1. c) Film Terminology - Transistions + Length Of Takes

The length of takes and the swiftness of transitions is, in my opinion, what makes the opening to The Devil Wears Prada so interesting and memorable. Footage such as when women are putting on earings, quickly changing the focus from one woman picking up an earing to a different woman placing another kind of earing into her ear, is so quick and effortless that the contrast between these women preparing for another day of work and Andrea's morning routine are a wonderful balance, especially considering how the director tends to spend more time focusing on the protagonist doing one thing than all of the other women doing the same task combined. Another example of the speedy way in which the director progresses from one woman to the next is when the other women are sliding on their underwear. The first shot is one women stepping into her underwear, followed by another woman sliding her underwear upwards, and then this movement is repeated two more times. This series of short shots compiled together has a time frame of less than five seconds, and already we have a small idea of what these women may be like. The quickness of the transition reinforced the idea of the business of women's lives and, as the audience discovers later, the many ways women alter their appearance, whereas the viewers get the impression that Andrea is not as concerned about her image, whipping on a chapstick rather than applying a carefully-chosen lipstick. An interesting idea that the director rises is the idea that a number of working women are fairly similar, whether they share the same attitude or they appear similar physically. In this particular scene, these women are either smiling slightly or they have a professional feel to them, taking the time to pick out the most appropriate outfit, whereas Andy chooses one outfit and that is the final one. Women these days take their jobs very seriously, keeping their appearances up-to-scratch and constantly competing with one another, wheares in this particular film, Andy has a different approach - being consistently kind to her somewhat nasty work college and trying her best to help others, which makes her an admirable and likeable character.

1. c) Film Terminology - Sounds

Sounds, both diegetic and non-diegetic, are very effective in this particular movie opening, as the sounds alone contribute significantly to creating the mood and the setting of the film. For example, the repetition of diegetic sounds, such as the cars honking their horns and the screaching of car tyres reinforces the frantic and busy city life of New York, which is widely known as the city which never sleeps. Since the film is set in this city, the audience is not only given a sense of familiarity, but they also now have a clear understanding of what sort of setting this film has - a hectic and fast-paced place, which fits in perfectly with the tempo of this movie. Additionally, the non-diegetic sound, a song called Suddenly I See by K.T.Tunstall, is constantly playing throughout the first title sequence, which allows the audience to focus all of their attenion on the visual information, as the music complements these shots while being played in the background. The compostion creates an upbeat and pleasant aura, as the woman's soft and high-pitched voice contrasts beautifully with the low tone of the guitar, producing anticipation and excitement. The lyrics of this song brought to my attention an issue which many women of this modern time are facing - feeling overly selfconscious with their bodies. Andy Saches is not a size zero, she is not considered modle material and she dresses in clothes which others consider 'horrid'. Lyrics such as: "Suddenly I see (Suddenly I see) / This is what I wanna be / Suddenly I see (Suddenly I see) / Why the hell it means so much to me." convey to me that many women aspire to be beautiful and physically attractive, however countless numbers of women cannot understand why it is so important. Body image is taken into account more so than any era in the past, whether you are meeting someone for the first time or if you are applying for a job, like the main character of this film. It seems to me that the director's intention is to convey to the audience that physical beauty is not everything, and that we should all feel self confident like Andy.

1. b) Genre / Atmosphere

The opening of The Devil Wears Prada, directed by David Frankel, creates a composed tone and a light-hearted mood by using techniques such as music, the use of transitions and angle shots.

One example of an effective technique is music. Throughout the entireity of the opening, the only song that plays is Suddenly I See by K. T. Tunstall. The pace is medium, suiting Andrea's movement and attitude. This song was a great choice for the opening because it creates a comforting and cheerful mood, and the audience are able to really focus on what is going on, rather than trying to absorb dialogue.

The use of transisitions is used in such a clever way that it allows the shots to flow with ease. One example of a seemless transition is when the women are putting on their high heels. The first shot is a close up of a woman slipping her feet into her shoe, followed swiftly by another woman tying up her laces on one of her shoes. In a matter of seconds, the focus of the foot in one shot then turns to the focus of hands in action in the other, which makes the transition seem flawless. The use of transitions in the opening is highly effective as transtions help the scene to progress quickly, therefore holding the audience's attention and allowing more time to focus on the main character. Also, these women are insignificant in the film, so these characters do not require much attention.

Angle shots appear often in the opening scene, which are notably useful in this film opening as they promote the feeling which the main character is experiencing - the feeling of nervousness and anxiousness. For instance, before Andrea enters the building in which she will be interviewed, the camera focuses on the height of the building from a low angle, which in result gives the viewers an impression that this place is intimidating and scary, as the angle makes the building appear so much taller than it really is. Also, the main character, small in size in comparison, most likely has a view very similar to this. However, when the camera shot switches back to Andy, she simply inhales, smiles and comforts herself, lifting the mood back to a bright and cheerful mood.

1. a) Reason For Selection

I am going to study the opening to "The Devil Wears Prada". The opening focuses on different women getting ready for work, in comparison to the protagonist of the movie, who is in the process of preparing herself for an interview with the world's leading fashion magazine - Runway. Andy does not possess the typical image of a pretty, stylish girl - which is what the magazine primary looks for.

The opening fits into the movie because the main theme of this story is overcoming other people's expectations, and feeling beautiful and comfortable just the way you are. Andy is a size six, and she wears clothes that are ideal and comfortable. The other women that the opening shows wear flattering, colour co-ordinated outfits and shoes with six inch-high heels.

This movie opening appeals to me because I thought that the opening set a nice tone for the movie, and the director conveyed their idea very effectively and easily. I also enjoy the concept of the movie.