opening sequence analysis: Divergent

In Divergent the storyline is about a futuristic world where every person has to be split into five factions and they have to commit to this faction for life. Tris the main character chooses dauntless, however what people don't know is that she has a bit of every faction in her which is called a Divergent, many people see this as a threat and want to destroy them. Will she be able to keep the secret hidden away?

The film company that made this film was Summit entertainment, this is an American film company that has made a wide range of well know movies, these movies include: Twilight, Step up, Ender's game, Now you see me and Remember me.

What happens during the beginning credits?

At the beginning of the film it starts off with some text, which tells the audience who the makers of the film are this is followed by the title appearing. When this occurs calming music is used to show how everything in the next scene is a normal day and that there is also a peaceful and calm environment, this music also links to the next scene where everything is deserted. Also when the film starts the background is dark coloured maybe showing danger and maybe suggesting that something really bad happened in the past or the present.

                                    

After this scene the music get's louder and louder and birds start tweeting to show that nature and wild animals are still carrying on with there life's, as this occurs the camera moves upwards to show a high angled view of what is occurring above the grassland this is also very calm and makes the audience wonder why the film maker has started off like this at the beginning. As this occurs the different people involved with the film appear on the screen, so they are then recognised by the audience as being part of the film.

As the camera moves to the left you see an abandoned ship wreck that has been left to rot, no one is even walking through the fields this maybe suggests that there is something dangerous out there for everyone. When this bit appears up on the screen the audience maybe then starts asking questions about why no one is in this area and what has happened in the past to stop people from entering this abandoned grass land? This long shot is used to show the whole area around the ship and to emphasise that no one has been around this area for decades or maybe to show that there is nothing to worry about.

                                       

As the ship disappears you see a tall fence that blocks people out from the other side, this maybe suggests that a war has broke out in the past. Also throughout the opening sequence there is a hermeneutic code, which refers to an element of the story that is not fully explained to the audience to why there is actually a long wall blocking everyone out. Also this sequence suggests that there is not many people anymore in the city and uses a long shot to connote the emptiness of the city and maybe not many people have survived.

As the calming music carries on playing we see a city that has been exposed to a war type environment, as you can see from the buildings nearly falling apart. Also you can see debris and plants growing through a lake that suggests that no one has tidied it up for a long time and there is not much left in the city for people to survive.

However as the music fades away a little you see people walking around the city, however there is many people wearing different coloured clothing. This suggests that they maybe have different groups that they have to stick to because of what happened in the past, which suggests that this is the only way that there can be peace between everyone working together. Also as the opening carries on the questions get answered so the audience then know why the wall was made and what exactly happened.

Finally, this long shot of all the people shows that they do anything they can to get food and many cities were actually devastated in the war except Chicago. The imagery that is presented at the beginning suggests how much people want to feel save and have a better life than before, they don't want another war otherwise it could cause a lot of blood shed again. Maybe this time this place of safety is going to stay safe or will it?