Memento (Nolan, 2000, US) Opening sequence Analysis

The meaning is created through different types of media languages. Some of these are the following: Cinemaphotography, Sound, Editing and Mise En Scene.

Cinemaphotography:

One successful moment where an aspect of Cinemaphotography is used is a low angle shot. This is successful because, as an audience member you can see what the characters appearance is and what’s happening to him. Also having a camera view like this as an audience member I can gain a developed understanding of what the facial expression is that the character is communicating to the audience. This communicates the meaning of anxiety, and also a threat to obviously what is happening but as an audience member watching this I gained an understanding that he was about to murder this individual because it was for a reason-this could have been to protect someone or prevent something bad from happening. This makes the audience respond in a way that they feel engaged to what’s happening and question what is going to happen next, and the reason why this character is about to shoot this character and what has lead him to doing this. Using these characters in this scene, makes the audience gain an understanding about the characters and relationship, this is because the audience members can see a full display of who the character is and how they make an impact to the audience throughout the whole performance. Using this shot, also communicates to the audience the authority that this character has and how dominant he is presented compared to other characters that are in this Momento piece of work.

Sound:

Watching the clip of Momento, it made me a feel a range of different emotions before watching the clip. For example, I felt a range of emotions and expectations to what could be happening before actually seeing it. Here are some of the following guesses I made:

·         Anxious

·         Historical

·         Intrigued

·         Memorial

·         Funeral

·         Death

·         Lost

·         Proud

·         Sad

·         Slow sombre

·         Sad

·         Sympathetic

·         Upset

·         Power

·         Slow

·         Lonely

·         Weak

·         Loss of someone special

·         A sad moment

However, when watching this clip I felt engaged to what was happening and a little bit of sympathy to the character that was shooting the character. It communicated the meaning that the character didn’t want to shoot someone, but felt the need to inside that he needed to do this for himself and potentially other people. This makes the audience respond in a way that they feel shocked and intrigued by what was happening, and intrigued because from watching it from the start and hearing the slow sombre sounds, then hearing a loud shot noise it contrasts and engages the audience. This is effective because it never loses tension within the atmosphere and feels like its constantly building up to a climax to keep the attention from the audience hooked on to what’s happening within this moment. Using these different sounds in this clip, makes the audience gain a developed understanding of what is actually happening in this moment and the impact it creates on the audience. Sound throughout the whole performance, is always and continuously at a depressing tone and communicates emotions through each piece that is played throughout the different scenes.

Furthermore another type of sound that was used in the opening sequence within Memento, is incidental music, this type of sound was used in the moment just before the male character gets shot. By using this form of sound it engages the audience in to what is happening as well as creating an understanding for the audience to feel and experience towards what is being displayed. By using incidental music, it is effective because it has the meaning, that the intention within this moment is to foreshadow an upcoming event, that makes an impact on the movie throughout and will later be conveyed within a section in to further detail. By using this, it creates the mood within this moment to change from sadness to secrecy, which then engages the audience to see what happens next. 

Another final example, of a form of sound that is used effectively is a sting, the moment with the male character screams before getting shot. This emopathises the idea of the character feeling pain, as well as being in the atmpsphere of danger and not wanting to experience what is happening. by using a sting as a form of sound, it engages the audience as well as creating the understanding that tension is increasing and the character is going through a horrifying experience. 

Editing:

One successful moment of editing that is used is using the different scenes that have happened previously and putting them in a structure and order that is reversed. The editing here communicates a meaning as well as the purpose of numerous scenes. Because of the editing and the way the structure of the performance has all been reversed, it communicates to the audience what happened step by step and how it lead to the male character being shot in the head. This type of editing engages the audience, so that they can gain a developed understanding in what’s happened and how it lead to the end result of what is shown in the beginning image of the photograph displaying a scene of blood and a man’s head positioned on a cold dim coloured flooring. The use of this editing leaves the audience to ask questions, to why the character was left dead and why he was even shot for in the first place. This is all a part of the performance which engages the audience to what might happen next and to follow on in the story.

Mise En Scene:

There was various successful ways that Mise En Scene was used in this opening clip. For example there were photographs throughout the opening scene which communicated to the audience what was portrayed on them and how this communicated a meaning of how someone’s life got taken by being shot. Furthermore, another example that was used was a male on his knees who had shot a male character within the performance; this communicated his identity and the emotions of feeling weak and emotionally and physically unstable within this moment. His levels used were a key moment that communicated his status within this opening scene and that he is a weak but dominant character within this moment. Another factor of Mise En Scene that was used was low key lighting this communicated tension that was built and the different depressing emotions that were being felt by the male characters.

What is a convention? And how and why are they used to make a successful opening to a film?

Codes and conventions are the recognizable and predictable forms and techniques used by the media industry’s to communicate firm ideas or to show a desired impression. Technical codes consist of camera angles, sound, and lighting. Symbolic codes include the language, dress, and actions of characters.