Analysing Opening Sequences - The Ugly Truth

Non-diegetic music starts, before the film has even started, whilst the production company logos are on screen. This sets the mood of the film and also helps indicate that the film is a romantic comedy because of the lyrics of the song. The first production company logo that is displayed is Columbia where the camera angle lowers to show the statue of liberty holding the torch aflame with the word Columbia displayed behind creating 2 rainbow rings that are reflected onto the backdrop of the sky. It then fades to black with the last light being the torch aflame until it is in complete darkness.









In the first two minutes of this film a lot happens, giving the audience  an understanding of the character and location, with use of many techniques. The first shot is filmed from aerial view of a lake, helicopter and city; this is filmed as it moves along to each setting.

 After the logo slide is over the screen then fades to black. After about a second a shot of unfocused lights are shown, the audience are expected to associate this scene with a city landscape and suggest that this is where the rest of the film is going to be set. This isn’t on screen for long as this is then put into the background as the viewer’s focus is then put onto a focused shot of a helicopter comes onto screen. This is followed by various aerial shots of water maintenance stations and busy roads and streets to set the scene of a busy urban atmosphere.

Within the first few seconds of the film, white subtitles outlined in pink appear on the middle of the screen with a graphic design of a man/woman, depending on the gender of each character, with a small pink heart in the center of the words or pictures. And this is consistent in each set of titles.

The background music is still ongoing throughout the scenes; this connects each shot to the next. Many of the shots are cut to change in time with the music, so that the scenes flow with what the audience is hearing. The music doesn’t stop in the first two minutes, however it does get quieter as the characters are introduced.The main female character is introduced first. We are  introduced to the main character walking outside her house; we know this due to the amount of screen time this character gets. This makes the audience sympathise with this character in the first 2 minutes of this film. There is then a long shot of the character walking out of her complex; this is a decent shot as it tells the audience more about the location and setting.














 She is seen coming out of, what the audience assumes is her house, on her way to work. She is made to look busy and/or an important person as she is holding many things in her hands and she is also on the phone, all whilst trying to lock her front door.

Once the woman has arrived at the office we are introduced to another character with the use of over the shoulder shot and shot reverse shot, this allows the audience to see a conversation from both perspectives. There is also a POV shot from the main characters perceptive to allow us to sympathise with her. There is a use of over the shoulder shot with the two characters, however this has been filmed while rotating, for example the camera is positioned to follow a slow anti clock wise angle.  This is very effective as it draws the audience in as the main attention is on these two characters.

One camera shot follows the woman round her office, this gives the audience the feeling the they are following her round on an average every day in her life, which gives a sense of reality which the audience can relate to.

This film clip has been made really effective as it introduces the main character through the titles as they had there own little animation next to it so when she was brought into the first scene you knew she was the main focus. Also the way in which the titles were done made it more enjoyable to watch as you got an establishing shot of the whole area from aerial view and the titles were not obtrusive but still made clear.

The use of titles and credits – The Ugly Truth

 

 

The titles and credits are filmed around the action taking place and when the scenery of the lake is being filmed which makes the credits stand out against the mutual colours in the background. The colours used for the credits are also white and black which is commonly used for love stories in films. The titles are positioned in the setting to make it look as if they are floating in the sky, to possibly to resemble romance.

 The titles and credits colour fitted in with the atmosphere and giving a sense to the audience about the quality of the film. However they are fairly straight forward and provide the necessary information.

The first two minutes of this film made you want to continue watching it due to the fact that you want to know what the ugly truth is, they made the title have high dominance in the opening scenes in order for it to stick with you and the differences between the male and female animations seemed to be linked with it so you were wanting that to be explained. Also as you haven’t been introduced to the main male character you are wondering how he will be introduced and how they will meet, as it does not start of as a typical romantic comedy does so it is intriguing to discover the way in which they turn it all around.