Opening Sequence: Jaws

Jaws is a 1975 horror film about a shark terrorizing a small island community. Directed by Steven Spielberg the film, this is one of my favorite films and is loved around the world. The opening sequence shows the sharks first attack.


Mise-en-scene:

The scene starts with two teenager running along a broken fence, showing the area is remote and not many people care about the area now. The teenager are possibly far from civilization as this area could be seen as forgotten. One of the teenagers is drunk and is shown stumbling along trying to chase the girl. Showing he's drunk connotes to the audience he isn't that much of a use. Especially when the girl is being attacked by the shark the teenage boy lies slowly passing out, meaning no help is coming as help is laying on the beach drunk. When the girl swims out to sea, a buoy can be seen, this can give the quick impression of a shark fin. Although its not this could build up tension, especially with the audience knowing that this film is about a shark attacking people.

Camera: 

A point of view shot is used when the women is in the water. With the Point of view of the shark, the camera starts very deep in the water, showing how isolated the women is and how far away from the shore she is. When the women stop swimming a close up of here above the water with coast in the background gives a clear understanding to the audience of how far the girl is from the shore. As the women is being attacked the camera goes back and forth to the boy on the beach passed out and the girl being attacked by the shark, connoting no help is coming, the only person who knows where she is, is passed out.

Sound:

A diagetic sound can only be heard all the way through the scene until the shark attacks. Before then only the waves crashing against the beach, footsteps and voices of the actors can be heard. Using diagetic sounds this whole time shows isolation and remoteness, as what is heard is only from the actor or the surroundings, not from other people for example cars going past. Connoting that only the boy and the girl are around. Non- Diagetic sound of the Jaws theme tune is used when the shark come into the scene. A famous track by John Williams this soundtrack is only heard when the shark is present. This soundtrack creates huge tension to the audience as the music gets louder and faster. When the women is eventually dragged under completely by the shark the music stops immediately, connoting the shark is gone and so too the women. The loss of sound could also be to connote the fact when you go underwater you don't hear much if not anything.

Editing: 

The women is seen skinny dipping, editing has been done to avoid any nudity being shown throughout the attack. The attack is synced in time with the music, making the attack look more realistic.