Analysis of Mise-en-scene in Thrillers - Snatch

Snatch Opening Titles – Mise-en-scene

Opening title – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAgI51QvWxs

The first opening shot is of the actors changing costume, signifying that identity is important throughout this thriller and that it could turn out to be a secretive film. All of them look similar with the white shirts and the suits on implying that they do work together for something that the audience does not know yet, making them wonder why they are changing and where they are going.

This shot leads into the titles of the film. ‘Snatch’ is shown through a diamond suggesting that this thriller is a lot to do with wealth and making money. The use of sans serif text for all of the typography that the opening sequence shows that it isn’t a formal film, even though they are in suits, showing people that they look like they have a higher status, however could lead to being unprofessional through the use of sans serif text that could mean that it is informal with the way they talk to each other or do the ‘business’ and ‘deals’ that they do. For example, ‘Sol’ freezes with a cigarette in his mouth, implying that smoking could be part of his character and identity. The way that the image freezes to a green/grey toned imaged for all characters make it more memorable to recognise which character is which. Again, using the informal sans serif text shows each actors name and freezes showing their face.

 

The opening is very low-lighted signifying that they are hiding something and not the full story will be told, being secretive, so the audience has to work it out for themselves. Small parts of the opening is slowed down implying that they are the props that the audience need to watch out for, for example, weapons and how they are used, money, and again it being hidden showing how secretive they’re being.

A prop that is shown multiple times is money and wealth, showing that this film relates all around money and showing the types of business that the actors do to make their money to do more deals. Editing is used here for slow motion to make sure the audience know that money is important and will keep appearing throughout the film.

Again, money is shown for the third time in thirty seconds of opening the titles. Here, he has a suit on and money being handed to him, whilst being in a badly maintained area. The opposite type of people is there that would usually be expected to be seen there, they are stereotyped to be in a ruined place, implying that it is a hidden location and something suspicious is going on to build tension.

One of the last shots here is again in low lighting in all of the same clothes that they have been in from the start when the flashback happen, showing the audience what happened to get them to where they are now. The use of a gun showing weapons are used in this film, even though they are heading to the UK, implying that they are doing things illegally.

The props used in the opening titles, says a lot about the characters and how the film will go on with the use of weapons and a lot on money, the wealth that they have and what they are going to do to make more money.
 

Sound throughout this has a non-diegetic soundtrack which is quirky throughout the opening sequence. The first diegetic sound we here is an alarm clock sound, suggesting that whatever they are doing it is very time based so they need to be there and get done whatever they are doing quickly. As well as the soundtrack the action that is going on links into the sound of the track, for example the loading of a gun and the slamming of the boot fits into when another beat happens.

The only dialogue is at the end of the opening titles, not giving anything away about what is going to happen when they come to the UK. An ambulance sound is the only other diegetic sound that the audience hear as well as the loading of the gun at the end, signifying danger that they could cause.

From watching this opening titles looking at the strengths of what mise-en-scene can create in the opening of the thriller that we are going to create it needs to be strong like this opening and the opening engages the audience to want to watch the rest of the film. Strengths that we will use from this is it has good lighting and then setting the scene making it look like it is being filmed in the correct place. As well as lighting costumes are important, as people stereotypically judge what is going to happen by the way that they look therefore we could change peoples opinions of what they think is going to happen compared to what actually does happen. A lot of props were used in this opening however some of which was the same, therefore we need a signature prop that will be shown throughout the whole opening giving clues making people realise it is significant and means something important.