Brick Opening Sequence

The title of the font flashes across a black background at 1:02 minutes into the opening trailer, I believe this to allow the viewers to settle into the opening whilst wondering what the name of the film is called and what has happened.

The first location revealed is the murder scene, the film is not set in this area however I see it as being the establishing shot to the film it is also very successful as it provides the audience with the knowledge of what the film is based on, obviously the girls death. This long shot shows both the girl and boy in an unknown area, it seems to be a drain or somewhere near sewers.

Props are a key to this opening as they are shown more then once, allowing the viewers to know what characters are where and when. For example, at the start of the opening sequence the boy is shown by his shoes, they are then seen again further along the sequence in a high schoool hhis face is not revealed however the audince know it is him due to his footwear. Another example of this is the girls bracelets, the last shot of the death scene focuses on her jewelery the next shot then is in school showing another close up of the girls hand and wrist. This is quite a creative way to show the characters whereabouts and actions.

There are various interesting shots in this opening sequence in Brick, the one i found particularly interesting was the close up of the boys face. At first it is out of focus but as it comes into focus the audience can make out he is examing something in real depth. This is then revealed to the audience using a long shot showing the boy watching the girl lying on the floor. This close up shot indicates the film may be based on the boy becoming the investigator for her depth due to the detail there is on his eyes and glasses connoting he will be examing further into the death.

The style of the font comes across as the typical thriller font, simple. The simple Times New Roman font doesn't give any further clues on what the film may be about. However the use of black and white could be looked into further, one interpretation may come from the saying, 'Not everything is in black and white' referring to the death, it may be far complicated or twisted then it seems.

This shot of the boys feet walking next to a row of lockers shows that the film could be set in a school, also that the people it focuses on are pupils. There is font over this shot saying, 'Two days later' they have cut back two days before the death to show the pre death events. This almost starts the story off, the real action begins.

The close up shot of the feet suggests the film is a thriller as it appears to be somewhere set back where its dark, cold, damp and slightly eeire and threatening. It also portrays a thriller as it isn't revealing much at all and it is leaving the audience guessing for a few seconds of where it is and who the shoes belong to.

Both characters are introduced with closeups.