In the opening of this film, large variations of
camera angles are used. In the opening few seconds, shown by the screenshot
below, Tom Cruise, who plays the villain, walks though the airport. An open
frame is used, while the camera introduces the first two characters, which is
done so that the scene of a busy and public space is clearly conveyed. The
camera focuses on Tom cruise as he walks towards the camera in slow motion
which is used to add tension. The camera snaps between the two characters,
contrasting Tom cruise in slow motion, which emphasises how he is the villain,
and the other character, so that the audience focuses more on tom cruise.
As the
camera snaps back to Tom Cruise, the camera shot slowly turns into an extreme
close up, as shown by the screenshot below, right before a two shot is used
just before the collision.
At the collision, the camera shows the initial
contact, before a camera angle from knee height which shows the bag dropping to
the floor. The bag is in focus, with the surroundings all out of focus, which
is done so that he bag is shown to be important, and leaves the audience
wanting to know what is in it.
An over the shoulder POV shot is used as the
characters play their roles as shown in the screenshot below.
Next a tilt shot is used to follow the bag as Tom
Cruise picks it up, which is used to once again make the bag seem important,
thus enticing the audience with desperation to know what is in it.
For five seconds, an over the shoulder shot is
used again, using a dolly to follow Tom Cruise as he walks. The background is
blurred, but Tom Cruise is in focus, which is done to draw your eye to Tom
Cruise and focus on him.
Next a montage is used, stringing together shots
that change focus, mainly of parked taxis. The montage is used to show a change
of scene, and make this clear.
The camera then pans across, showing hands of a
man doing a crossword, and then in the next cut it pans again to show a man on
the phone, speaking a foreign language. This is done to some taxi drivers,
doing several activities while waiting for their cars to be fixed.
Another montage is used, with the use of several
tilt shots to show close ups of hands fixing cars, and car components.
The camera cuts back to the man doing the
crossword, starting on his hands, and then slowly tilting up to reveal the
third character met. The slow tilt emphasises the characteristics of the new
character, which is played by Jamie Foxx. The use of the crossword shows how
Jamie Foxx’s character is intelligent.
So far across the opening an open frame has been
used. As Jamie Foxx enters his car, his intelligence and precision is shown
again by him cleaning his car in an organised fashion. The camera shot here is
one of a POV from the passenger seat, but slightly from below and looking up at
Jamie Foxx. This is done to show him to be a powerful character.
Another small montage is used, mainly with
extreme close ups of the characters hands, to show Jamie Foxx checking his car
in an organised fashion, which again emphasises the organisation of the
character.
From a close up shot, Jamie Foxx then closes the
door of the taxi, which shuts out the sounds, thus ending the open frame and
turning it into a closed frame.
More extreme close ups are used as Jamie Foxx
finished his routine checks, then a mid-shot of the taxi driving away is used,
simply to clearly show what is going on.
