Opening 5 minutes of a film - Pirates of the Caribbean

Film Opening - Pirates Of The Caribbean (The Curse Of The Black Pearl)

Pirates of the Caribbean is a Walt Disney film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Directed by Gore Verbinski. In the opening shot of the film, It has the films title in the films text display on screen, then fades out. Meanwhile in the background, there is eerie non-degetic music playing really quietly. Long pedal notes of stringed instruments and also some diegetic wind sounds played. It then fades from the black screen to a shot of the boat approaching the camera. You cannot see the boat at first as the editors have made it all smokey/foggy so you cannot see clearly. Then you slowly see the ship heading towards the camera, and the camera zooms into the little girl on the deck singing. At this point you can hear some diegetic sounds fading in. As the camera zooms in on the little girl the sound her singing becomes louder and louder and also you begin to hear the sound of the ship creaking and wind noises much more clearer making it more realistic. One of the first things you notice about the little girl is how she is dressed. She is wearing an old fashioned dress and her hair is tied up. Which automatically gives us an idea of what time period this is set in, approximately early Victorian times judging by her costume. It then cuts to a shot from behind her on deck as one of the sailor places his hand on her shoulder. As it cuts to the sailor talking, they use an over the shoulder shot. He also is dressed up in an old fashion which validated that is set in the past approx Victorian times. There is then a shot reverse shot used when the sailor “Mr. Gibbs” talks to the little girl. It cuts back to the girl with a mid shot and is shows her reaction. One other point that validates that this is set in old times is the way they speak to one an other. The captain then dismisses Mr. Gibbs. The lighting so far is very dull, which adds to the mood and tension with the non-diegetic music in the background still quietly playing. As the girl spots the boy the cuts are more frequent as they rush to get the boy on board and the non-diegetic music becomes louder and they rush to get him aboard. As they approach the burning ship you hear a lot more diegetic noise is introduced as you hear all the sailors rush to their post and prepare cannons. This is a great use of props once again as they prepare their cannons, ships today do no have cannons. As the girl talks to the boy she notices his necklace. As she takes it off him and hold him, non-diegetic sounds are played which symbolizes there is something special about that necklace. They use an over the shoulder shot as she is seen holding the necklace. When the captain asks if the boy has said anything the music then dies down to add to the sense that she knows hes a pirate and that she is hiding it. Then there is a shot of the girl looking at the necklace at the front of the ship, as she holds it up, the necklace is in focus, then you see the pirate ship in the background, the necklace then becomes out of focus then focused on the pirate ship. This gives us a sence of what the girl is focusing on. It then quickly cuts to a extreme close up of the girls eyes as they open while she in in bed. This becomes clear that it was all a dream.
Sam Correa