Memento – Analysis of the opening sequence

The title of the film- When and how does it appear on the screen?

The title appears from a black background and then the director cuts in an image of the main actor holding a picture and this time the title fades is in blue writing to make it stand out more to the viewer. This is a key part to the film because this is what the film is about the pictures that the actor takes so he can remember what he has done that day. This is an old fashioned camera so you have to shake it so the picture can form, but in this opening the picture disappears and this is showing that time is being reversed and as he shakes the picture it disappears and the story is rewinded. This is very interesting for the view to watch because it makes you ask questions and keep you sucked into the film.

When and how is the setting/location revealed to the viewer?

The setting and location are hard to see because of the use of camera shots. There are so many close ups' it makes it hard to see where the opening sequenced is filmed. So because of the dark and scary place you think people don't go there much, only if they are going to kill someone. So as a viewer you question where is this place? So you get more drawn in because you want to find it out. The only clues you get are that its dark, old because of the holes in the walls, and that is dirty because the screen grab of the man on the floor. So it is reveled to the viewer very slowly in the film and you only really know where it is set near the end of the film when he goes back to that place and it is reviled what he was really doing there, and then your question are answered.

Key props- what shot types are used to revel these to the viewer?

The key props are show in the as close ups' this is to show that they are important to the film. The main props that are used are the camera and the pictures of different people that the charactor meets in the film. The prop of the bulit from a gun is used to show how the person on the floor is killed and what the first picture represents in the opening sequence, this bulit is shown to the viewer in a close up so the viewer can see what it is and this prop helps them to put the story together in there head also as they see the quick replay of the gun going into his hand you know he took that shot and killed that man. The glasses on the floor are shown at a low angled shot that was close up so you could see the blood on them and for the viewer to know they belong to the dead man on the floor. This helps the viewer to notice in the film who the glasses belong to and this also helps them to put the story together more in there head. So from this sequence the main props are reveled to the viewer in a strange way but they will will get noticed stright away, because of the music and pace of the film.

Title font, placement and style- how do the actors' names, etc appear on the screen? Explain the connotations of the font choice for the title and the credits.

The use of font is bold, blue, in the middle of the screen and quite big so it is noticed. This is a good position to put the actors' names in because the viewer will see the names before they see the backgroung image. The way that the names appear on to the screen are sharp and quick so you can tell that the film will go in the same pace as this so you have to keep your eyes on the screen to know what is going to happen next. The difference between the title and the credits, is that the title is much bigger and spaced out so it show's that it is definalty the title and not an actors name. The credits are a bit smaller because they want the viewer to see the images behind the words but for then to not go unnoticed. This is a good use of the rule of thirds to open the film in such an effective way.

Describe the overall camerawork and editing in the opening sequence of 'Memento'

The camera is mostly in a still but close persion so you can get a close up of the actors' in the film and the main actors' hand and face. The use of reversing what is happening is a really good effect because it gets the viewer into the film stright away. Also the way the the picture disappears is really effective too because you want to see what is in the picture, and you can just about get to see what it is then it fades more and more. The best part of the reversing of the opening sequence is the blood on the wall. It looks as if it is going back up the wall moving away from the camera. That part as a viewer helps to set the mood of the film you to see why it is a thriller film.

How does the opening sequence relate to the rest of the film?

It does that by makeing the viewer ask themselves a lot of questions in the first two minutes of the film and as the film goes on you are able to answer the film and thought out the film you are going " oh yer, I get that now" so it gives the film a good build up to the action and the story line. But the best thing is you only get to do that at the end when you see why the main actor kills that man (teddy) so you get the long build up to the part your most interested about. So you just want to watch on. It also relates to the film because the use of pictures helps you to follow the story line of the film better when you find out what they are for.