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Introduction

Does the opening sequence of 'the fellowship of the ring' successfully use the narrative devices of moving image to create an effective beginning for the film? The purpose of any opening sequence is to give the audience a brief insight into the plot, themes and characters of the film. As it is the first impression the audience will get of the film it needs to grab their attention and keep them interested. To achieve this there are many devices available to the director. These include special effects, changes in colour, narrative voice over, long shots, close ups and sound. If the film is in the horror genre the director may use fire to symbolise evil and fear. The director may also start the film with total darkness to create a mysterious atmosphere. ...read more.

Middle

As well as tell us the plot of the story the narrator portrays different themes in the film. To do this the narrator can build up tension and add suspense. For the opening sequence of 'The Fellowship of the Ring' to effectively infer to the audience of key themes many different devices are used. In this the opening sequence background music is constantly played. At the very start of the opening sequence the music is soft and slow. It sounds enchanted. This tells the audience the film contains magic, showing it is a fantasy. As the opening sequence goes on the soft slow music becomes more intense. The tempo gets quicker and sounds get louder. This builds up tension before the big battle that is to come. ...read more.

Conclusion

From watching the opening sequence the audience gets the impression the film is going to be full of action and magic. Thus making it an action fantasy genre. The huge physical battle at the start of the film sets it up perfectly. Straight away the audience can see the film will contain many battles with swords and shields. The narrator's explanation of the containing magic tells the audience there will be many happenings in the film where the audience will need to use their imagination. The opening sequence for 'The Fellowship of the Ring' gives a brief insight of what is to come. The director uses the devices available to build tension and portray key themes in the film. After the narrators speech the audience is able to understand the plot and is prepared for the rest of the film. These elements combine to make a successful opening sequence. ...read more.

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