The the most important element from the opening sequence of the film is the voice over. For the beginning to be a success it's important that the actor give a good performance and thanks to Scorsese he does. Timing too, as ever with V.O's, is crucial. Not only that the sound must match the considered cutting of the visuals but its pace and use of pauses must reflect the tone and overall mood of the sequence. In this instance, the V.O is quite rapid and for the visuals to keep up Scorsese has had to be very precise in what he shoots and the way in which its then edited.
A good example of this is comes three or four shots into the film. Three characters are established in the car who then have to pull over and get out. To maintain the pace and keep up with the V.O, rather than creating a drawn out sequence of the car slowing down, turning a corner, pulling up etc, Scorsese uses just one cut. He is able to transition from an internal shot of the characters in a moving car to an external one of the three of them moving to open the boot through the use of a sound bridge. Very simply, the sound of three car doors slamming shut hides the cut and carries the narrative forward very quickly without disorientating the audience. Often in student films a point tends to be labored far beyond whats necessary, for example the making of a cup of tea can be portrayed in one cut, not, as often is the case ten, each one depicting a specific action. The use of a sound bridge is used again moments later when three succeeding gun shots cleverly disguises three cuts.
Scorsese's use of lighting is also worth noting, though nothing to do with post production, it can reveal elements of the narrative. One worth noting in this opening sequence is a shot that's meant to be set at night. It quite clearly looks unnatural and artificially lit, however rather than considering it to be bad film making, the lighting creates gleaming reflections on the car parked on set suggesting a fantastical quality, a theme that the V.O confirms by saying that he was "living in a fantasy." This unnatural lighting for effect is also used in the scene in which the characters pull over and get out of the car. The amount of red light being supposedly given off by the tail lights is somewhat of a joke, however given the implications the colour red has, along with the violence happening in frame, audiences automatically put two and two together and Scorsese gets away with it. Just as he does when he apply a red filter after the third cut in sync with gun fire. I believe that what can be taken from this is that unnatural lighting, used in the correct way, can deeply enhance the depth a single shot can have.
A good example of this is comes three or four shots into the film. Three characters are established in the car who then have to pull over and get out. To maintain the pace and keep up with the V.O, rather than creating a drawn out sequence of the car slowing down, turning a corner, pulling up etc, Scorsese uses just one cut. He is able to transition from an internal shot of the characters in a moving car to an external one of the three of them moving to open the boot through the use of a sound bridge. Very simply, the sound of three car doors slamming shut hides the cut and carries the narrative forward very quickly without disorientating the audience. Often in student films a point tends to be labored far beyond whats necessary, for example the making of a cup of tea can be portrayed in one cut, not, as often is the case ten, each one depicting a specific action. The use of a sound bridge is used again moments later when three succeeding gun shots cleverly disguises three cuts.
Scorsese's use of lighting is also worth noting, though nothing to do with post production, it can reveal elements of the narrative. One worth noting in this opening sequence is a shot that's meant to be set at night. It quite clearly looks unnatural and artificially lit, however rather than considering it to be bad film making, the lighting creates gleaming reflections on the car parked on set suggesting a fantastical quality, a theme that the V.O confirms by saying that he was "living in a fantasy." This unnatural lighting for effect is also used in the scene in which the characters pull over and get out of the car. The amount of red light being supposedly given off by the tail lights is somewhat of a joke, however given the implications the colour red has, along with the violence happening in frame, audiences automatically put two and two together and Scorsese gets away with it. Just as he does when he apply a red filter after the third cut in sync with gun fire. I believe that what can be taken from this is that unnatural lighting, used in the correct way, can deeply enhance the depth a single shot can have.
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