Research and Planning: Film opening analysis- Inception

We decided to carry out research in to the film Inception as it is a psychological thriller which is the same genre as our film is going to be. We wanted to see how the director shot the opening to gain some insight in to what we want to do with our own film opening. This film is full of suspense and enigma which keeps the audience curious and interested throughout the film, the reality is constantly blurred.

Right at the beginning, dramatic music begins straight away as the film company/production titles appear on a smoky black screen. The music draws you in and instantly sets a tone of mystery. 

Suddenly we are introduced to some visuals of waves in the sea, the music stops and there are diegetic noises of water. The camera then pans to a character who is lying on the shore with waves splashing on him. This creates mystery. Audience will ask questions such as; who is he? what is he doing there?

Just as you think that the music has stopped, gentle music begins to play which contrasts with the dramatic music right at the beginning. We see that there are 2 children playing on the beach and the man laying in the sand is watching them. The voices of the children sound as if they are coming from the mans point of view as they do not sound very clear. This can suggest that the man is just regaining consciousness perhaps.

All of a sudden out of nowhere, a man comes along and holds a gun to the other mans back and then the camera shot shows who he is (some figure of authority). 

The security guard finds a gun on the man and shouts out in a foreign language to another security guard. The camera angle is from a low angle from the security guard, perhaps to show vulnerability of the other character and maybe a differentiation in status.

Now the camera shot is inside in a strange looking room. The shot makes it feels like you as an audience is peering in to the room or like someone else is maybe watching and it slowly zooms in to bring you to see an old mans head who is talking. 

In this shot, we see a character eating some food. Then it changes to an over the shoulder shot where the old man is blurred in the background but then gradually we come to see his face and finally that anticipation to see who he is is fulfilled for the audience. 

Here is a link from youtube for the opening: