Opening title sequence textural analysis of Source Code .

1. Opening title sequence textural analysis ofSource Code.

2. Mise-en-scene • The location for this film is on a train that is making its way through the countryside toward a city; Chicago. • The lighting of this sequence is very natural and ordinary. The sky is cloudless and blue and the sun is shining. There are lots of reflection off the buildings and train to create very bright white glows. These add to the idea of heaven as they white and very intense. • There are very little props used in the opening sequence as the shots are of the journey of the train. • The costume are very normal and natural everyday clothes. The main character is wearing a suite which may suggest that he is on business and that he is very powerful and important to the film. His girlfriend is wearing very casual clothes which implies that she is having a normal day. The difference in clothing make the main character stand out between them two on the train. • Everyone else on the train is wearing suites or casual clothes which suggests that he is one of them and he doesn’t stand out anymore. This also suggests that he is being lost in the crowd of ordinary people and therefore not like them.

3. Performance • At the start of the film we don’t see much of the characters as the camera focuses on the train. • On the train we see captain colter Stevens with his head against the window. He seem to be tired and agitated. This suggests that he is not comfortable with where he is and is tried form doing something. He is awoke by a passing train and this shows he is confused and unaware of what is happening around him. The jump from seeing the train may also be a hint to say trains are dangerous and unsafe and he knows this. • We also see him looking around the train. This create the idea that he is trying to see anything he recognized and that he is looking for something in particular; which later relates to the whole film.

4. Cinematography • A the start of this opening title sequence there are lots of establishing shots of the city. The camera does large pans across the coast of the city. • The camera then moves over to capture traffic and varies trains on bridges. This show that the town is very busy and lively. • There is a wide shot of a train going through the city and this indicates that the train is important. It also show the train is in a very populated area. • There are a lot of overhead/bird’s eye view shots. This creates a heavenly image and brings death into the scene. The shot that look down on the city and the train start to give clue as to what may be happening and highlighting show of the messages of the whole film. These shots are implying that we are watching this event maybe that its end is death due to the heavenly camera angle. • The camera moves between shot form above and normal shot throughout the first opening minutes. This create an idea that something may happen to the train but everyone is caring on with their day almost oblivious. • As the shots differ from a wide shot of the train to a establishing pan of the city we start to see that the train so heading toward this large city. This creates a sense of pace as this train is journeying toward unaware people. It also creates a sense of danger and fear as to why we are being show where the train is heading and is something going to happen there.

5. Sound • The sound used for this opening title scene is very climatic and at times contrapuntal. • When the scene begins and we see the busy city the music is very dramatic and fast paced. As the camera flies through the city the music create a sense of danger an anxiety become its fast beat. • when the train comes into view there are the use of cellos/violins that create a high pitched sound and help build that pace with the beat. This create the feeling that the train is being chased or that is it running out of time reach the city as the music create the idea that the train is in danger or a hurry due to the pace of the music. • All the time we hear the fast beats that seem to be building to a climatic point we see clips of the countryside where the sun is shining and a train is passing through. This make the scene quite confusing and that relate to the idea behind the film, and the tagline ‘can the past, save the future.’ The film is about a confusing concept and the way the opening title sequence has been create reflects this very well. The way the music doesn’t match the clips. The way the train is portrayed as a danger or chasing something and the idea of heaven and the past and future through parallel editing with the city and train and the overhead shots.