MEST 2 - Opening Scenes

Top Boy

Topboy begins by displaying various establishing shots of a typical urban setting, which is based in a London council estate. The soundtrack, which is non-diegetic, helps build a more urban atmosphere and it helps to reinforce the stereotypes associated with a typical environment like this, which is commonly linked with crime and violence, the atmosphere is being further supported in the scene with the sound of a police siren in the background which is a diegetic sound. The next scene displays an over-the-shoulder shot showing a long distance which monitors over who the audience may assume, to be the main characters of the narrative which is about to become present within the scene. The mise-en-scene of the characters are urban-type clothing, particular large coats, hoodies, jeans and trainers, which helps determine to the audience, what kind of person they are. The editing featured helps build up tension and it also helps create suspense for an action to occur. In the scene the produce a validation of approval within the scene through the sound of a ringtone which suggests an action code of accepting the call and acting upon it. The narrative becomes a showdown when a black vehicle is displayed speeding towards the male and female characters, who at the time are situated in a council estate and it is supported through the cross-cuts, when they switch from one subjects location to  the other subject location. The guns displayed within the frame later in the scene help create the conflict in this kind of narrative, which is based around typical drug and gang crime in London. 

Breaking Bad

The opening scene is introduced with medium-close shots of a desert, showing cacti and big boulders which are typical found in a desert, this helps the audience acknowledge that the opening scene will be based in this kind of area. It is also opened with a diegetic sound of a bird in the background, which cannot be seen, but helps build a tension within the environment through the quiet and open area that it has in a desert. Furthermore, the next scene is shown of a shot which shows trousers drop to the floor from above. This will cause the audience to become more curious to what will happen, as they may not have expected to see something like that in a very discrete environment like the desert. This follows up with an RV (recreational vehicle) which proceeds to run over it subsequently. The follow up with a shot from behind in the RV, which shows a half naked man driving the vehicle. The quick cuts help show more which is going on within the RV and helps the audience identify what is happening slowly, as they do not distribute a lot of information within the shots. The half-naked man is shown to be the main subject and the audience want to know why he is in this situation that he is in. The scenes are relatively quiet in order to produce a more tense environment and build suspense within the audience as they are curious to why the main subject is in a very rapid environment, which suggests he is trying to avoid or retreat from something. 

Youngers

This comedic series shows 2 main characters open up the scene by engaging in dialogue with other acquaintances, which appear to be sitting on a wall. This is a good way to open up a scene in this type of genre as the scene as instantly become very suburban vibe, as a lot of the younger teens appear to know each other. When the two main subjects walk over to the 3 other subjects, they use a handheld shot to help create an atmosphere within the audience which can make them feel like they are a part of the setting and surroundings. These shots help the audience also understand how the main two first subjects are feeling and how they see them. The 'mandem' that subsequently sit on the wall speak quite loud in order for the audience to understand what kind of people they are from the expression given through their voice. They also use a medium-close up shot to display the expression of one of the two main subjects, which is disappointed and frankly annoyed. This then sparks a scene of conflict where the subject becomes annoyed and walks away, leading to the narrative to exhibit high amounts of expression within characters. 

My Murder

The scene is opened with a text which states that these events were based on a true story and that the minor characters have been created. The scene pans down onto a bed sheet which is waving on a clothesline and this then reveals a young black male shown on the floor who appears to have been stabbed. There is a non-diegetic sound of the police radio call of the person who rang the police in order to report the situation. Doing this helps give a proper feel to what happened and to sympathise for the innocent and young person who has been stabbed, as this has been based on a true story. They show a medium-close up of him in the next shot which shows in detail him flinching as well as look weak and vulnerable. This then follows with an over-the-shoulder shot of a female who appears to be on the phone to the police, with the young stabbed male on the floor in the view. This helps engage the audience more into the scene as they use this type of shot to give the scene more effect and to exhibit the scene precisely how it was when the actual event was taking place. This then exhibits the young male struggling to crawl, whilst being shown in a medium-close up, in order for the audience to sympathise for him as his life comes to an end.