Thriller Film Opening Analysis: Orphan Black (Sci-fi Thriller)

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Orphan Black



Camera Angles/Shots
At the beginning there is an overhead shot of the train station, which is also a crane shot as the camera rises up. This is also the establishing shot. Then there is an extreme closeup of what seems to be an actors jacket. This closeup cranes upwards to the protagonist to reveal an ear with headphones in. The camera then pans right to reveal protaganist's face. Then we see a handheld shot between the seats of the train. When the protagonist wakes up we see a two shot of a distraught mother and son. Then we see a closup of the protagonist and then back to a closeup of the mother and son and then returning to a closeup of the actor. When she gets off of the train, we see a long shot and the camera pans left as she walks becoming a close up. Then we see an extreme long shot of the train station again - which again reminds the audience where she is. The camera then frames a closeup of her again, followed by a low angle shot of her looking down at her hands. Then we see an outward zoom as she walks towards the camera, and then along shot of her on the phone. There is then a closeup show of her which is handheld.

Editing
We see mostly continuity editing in this scene as this scene is made to be as lifelike as possible. Everything about the scene is made to seem natural, like an average day - something the viewer can relate to which is why it is all shot continuously. Another reason why the scene is made to seem natural is because something bizarre is to happen and this is it's build up. We see transitions from her on the train to a clip of her getting off to her on the phone - each transition is made to seem authentic as possible.

Sound
Immediately we hear rummaging of carriages as the scene opens, giving the viewer the idea that she is indeed on a train. We also hear the music output from the actor's earphones alongside this faint sound of train tracks. We then hear the sound of a tannoy coming from the train followed by the first dialogue heard in this scene as the protagonist swears and apologises. All of this is diegetic sounds. We then hear the first non-diegetic sound as she steps off of train, which is soft music. The rummaging sounds of trains can still be heard faintly followed by another tannoy. This all adds atmosphere to the setting by using realistic sounds. As she walks off, the music fades and we hear her dialogue before we see her. When we do see her speaking it is revealed she is on the phone, and alongside this another track of soft music plays - however this is slightly different to before. In this scene, we hear a lot more diegetic sound of the surroundings and non-diegetic music than we do actual dialogue.









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