DECONSTRUCTION OF A TITLE SEQUENCE

LONE SURVIVOR (2013, PETER BERG)

BACKGROUND INFORMATIONLone Survivor is a thriller war-film, based on the memoirs of Lt. Marcus Luttrell (US Navy SEAL). The film is set during the war in Afghanistan, and retells the failed US Navy SEAL counter insurgent mission Operation Red Wings, in which a four man reconnaissance was tasked to track Taliban leader Ahmad Shaw. During the operation, the team were discovered by a group of Afghan goat herders, which lead to an attack from Taliban insurgents and the deaths of Luttrell’s three comrades.

The opening sequence makes use of real life Navy footage, and therefore does not introduce the main characters or main narrative of the film; the sequence instead acts to provide essential context for the rest of the film.

FIRST IMPRESSIONSFrom the beginning of the sequence, Universal Pictures are credited very early on, as the film credits the main sources of funding; all of the companies are introduced successively, in order to engage the fact that the film is a true story. The highest billing actor and star of the film, Mark Wahlberg, is also the first cast member to be credited.

Immediately, the audience are thrust into the world of the Navy SEALs; the way in which the soldier is being dragged out of the water indicates the exhaustion and hardship he is enduring, which is reinforced by his shivering and the silver cap (Mise en Scene) to show the freezing temperature. The cold colors of the shots are used to show the hostile, sub-zero environment, which causes the audience to feel uncomfortable as they relate with the emotions of the soldiers for the first time.

The US Navy logo on the top of the Doctors hat makes use of the Hypodermic Needle Theory, as information is injected into the audience using a cultural code/symbol, that provides context for the audience and introduces the genre and subject of the film.

MOVIE TITLE AND FONTSThe movie title uses binary opposition of black and white to make the wording standout; the white writing can signify the purity and the good intentions of Lt. Luttrell, surrounded by the dark, hostile environment around him.

Like the movie title, the text used in the credits is simple and square in shape, aligned uniformly. This represents the discipline and the regimental lifestyle that the Navy SEALs train and live within, which is required for them to pass out. The simplicity of the text draws the attention of the audience whilst still reinforcing the images in the background; the use of white helps the text stand out against the darker backgrounds.

The text is the only thing that is present in the shot, which symbolizes the isolation and the loneliness of Lt. Luttrell, and emphasizing the idea of a “Lone Survivor”.

USE OF EDITING

The title sequence uses montage editing, combining real life footage and images into a sequence with a duration of 2mins 57secs. The use of montage allows the director to provide a large amount of information and context to the audience in a short space of time; this injects the audience with information and enhances their anticipation of the upcoming film.

In places, the sequence shows a succession of several still shots that build up as if showing an actual video sequence, before finishing on a powerful image. This use of editing builds up emotion for the audience as well as differentiating the pace of the film that it being shown on screen, retaining the audience’s attention throughout.

SEMIOLOGYThe sequence uses explicit use of semiology throughout to convey messages to the audience.

The bell in the sequence acts as a symbol of failure and admittance to defeat for the Navy SEALs in training; the way in which the soldier rings the bell with delight after passing his training indicates the level of temptation that giving up has for the trainees, indicating how difficult and exhausting the training is for them.

The ropes that tie the ankles of the soldiers illustrates the idea of entrapment and helplessness the trainees have during the drowning incident has; it reinforces the fact that these training methods are severe and real to the audience.

The colors that the soldiers wear act symbols and messages to the audience; the green camouflage used indicates the military themes within the film. The trainees also wear white in places, which act as symbol of the purity and righteousness that these soldiers possess; this develops Preferred Reading for the audience, as the film suggests that American SEALs are true American heroes, that fight and train to protect the lives of the innocent

USE OF STILL IMAGESStill images are implemented frequently in this title sequence. These allow for the audience to notice more details in particular scenes, enhancing their understanding of the film’s context. As the film uses real life footage these images help to compensate for this, as well as diversify the picture on screen to keep the audiences attention.

These images also help to evoke emotional responses from the audience; images that feature soldiers covered in mud or facial expressions of extreme discomfort develop sympathy in the audience for the soldiers, that carries on for the rest of the film, so that he preferred reading can be uptake by the audience. The use of Mise-en-scene here also helps the audience to relate to the discomfort of the soldiers and develop further understanding of their dedication.

Another image used effectively is the picture of the soldiers after passing out; the expressions and the body language used in this photo indicates the team cohesion and love that the SEAL brothers have for one another, introducing a key theme of team work to the audience.

TODOROV’S NARRATIVE THEORYThe title sequence follows the idea of Todorov’s 5 part narrative structure.

1-A group of Navy soldiers are in the midst of training to become SEALs. (Equilibrium)

2-The training proves to be extremely difficult for the soldiers to complete (Disruption to equilibrium)

3-Some soldiers realize the training too difficult, and have to drop out, whilst others continue to fight through it, and find it easier. (Realization to the equilibrium change)

4-The soldiers have to take one last effort to push through he hardships in order to succeed (Attempt to restore equilibrium)

5-The soldiers pass and become Navy seals (Restored/new equilibrium created)

The use of this theory helps to form a narrative structure within the title sequence that the audience can follow, in order to understand the journey that Navy SEALs undergo for success.

SOUNDSound plays a key roll in the effectiveness of this sequence. The use of music reflect the idea of Todorov’s Narrative Theory, with the music building and becoming more upbeat in tone as the soldiers succeed and accomplish their dreams; the tone of the music is very reflective, as the audience questions whether they could accomplish such training. This same backing track is used later on the film during he death of one of Lutrell’s team mates, indicating how the training he underwent prepared him for such a moment.

The sequence makes use of synchronous and asynchronous sound; the synchronous sound used from the real life footage is highly emotive, helping to reinforce the emotion and provide insight into the philosophies used by the US Navy. Asynchronous sound is also used, such as the sound of the bell, which creates a sound bridge in places to indicate how thoughts of failure are always present in the minds of the soldiers.

EVOKING RESPONSES FROM THE AUDIENCE The use of real life footage is extremely effective in evoking a response from the audience; the elements of realism help the audience to relate to the soldiers on a stronger emotional level, preparing them to emphasize with the characters in the upcoming film.

The way in which the sequence uses its Macro and Micro elements act as a form of propaganda for the US Navy; the way in which the soldiers are presented indicates that they are hardworking and courageous warriors, who gives everything they have in order to serve and protect their country. This evokes a sense of pride and respect for the US Navy from the audience, encouraging support for the work that they do.

The way the film also shows the happiness that the soldiers have after passing out can be seen as form of inspiration, that may encourage others to join the US Navy.

HINTS FOR UPCOMING FILMA major theme of the film is the idea of Teamwork and Brotherhood, which is first introduced during this voice overs:

“I like having my buddies to depend on; I’d like to think they can depend on me”.

“you guys are our band of brothers”

These quotes indicate how important the idea of team work is in the Navy SEALs, which is demonstrated in the film as the unit fight to the very end for one another, exhibiting extreme sadness and distress when their team mates are killed. It also helps demonstrate how hard it is for Marcus Lutrell to live with the decision to release the goat herders on the mountainside, for now he has to live with the deaths of his three closest friends; this is an indication of how difficult being a Lone Survivor is for a SEAL.

At the climax of the title sequence, a clip is shown of a group of soldiers singing silent night during a training exercise, even though the audience have already seen the soldiers pass out form training. This clip is used as a symbol to indicate that the battle never truly ends for a Navy SEAL, as they have to remain 100% fit and could be thrust into demanding situations at any time, where there lives are on the line, such as those involved in Operation Redwings.

The clip also acts as a means of re-directing the mindset f the audience; after seeing a scene of happiness, the clip re establishes the fact that they are about to see a terrible incident, in which a number of men lost there lives. This helps to enhance there emotional appreciation of the film.

SILENT NIGHT