Components of a Film Opening

     The first step of this project is to think about the genre that I want to use. So far, I'm leaning towards drama. I already have background knowledge on the subject and that is probably the genre that I watch the most. 

    One of the most iconic and notable drama films has to be Parasite directed by Bong Joon-ho. Ten minutes of the opening was posted to YouTube, check it out. 

    I love the number of techniques already used within these ten minutes, from focus pulls to close-ups, Bong is able to grab the audience's attention instantly, and this is the goal that I have for myself and my film opening. The intro also seems to be setting the scene and the living conditions of the family.

    In addition to the opening of Parasite, Bong actually did an interview with Vanity Fair in 2019, where he and Woo-shik Choi, an actor featured in the film, break down the opening. Take a look down below!

    Parasite is a film that talks about the disparities between the rich and poor and Bong is able to highlight this theme through the camera shots/angles and mise-en-scene elements he uses. For example, the house that the poor family is living in is "semi-basement and semi-overground." The audience is able to see this view of the basement through the shot pictured to the right. We see that the family sees the outside from ground level but at least they aren't fully submerged in the ground. Woo-shik says "It gives you a little bit of hope because it is not fully underground, but halfway.

    A quote from Bong in the video that sticks to me is "I really wanted to make the audience curious. Something funny is happening, something going on, but we don't know exactly." This ties in with the idea from Andrew Stanton of giving the audience 2+2 but not 4.  Pretty interesting how two major people working in production have similar viewpoints on how to approach a film!

Citations

Parasite | The Best Picture Winner’s Opening 10 Minutes | Now on Blu-ray, DVD, & Digital. (2020, January 14). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNFdGfouBh0 

“Parasite” Director Bong Joon-ho Breaks Down the Opening Scene | Vanity Fair. (2019, November 12). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP-eqx2X9AY