Title sequence of Saving Private Ryan

I watched the film Saving Private Ryan as it inspires me to also try and put realism in my film opening.

The film begins with introducing the Production and distribution company logos. This is done to make the audience aware of the company supporting the film and to also draw the audience's attention more to the film as they are aware of films the production and distribution  company has previously supported. 

The Title sequence was plain and very formal as this reflected the seriousness of this movie. Whilst the title sequence was on, there was a bugle and snare army drums playing as it suggests that this film is about a War. The music seems to set the mood of the audience as it makes them alert and focused on what the film is going to be about. The title sequence has a plain transitioning as the names appear on and off at a fairly average speed to portray the fact that  the who is in it is not as important as the film itself. The significant thing about the title sequence is the fact that it does not show any credits after the Title to portray the fact that this film is like no other.

The first real image shown in the beginning of the clip is a establishing medium close shot of an American flag which is flying in the wind. This was done to establish the setting of the the film and to give more information to the audience that the war had something to do with America. The colour is de-saturated to show that the film will be mainly set in the past and to give the film a more documentary- like experience for the audience. A sound bridge connects the title sequence and the flag by using a soundbridge, however in showing the flag, the music is much more intense and has a louder volume.

Yet again; the next scene is connected with the same soundbridge as all the other scenes from the beginning. This is to show that all that all are connected to this character. The camera is tracking the character's feet whilst he is walking and then shortly after pans his body posture. These are all done to make the audience notice the way he is walking and the particular posture he has. It shows that this character has had some previous army experience as he is marching instead of walking normally. The clothes he is wearing is modern therefore suggesting that we will have to go back in-time to find out his story of why he is in modern day times now, as the flag before had  de-saturated colours to show that the film is set in the past. 

This was a wide shot cut in of the scene of the old man in modern clothes. The American flag with the normal colours symbolises the modern time the film is currently set in at that time.

Still within the same scene, a mid wide shot of white crosses are shown, with visible  names and dates to give fact and to make the audience understand that the film is about World War II.

Still within the same scene, a zoom in of a extreme close up of his eyes is shown to symbolise the intimate relationship the audience is going to have with the characters throughout the film, which is having the view point of the soldiers who were at  World War II.

In the New scene which is set back in-time, there is a tilted wide shot of the new setting. The lighting has been darkened to symbolise the dark atmosphere of the war. There is editing of text done to show the audience when it is set exactly, to also bring a documentary effect on the film. The black crosses are in great contrast to the white ones as the black crosses symbolise death, blood and anarchy; whereas the white crosses symbolised peace, dignity and a better place for both worlds.

This was the highlight of the film opening as the camera was handheld throughout the whole scene. By using a handheld cameras they were able to capture the realism of the film, as the camera made the audience feel as though they were right there. The camera was the eyes of a soldier who was on the battlefield which was very effective as it made the audience more sympathetic and empathic towards the soldiers of Word War II. There was only diegetic sound making the scene more realistic, clear shots of people dying and real blood. 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated the film for eleven Academy Awards; Spielberg's direction won a second Academy Award for Best Director. This film was given 5 stars and was right to do so because this film was superb.