Shot number - 11

Camera shot – Wide shot

Sound – Backing music continues (Non diegetic) multiple voiceovers overlapping with one another (Non diegetic)

Content – A flock of birds flying in the sky all in the same direction

Shot number - 13

Camera shot – Wide shot

Sound – Backing music continues (Non diegetic) Female presenters singular voiceover (Non diegetic)

Content – A news broadcast has been interjected into the shots

Shot number - 14

This shot highlights the idea that a group of the same species (birds) are all heading in the same direction as if fleeing away from something. With this, the birds could be posing as the humans on earth who are trying to get away from such zombies that are invading the world and hence all relying on each other to stay safe. This builds up the suspense within the film and prepares the audience for a tense forthcoming narrative. The light orange block background highlights the shapes of the birds and thus how they are all travelling as a group. By travelling in a group it suggests that people are reliant on one another and that everyone must stay together and likewise work together. The calm and collected melody from the soundtrack of Philadelphia, contrasts with the implicated sense of panic from the looks of their disjointed and messy formation. Therefore, subtly hinting to the audience that there is something that will cause complete mayhem and panic in the narrative ahead.

This image juxtaposes one of its previous shots in terms of their content. In the previous shots, for example the shot above, in one way or another, the concept of life is projected. The white snow taking up the background of this shot is very subtle and thus highlights the foreground which includes a very graphic and distinctive image of dead dolphins. Additionally, the prominent red colour from the blood on the ground becomes a focal point of the shot and stresses the thoughts on harm/danger/death. This explicit image gives the audience the impression that what is to come is bloody, dangerous and precarious. The colour red has two typical connotations, both love and dangers, in this case we’re predominantly being presented with this idea of sheer danger. The bottom perimeter of the shot includes the heading ‘DOLPHINS STRANDED’, the initial set up of these headings give the impression of a news report, therefore further inferring that this issue must be very important and that it is vital for a broad audience to see. Over the top of this shot there is a non-diegetic voiceover, presumably a female news reporter, talking about this ordeal.

Camera shot – Close up shot

Sound – Backing music continues (Non diegetic) Piers Morgan’s speaking (Diegetic)

Content – Piers Morgan, TV presenter, talking with a serious tone and almost worried facial expression

Shot number - 24

Camera shot – High angle shot

Sound – Backing music continues (Non diegetic) Singular female presenter’s voice over the broadcast (Non diegetic)

Content – Another interjection from a live news broadcast.

Sound:

There is a lot of synchronous sound used within the shots, meaning sound that matches what is presented in the film. However there is also asynchronous sound used when the TV and Radio News vocals are being played over the top of irrelevant shots that do not match and the sounds don’t have a visible source.

This shot links with this concept of something being unknown, like the shot of the dead dolphins. This is because only half of this shot actually has any physical content, being the left side with Piers Morgan and the other side being completely blank. This shot gives the sense that something is hidden/unknown and that there is another side to whatever the story. In watching the complete film you understand that the narrative includes this idea of something unknown causing a possible apocalypse. Therefore this shot subtly hints to viewers about the forthcoming narrative. Both the subject’s facial expressions and tone of voice are considerably uneasy and come across as anxious and concerned, hence promoting the fact that something

The foreground title – ‘CALLER: …ON TOP OF THE MAN, BEATING HIM, THE MAN IS BLEEDING’, holds as the focal point of this shot as it is most defined and clear in comparison to the behind blurred image of a man being beaten to death. The lighter focus on the man being attacked focuses viewer’s eyes on what is happening. The fact that this is a shot of a news report suggests that there is something significant happening in the world of this film. Consequently, something that affects an extremely large quantity of people.

MIRCO ANALYSIS

Diegetic sound – Waves crashing, birds chirping, noises from train station, aeroplane taking off, presenters speaking, noise from traffic

Non- diegetic sound – Voiceover from TV and radio news, backing music throughout entire opening (Philadelphia)

Both have been used to create verisimilitude.

Music used: Philadelphia – Marco Beltrami The audience expects piano music to be calming and relaxing. However, when this music is placed in a thriller /horror movie with deepened notes and faster paces, it automatically becomes quite unnerving, especially in this situation. The volume of it gently eases the audience into the movie without giving them too much too soon. As the audience gets more into the clip, the music gets slightly faster, this builds tension for the audience as they don’t know what to expect or when to expect it.

The voiceovers interjected within these first two minutes consist of both male and female, presumably news reporters. The input of news reporters suggest that there is importance in what they are saying and possibly that something ‘news breaking’ has occurred. Additionally, adding a sense of formality and authority, this is because news reporters are renowned for their knowledge of current affairs and news, thus worldwide audiences watch their programmes in order to gain such information. From shot 7 onwards overlaps of different news reporters begin to talk coinciding with each other, making it difficult to understand. This gives an impression of panic and confusion hence subtly hinting parts of the narrative.

Nearly all of the sounds used bridge across the shots of the different areas. This suggests the coming together of these vastly different communities that are being shown and the joint desire in overcoming this apocalypse and how it is affecting everyone.

Editing:

Montage editing has been used to give the audience a diverse range of views from different locations within the world and thus demonstrate juxtaposition. The variety of images evoke different emotions in the viewer and hence allows viewers to begin to think of the possibly narrative/ storylines to the film. Thus the use of montage editing has been used to consciously convey subjective messages through the juxtaposition of the shots used.

Straight cuts have been used to allow a professional, clean cut look. The use of straight cuts allows for an easy watch that is aesthetically pleasing and thus fluent through the shots.

Cross cutting has also been incorporated to simultaneously show different shots.

Mis-en-scene:

The opening scene of this film shows the tranquillity of our world, which is then starkly juxtaposed with the issues we face in today’s society. It then shows the common problems we face every day like medical and environmental issues as well as reports about feral

animals, dead dolphins and rioters. After giving the audience something to think about, the setting then shows trees in the morning sun which contrasts with what we’ve just seen. It also links back to the beginning of the clip which introduces a cyclical effect that can then foreshadow a turn of events that is later to come in the film.

The letter Z is presented in a bigger font than the rest of the text. This could be to symbolise the zombies that try to take over eventually dominate the city in the film. The red and orange colouring of the letter Z stands out against the bleak background and can symbolise war, fire and blood. Just from this we get an idea of what the film is going to be about without it giving much away.

The costume and make up is very 21st century and modern immediately implying the time period of the film – 2013.

Within all frames there is a constant aspect of ‘lifestyle’ and every day, common things that we all do, suggesting that the narrative of the film vitally affects the entire world almost.

High key lighting is used throughout the first two minutes of the opening scene. In using high key lighting we, as viewers, are given the impression of normality, and this idea that everything is fine and coping well. Therefore, contradicting the narrative of the film, hence intriguing viewers and slightly confusing them.

The long shots interjected within this opening sequence of both, presumably, third world countries and developed wealthier countries; indicate that something is going to affect everyone worldwide, both the poor and rich. Suggesting that no one is safe.

Camera Shots:

A variety of shots have been used within the first two minutes of World War Z in order to achieve this montage editing approach.

Close up shots – These are used to focus in on the subject of each different shot.In this case, close up shots have been used to emphasise the facial expressions held by the numerous new reporters. Thus enforcing this idea that the worried facial expressions being possessed by the news reporters is due to something dangerous having occurred , that will or already has, presumably, affected many people.

Mid shot – These are used to clearly show the subjects facial expressions in the context of their body language.

Here mid shots have been used in order to highlight the different subject’s body language, additionally showing what they’re doing and who they’re with. This then stresses the idea that the people being shown – for example in shot 21, are in panic, unknown on what to do and trying to protect themselves.

High angle shot- A high angle shot is an angled shot positioned high on the vertical axis, looking down. These are used to typically give the impression of the subject being ‘swallowed’ up and weak.

High angle shots have been used in order to give viewers an overall outlook on the situation and thus give them a sense of safety. This is because due to the viewers looking down at the included subjects within the shot it’s as if they are safe and protected in comparison to the characters who are intimately involved with this worldwide crisis and in danger. In all of these shots, they are shown to be in less economically developed countries in the far east. The type of angle shots used in these places suggests that the people who live in poorer countries have less power.

Long shot – These are used to typically show the entire object or human figure and are usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings.

Long shots have been used to primarily show viewers the diversity of the locations and surroundings. In using long shots within the first two minutes it gives the impression that there is a long journey to something better, as if there is time to pass and that there is a long way to go until things are resolved. Long shots are used to show large amounts of people scurrying around in not much space which shows overpopulation being yet another issue.

Establishing shot – These are used to usually the first shot of a new scene, designed to show the audience where the action is taking place.

Establishing shots have been used to convey positive thoughts about our world before moving on to notify the audience of the complications we face in modern society. However, there is one establishing shot of the slums which differentiates from the establishing shots we are being shown. This makes the audience think about the positive things as well as the negatives to do with today's society.

MACRO ANALYSIS

The opening of the film ‘World War Z’ shows how life is now with the transport, the environmental issues and the technology. The opening scene is communicating to its audience all of the problems we face in modern society. This therefore gives us an indication that something will happen in the future of this film which will then make the audience question whether or not it could actually be true.

Narrative:The diversity of shots used and their content implies the subject matter has a great deal to do with the world together with its population of people.

Life for former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane and his family seems content. Suddenly, the world is plagued by a mysterious infection turning whole human populations into rampaging mindless zombies. After barely escaping the chaos, Lane is persuaded to go on a mission to investigate this disease. What follows is a perilous trek around the world where Lane must brave horrific dangers and long odds to find answers before human civilization falls.

Genre: Action/Thriller

Within the first two minutes of the film we aren’t presented with many common conventions that action and thriller films are renowned for and are instead reassured on the genre through the type of backing music used. The soundtrack helps greatly in finalising the genre, this is because the backing music incorporated sounds relatively suspicious, giving that sense of curiosity and also becomes more upbeat the further you get into the film, possibly connoting the action that takes part in the film and the high speed escaping from what is going on. No special effects are used in the initial two minutes of the film implying the naturalistic portrayal that the film is aiming for. This type of genre film is aimed at anyone 12+, who understands its fiction and is not held back by its violence.

Representation: Throughout the first two minutes of World War Z we, as viewers, are bombarded with images that solely involve the simple concept of life. This instantly suggests the main focus of the film – the world and its population inhabiting it. There are multiple images shown that concentrate on the small things that go unrecognised in everyday life, for instance the shot of the crawling ants and insects, again implying that there is something in the narrative that affects absolutely everything, big and small. The purpose of this is to engage the viewers and hence get them curious and thinking on what the film is about as a whole. The letter Z in the title of the film could represent ‘Zombies’. It doesn’t tell the audience what it actually stands for which creates an element of mystery. From the title and from the opening scene, you wouldn’t know what the film was about other than the clue ‘world war’ in the title and from watching the trailer, therefore making the film context dependent.