the camera
antagonist of the film which in building. This angle enables the audience to recognise jumps to a long shot
this case is the joker. This is the villain which is supported by the smashed window of a different part of
interesting as the building is event as well as the gun in his hand. the setting in which
symbolic as it hints at the the audience can see
source of evil in the film and a man from his back
also shows to the audience whose stature
that the Joker is the stands out from the
mastermind behind the bank rest as he is dressed
heist as well due to the in dark clothing
signature green hair and the which again shows
clown masks that the robbers his villainous side.
are seen wearing later on. This He is also holding a
also makes the building seem clown mask which
out of place in a way as foreshadows the
although it is a skyscraper, it is sinister events to
noticeably short and stumpy come. The mask also
compared to the other shows how all the
skyscraper buildings. This itself villains are
does not collaborate with your interlinked with
usual expectations of an each other. This
action/thriller as they are also contributes to
usually blunt with their the thriller
generic hints whereas the component of the
Dark Knight has a more film due to the
symbolic take. The camera is clown mask and
now inside the green building how the camera
and there is a medium close- emphasises it by
up of a villain in a mask . zooming in on it.

5. You then hear car tyres It then jumps back to the original
screech and the suspenseful setting where there is a two-shot of
music signifies that the two cronies waiting to be hoisted up
action component has been on the device. As they swing
pushed into full throttle as themselves out of the camera, it
the villains are now performs a cut-away to show a busy
depicting fast-paced road which immediately alerts the
movements. This is expected audience of how dangerous this is as
in films such as this as it well as how experienced these
seems like a well-planned villains are as well. The camera is
cliché bank heist with a now depicting an aerial shot of the
possible car chase due to the two swinging across. This is very
swivelling and recklessness interesting as it builds suspense and
of the car when they pick up depicts the full extent of the danger
their cohort; however this is they are in. It is also symbolic as the
later disproved as the building they are moving to
villainous team slowly begin contrasts with the previous building
to pick each other off, with as it is aged and light with a glow
the last surviving team whereas the previous building is
member being killed off by dark and shiny and supposedly
the Joker himself (the brand new. The lighter building is
remaining accomplice is lower which is a metaphor as it
crushed by a bus that rams shows how evil manipulates the
into the building) who later vulnerable .e.g. here the men are
gets away without being using the building to get their job
ensued. done.

6. Up to this point, we can see
representations of people who do not
necessarily come from a good, stable
background .e.g. the Joker who enjoys
inflicting pain and stress to others
possibly because of traumatic events
that happened to him in earlier years. It
also shows those who do not have a
high morale capacity which is shown
when the cronies slowly murder one
another as they are lead to believe that
this will get them a bigger share. This
falls into a viewer’s expectations as
society, sadly, teaches many to believe
that people who do not fit into the right
social norms etc. are beneath them.
Overall, conventions that have been used in this film lead the viewer to
think that it is like a regular bank robbery but then shocks you when each
begin to kill each other later on. The lack of dialogue is effective as it
enables the audience to solely focus on the events. The fact that the shots in
the film are quite “jumpy” helps to build suspense as well as interest due to
the fast paced movements. This also shows who the film is aimed at, which
are teenagers and above, due to the nature of the film .e.g. a materialistic,
wealthy setting home to fast-paced, busy lifestyles. There is also not a lot of
horrific violence, so the target audience could notably be a young set of
teens.

7. This sequence The reason for
is successful in why such an
keeping the opening
audience sequence has
interested due been used is
to the fast so that it
paced feel of tricks the
the film itself, audience into
the audience is thinking that
forever hooked the film is
to the screen cliché when in
from the very actual fact it is
first action just the first of
right up until many
the end. shocking
twists and
turns in the
film.
Analysed: 2
minutes 30
seconds only