Children of men: opening scene analysis

           The clip starts with a pitch black screen and a sound bridge voice of  two news reporters telling the news about the youngest person in the world being killed and how they are closing British borders. White titles with the names of well known film distributors show on screen. The next shot is of a bunch of people standing in what looks to be a cafe watching TV this shot is filmed from a high angle as if the audience is looking at the crowed of people from the TV's point of view. A man comes in to the cafe and makes his was though the crowed of people watching the news, This draws attention to him. As he orders his coffee and looks up and the camera angle switches and shows the TV this is called an eye line match. He doesn't show much emotion to the news about the youngest person in the world being shot where as the people around him look upset and some even crying.The lighting in this first scene is quite dull and and has a slight grey-ish filter and the room is filled with sorrow and sadness that goes along with what we hear on the TV.  As he starts leaving the cafe the camera starts following him. This suggests that his may be a main character in this film, whether he is an antagonist or a protagonist its unknown at this point in the film.

         As the man walks out side the camera continues following him in one continues clip so far there has been no cuts or editing this is called a tracking shot. Outside the same grey-ish effect is used  giving a gloomy atmosphere. The camera pans around the street to show the vehicles and location he film is set. The audience will be able to recognize the well known red buses being from London and will know that the film is set in England. The electronic adverts on the side of the buses is the audiences first hint that the film is set in the future. A white title on the bottom left corner appears so the people who couldn't figure it out will know where the location is. The audiance will also start to notice that their are no children about and the new reel about the youngest person on earth being killed will confuse the audience and create  enigmas. The diegetic sound of  the cars, motorbikes and general city life adds a sense of realism. We follow the character as he pours alcohol in to his coffee he just bought and not much seems to be happening.  Suddenly there is a large explosion that should shock the audience. The general view of it being set in the future and being large explosions that shock the audience suggests that this film may be a sci-fi thriller of some sort.

        I enjoyed this opening scene as they use a tracking shot which isn't very commonly used, show London in a very different way to how it is now and gripped the audiance by following the character and getting them thinking about many different things.