Analysing Film Openings 2

I can't find the link on YouTube for you to view:

'The Negotiator':

The opening credits begin with non-diagetic music. A piano plays high pitched notes with a constant drum beat, creating suspense; as if to stimulate a heartbeat. A violin adds a sense of drama to the composition which could imply future dramatic events.

The following montage of images, taken by the camera, are edited black and white, connoting that they are past events, which may suggest to the audience that this is an introduction to the history of the characters and their relationships.

A mid shot displays a man laughing and the ms-en-scene shows that he is black, possibly provoking the audience to assume an African origin, and wears a white shirt; the ms-en-scene implies his working class using his suggested ethnicity and clothing.

A fade to an extreme close up of a white man's eyes, teamed with the suspenseful music, suggest an evil presence.

Stereotypically, the black man is usually viewed as the perpetrator and the white man the victor. The director may have chosen to subvert the stereotype to develop a sense of uncertainty and possibly corruption, intriguing the audience.

Through the ms-en-scene in a two shot the black man and a white man are laughing, the camera allows more of the white man to be seen suggesting to the audience that he is more important in the shot. A connotation to an audience may be that the white man is superior. Non-diagetic laughter is edited to echo over the music; exemplifying that this is positive a past event.

Another two shot, sided with the black man displays, through the ms-en-scene and camera, him pointing jovially at another white man who is wearing a cap back to front, smoking a cigar whilst holding what seems to be a pack of cards. The black man wears a buttoned shirt and seems to have higher authority over the white man through ms-en-scene; balancing the connotation of superiority. His positive character can be established by smiles and laughter to the audience; these shots are used to help the audience side with him. He is assumed to be the protagonist, we are following his history.

A rising crane shot of a tall building, edited black and white, is briefly interrupted by two quick edited fades of more edited black and white images. Through a high angled mid shot, a white man is displayed seeming to fight the black man. The camera allows the white man to use more space in the shot to create a sense of dominance over the other man. Via the high angle shot, the audience could be provoked to side with the black man, as they are forced to look up at the white man through the camera.

A close, level, mid shot of the black man's reaction highlights his facial expression and defensive position, displaying a detailed expression. A sudden non-diagetic effect is added by the editor to the music as these shots interrupt. The director may have intentionally used this to increase tension built and to possibly keep the audience aware.

The title then appears through a fade effect, with the non-diagetic music still present and an added non-diagetic breathing sound; maintaining the tension built for the audience.

Within a mid shot, the ms-en-scene suggests that the three white men seen are highly ranked military officers, due to their uniforms, posture and badges. The suspenseful non-diagetic music teamed with the previous images and ms-en-scene may hint at corruption to an audience.

Thanks for reading! Comments are appreciated :)