Book of Eli - Opening Scene

We looked at the opening scene of the apocalyptic film Book of Eli for ideas of how to create our own short films. The professional nature of this piece allowed us to acknowledge the features needed to create our openings.

Setting - The setting of a dark, barren forest immediately gave a sense of foreboding for the audience. This along with the only life being dead or looking dead gave the tone for the film as survival i.e. kill or be killed.

Sound - The eerie and tense music added to the dramatic atmosphere, only used at points of signifucance and climactic tension. The build up of tension then the abrupt cut revealing the breathing presents the as as more dramatic as the audience recieves viceral pleasure, feeling something about to occur. The only indicator of life is the characters breathing which is effective in creating the idea of death in the world without having to say it.

Lighting - The dark, depressing, low-key lighting throughout the scene emphisises the dead world and increases suspense in the scene.

Camera - The long tracking shot is effective in setting the scene and showing the audience of the desolate landscape. The shot reveals a gun then a dead body suggesting the man commited suicide. The pan and track zooms into the characters face showing a close up of the characters mask creating an enigma code as the audience cannot see the emotions on their face, and therfore whether their intentions are noble or not. A POV of the cat is used, strangely, to present to the audience that the character cannot be seen and is therefore a very skilled hunter. This reflects on the rest of the movie as Eli is a killer to those who oppose him.

Editing - The long tracking shot uses the trees as cuts to break up the take. This creates suspension and tension setting up enigma codes such as who is he?, whats he doing ?etc. Although these are all answered later on in the movie. A slow motion shot of the arrow increases drama. 

Plot/narrative - The kill of the cat immediately at the beginning of the film sets the tone as having to kill to survive. It represents that the protagonist has no mercy as hes killed a helpless cat, setting the tone for the rest of the film. The dead character in the shot in the beginning also creates a sense of hopelessness as he committed suicide rather than live in this hostile world.

Character - The lack of identity of the character leaves the audience uneasy. The lack of gender could also be intentional to show the power of the person before stereotypes can be introduced. However the gender is assumed male as many women during the apocalypse aren't expected to survive. Later in the film its confirmed the protagonist is male.