Detailed Analysis of Film Openings Madeline
The opening scenes of the film ‘Madeline’ start off as an animation, this particular type of animation looks like someone has drawn the scenes, the images are drawn the way a child would see them, telling the audience immediately that this is a film which would appeal to children.
In the first scene we immediately know where the film is set, in Paris, the first image scene is that of the Eiffel Tower. Our second clue as to where they are is in the next scene, where the French flag is shown. Transitions are used at the very beginning of the film when the scenes change, the particular transition used makes us imagine the pages of a book being turned, and a story being told.
The music being played is very upbeat and relaxing, this is an example of the non-diegetic sound in the film. We also hear a lot of sound effects and synchronous sound. We hear footsteps as the girls are walking, cars beeping and a dog barking. We also hear the sound of water rushing whilst the image of the fountain is shown. A good example synchronous sound in the opening scenes of Madeline, is when the gates open and we hear a squeaky creaking noise as they open. Even when the scenes change and the transitions are shown, we hear the noise that could be associated with a page being turned in a book.
In the fourth scene we see the animated image turn into a real scene of the house. In this particular scene we see, the gates to the house, the grounds surrounding the huge house, the children walking down the path and we can also see the Eiffel Tower in the background, reminding us again of their location.
The scene then changes to a medium long shot of the girls walking from the house down the path. It is shot from behind and focuses on the empty space where Madeline should be standing. We then hear Madeline’s name being called and see the other characters reaction as they turn around to face the camera. The scene then switches to a big close-up of Madeline’s feet and also the hat that she is looking for. This shot is taken from under the bed and there is a tilt upwards, as Madeline looks under the bed, to show the characters reaction better.
In the scenes after this, the voice over starts. The voice over is used to introduce the audience to the characters and their lifestyle. Everything the voice over says rhymes, showing another way in which this film appeals to children. There is also dialogue between characters, which shows us more of that particular characters personality already.
The opening credits come up often during these scenes but becoming less often as the scenes continue. The title of the film is shown is the biggest font and appears in the middle of the frame in a colour that will stand out. This title is not shown right at the beginning but as the animation turns into a real scene.
