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.