Not only does V For Vendetta (2006 dir. James McTeigue) have a very interesting opening scene and title but it features a technique that I am very interested in following in my practical. A scene where the character or characters are getting ready.
The institution logos appear but in black and white which sets the mood and tone of the film which focuses very heavily on colour.
After the institutions, the film screen stays black as a female narrator's voice begins to say...
This quote is famously known so the audience will connect it to 5th November/ Guy Fawkes night which is a theme that V For Vendetta focuses on and manipulates as part of the film's plot. The female voice continues to narrate a story about Guy Fawkes while there are some dark visuals of a man which indicate he is Guy Fawkes. The colours in these scenes focus primarily on yellow and black or more of a 'sepia' theme. This implies that these are a flashback.
After this short prologue of Guy Fawkes, the screen cuts to black again while the narrator continues to talk and once they have finished, fire appears on top of the black which show a symbol for the film 'V' and then in the centre, in red, the title of the film appears.
Because the titles end here and there was a prologue, this could be counted as the opening sequence and titles. But because of my interest in creating a 'getting ready' scene, I will continue to discuss the way in which V For Vendetta creates an effective 'getting ready' scene.
V For Vendetta uses the Cross Cut editing as it shows two characters getting ready at the same time. The audience know they are getting ready at the same time even though they are in two different locations because they are both watching the news.
The Cross Cutting editing continues to show different parts of the two characters getting ready while the news is on. The newsman is speaking about an important subject which features throughout the film. Even though the female character is obviously getting ready to go out in fancy clothes and make-up, it is still unknown where this location is. Because of the mystery of the character in the mask and swords, the audience have been subjected to the Enigma Code as it is enticing the audience into where the characters are going and what they are planning to do.
Because the film opens with this scene it builds tension because the news reporter begins to get hasty and angry at the subject he is speaking of as well as the masked man showing knives and other weapons while he gets ready. There is tension built at the two characters getting ready at the same time because they are both seen to be doing the same thing (putting on shoes, looking in the mirror, etc...)
(Apart from the screen shots above, the opening prologue of the film can be found
here and the scene that follows
here)
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