Research opening - The matrix

Institution information

This film is called The Matrix and released in the year 1999. It is certificated 15 and the production company that worked with it was village roadshow pictures, along side distribution studio Warner Bros. the film was directed by The Wachowskis and earned $463,517,383 in the box office.

Target audience

The primary target audience of this film are fans of science fiction or thriller films. In addition of this, another target audience for this film would be mature teenagers or adults between the ages of 15 (the certificated age recommendation) to 50.

Title and credit analysis

The green filter effect over the distribution/production company logo sets more of an effect and gives the audience clues about what the film is about before it has started. The colour green can be associated (in media terms) with mystery or "evil". The incidental music used also helps set the atmosphere, as it uses load instruments that fade in and out, creating an unnerving atmosphere. 

The use of computer lines (or "code") that appears on the screen before the title also gives hints to the target audience about the type of film it is going to be. Stereotypically, computer codes are associated with "sci-fi" or "thriller" films which further appeals to the target audience. The conventions of a sci-fi title screen would feature the title in typography in which would relate to the theme of sci-fi. The matrix sticks to these conventions by using bold, spaced out letters in the typography, like you would expect to see on a computer code, in which the idea of "technology" sticks within a sub genre of "sci-fi".

Preferred readings

The use of a phone ringing sound effect (non diegetic) on a blank background sets an atmosphere but also lets the audience know what is happening without showing on the screen. The text on the screen links back into the title as it uses the same font and the same colour which gives off the effect of "computer code". The dialogue over the text works well as the muffled effect on the phone links in well with the idea of computer code and "technology". The dialogue also sets up a narrative for the audience, but also because we can't see the characters creates an "nerving" atmosphere.

The next cut goes to lines of computer code, whilst the narrative acts as a bridge. The sound effect used in this scene adds to the effect of the computer lines "calculating", making it sound futuristic and technical, which further appeals to the target audiences taste. The camera then zooms into the numbers, in which become more pixelated as it zooms in, further adding the effect of it being "futuristic". When the dialogue finishes, it then transits into the next shot by focusing on the number "0", in which appears more number lines and codes, in which the camera uses high key lighting to cut into a flash light, which is considered to be seen as an action match.  

The camera then pans across to a close up of a police officers face. We can tell, even from the close-up, that he is a police officer as he is in a low key lighting setting, which is assumed to be considered "mysterious" and somewhere you'd typically associate a police officer to investigate. Also, we can see within the shot the man is wearing a black hat and holds the torch up to his face, in which both props we could associate a police officer possessing. The camera then goes out of focus, and the focal point shows other flash lights behind him. At this point there is no dialogue, and a lot of low key lighting which further tells us that the police officer has "backup", which gives us hints about the narrative, and what's about the happen.

The camera then cuts to a low key setting of a dark corridor, and there is no incidental sound or dialogue. The effect the flash light has shows us small areas of detail, which makes the audience feel nervous as they can't see everything within the shot. Stereotypically, the use of a dark corridor is the conventional set up for a horror/thriller film which may be of secondary interest to the target audience. The use of guns in this shot makes the audience feel even more nervous, as guns suggest that what the police are after is considered a "threat". 

The camera then cuts to a shot of a door in the corridor. We know this door has significant importance as the police are pointing all their guns at the door showing that the "threat" is behind the door. We also know it is a significant door as they are all pointing their torches at the door, meaning we can see defined detail on it such as the number on the door. The camera then crabs so we can see a view of a police officer knocking down the door, to which the camera then cuts to the door coming down from the other side, creating an action match and adds to the suspense of the action. 

The camera then cuts into the next room, where again there is a lot of low key lighting. The flash lights then all point in one place (to which then becomes the focal point of the room) in which we see someone sitting in a chair. We know this is a person of significant importance as they become the main focal point of the shot and all the high key lighting from the flash lights are pointed in that direction. The camera then cuts from a high angle so we can distinguish the mysterious characters gender. We can tell the character is a woman from the use of makeup. As the camera pans up, we see more of the woman's outfit which appears to be black, which is a colour associated with being "mysterious" or "sinister", but she isn't giving the camera direct mode of address and appears to be looking at what's on the desk, suggesting that she is hiding something, or "plotting", and adds to the suspense of something about to happen.