An analysis of the effect of media techniques used in the opening scene of the film I am Legend

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An analysis of the effect of media techniques used in the opening scene of the film ‘I am Legend’

Elisabeth Seffer

The film ‘I am legend’ is a science fiction/ horror and action film which was directed by Francis Lawrence and originally based on the novel written by Richard Matheson.

The film is about a doctor, called Robert Neville, who is played by Will Smith, who is one of the only survivors of a man made virus caused by a substance that was supposed to cure cancer.

The opening scene is shocking and effective as it unfolds first with the news, which shows the journalist interviewing the doctor Alice Krippen. The journalist asks the doctor if they have cured cancer and the doctor responds by saying “yes”. After she claims this, the scene moves on, telling the audience that the part of the scene following is demonstrating what happens three years after the news report. An empty New York City is then revealed, suggesting that the cure has affected the population in a negative way and wiped out the human race.

In the opening scene, a lot of media techniques are used including long shot, aerial view, close up, colour, composition, sounds, lightning and medium shot, which make the scene a lot more effective and intense.

The film opens, showing a news report with Alice Krippen and the journalist, discussing the fact that a cure for cancer may have been discovered. The Lighting in the background is blue, which is not a threatening colour but the blue is quite dark, so it may seem a bit more mysterious which suggests that something unpleasant might happen. A medium shot is used, which shows roughly half of the doctor’s and the journalist’s body. This shot does not show all body language but it is easy to identify the awkwardness in the doctor’s face when asked the question if she has cured people of cancer. For this part of the news report, a close up is used which makes all the doctors expressions really easy to identify. When the audience sees how uncomfortable the doctor is about answering that question, it makes them think that maybe there is something wrong with the cure. The mise-en-scene shows both people equally which suggests that the doctor is not better than the journalist, which may mean that she hasn’t actually created a cure for cancer. Also, artificial lighting is used.

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After the news report finishes, there is a bang, which shows change. After the bang, it says in white text “Three years later…” which suggests that something has probably happened during these 3 years. After the audience is told that the next part is set 3 years later, an empty New York is shown. This immediately affects the audience and shocks them as New York is never empty so it suggests that something devastating has happened and it elicits the idea that it is probably linked to the cancer cure because of the news report shown. There are ...

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