9 frame

9 frame

• 1.
  Nine Frame AnalysisOf LA Confidential I will be looking over nine frames from the opening sequence of LA confidential and analysing how they are shot and why they are done in such ways.
• 2.
  Frame 1 The openingscene opens with a picture postcard view of LA, showing all the stereotypical views of LA in the 1950s. The shot opens with many examples of why to move to LA and how wonderful it is to live and work there. The scene is displayed in a montage which is shot from a number of different distances, showing the landscape and home life. By using this form it creates an up beat and almost to perfect view for the audience and so they no a twist is to come. The full scene has a bright lighting to create an upbeat mood that has no sign of negativity.
• 3.
  Frame 2 Asthe montage moves on to the stars of LA there are several close ups on the faces of the celebrity's faces, once again depicting a positive view over LA. The shot also changes from colour to black and white at this point, this is done because they have used real footage from the times so that the sequence is realistic, rather than using actors to play celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe.
• 4.
  Frame 3 As thesequence moves on the camera pans round a T.V. store where it stops on a specific T.V. and zooms in till it’s the only T.V in the shop. The show is a police show that was on T.V. at the time it shows a police department that is totally against crime and that is always on the right side of the law. At this point the audience start to see a change in the mood and see what LA is really like. This is done by showing a change in both lighting, the clips shown and mainly the dialog the narrator is saying.
• 5.
  Frame 4 As themood changes in the sequence and the actual LA comes through to the audience, so do the characters. The characters start to become more suspicious and obviously on the wrong side of the law. This is shown through a pan of what looks like a “gangster” and then a cut away to what is described in the film as a bodyguard who is clearly reaching for a gun. This shot allows the audience to know what the films really about and sets them up for what is to come.
• 6.
  Frame 5 Once againthere is real footage in the sequence, this time it is of some of the organized crime that is happening in LA at the time. Most of these shots are shot with close ups or extreme close ups, this makes the shots much more intense and builds the on the story for the rest of the film. This contrast of a perfect LA and the “real” LA exaggerates the noir genre even more than it already is.
• 7.
  Frame 6 As thesequence continues more and more of the “real” LA is revealed and the story develops to the audience. There are a couple of more medium and close up shots which all compliment the dialog that the narrator is saying. Once again these shots are in back and white as they are real footage, which once again makes the crimes much more realistic. The lighting in these shots are rather low which brings a negative feel to the scene.
• 8.
  Frame 7 As thereal footage finishes the dialog of the narrator starts to bring the opening sequence to an end, with the introduction of how the LA police crack down on crime and the ways they bring the criminals to justice. They finish the criminal activity bit of the opening sequence with one last piece of real footage. This is a close up on a roulette match which will have been one of the main drivers of the crime in the city (gambling).
• 9.
  Frame 8 The openingsequence then returns to the the film and shows a typical arrest of a well known criminal that is big in the press. These shots that are shown through a long shot and a pan which show how the arrests are more about the ego of the detectives and the promotional gains they get from arresting big criminals. This also brings the “bent copper” side of the story in so that most of the characteristics of film noir have been covered.
• 10.
  Frame 9 As theopening sequence ends we are introduced to the narrator of the opening sequence. The character is shown through a close up which pans around him to show that he is a writer for a newspaper. This brings the final characteristic of film noir in to the sequence and finishes it off so that the actual story can start and the audience can get stuck in to the plot. The lighting in this scene is also rather low which makes the newspaper and the character less professional and more money orientated and corrupt. I feel this opening sequence is very effective as it brings all of the characteristics of film noir in to play by using a vary of techniques.