The Devil Wears Prada - Opening Scene Analysis

During the first stages of our research, we wanted to find out more about opening sequences specific to our genre and style. The Devil Wears Prada's opening is a morning routine sequence similar to what we intended to do with our film. I analysed the clip to further my understanding of film openings.


OPENING SCENE ANALYSIS

Sound:

• Wipe on mirror Sound Effect
• The song 'Suddenly I See' by KT Tunstall bursts in
• Some song lyrics link with shots. e.g 'beautiful girl'
• Song is perky and upbeat - links with the pace on screen
• The diegetic sounds in the film are very quiet eg cup being placed on table, heels walking, flicking through pages
• Boyfriend says "Good Luck" at a point of no lyrics in the song
• Car horns - representing the busy New York City
• The music matches the action on screen. When woman is strolling along, there is a diminuendo in the track whilst it is also slowing down. Once she picks up the pace of her walk, the music returns to it's original tempo.

Editing:

• All the shots are cut together, ensuring a fast editing pace matching the hectic morning-routine rush
• Establishing shot very near the beginning
• Matches on Action heavily relied upon when cutting between the shots of women doing the same action. Also used in individual shots where the position of camera slightly changes. e.g the first woman putting on her bra
• There are lots of cutaways used throughout the scene, leaving the audience guessing as to which girl they belong to. e.g opening of the drawer, handing over of the onion bagel

Camera:

• CU Teeth, ZOOM OUT to face of character
• PANNING ELS used for the establishing shot
• CU on body parts throughout 
• LS to show girls' outfits.
• PAN UP on Andy - show outfit, audience can judge
• CU Eyelashes, shoes, drawer opening, jewellery
• CU Phone, Diary and Chapstick all in one shot to constrast
• CU lips applying lipstick, slight PAN allows title to fit in the gap
• MS sitting at table - establishes surrounding
• PAN DOWN to New York City street
• CU floor showing the shoes rushing past - busy work environment
• PAN DOWN on the building almost showing Andy's POV
• TRACKING MS in building

Mise-en-scene:

•  Lots of New York City establishing shots
• Clean white walls, big windows, exterior lighting, wooden furnishing, gold colours - Girls
• Lipstick, jewellery, modern phones - Girls
• Big, expensive looking, clean apartment entrances - Girls
• Green walls, Cream and off-white colours, cheap wire hangers, cramped, darker - Andy
• Old mobile phone and chapstick - Andy
• Small door in the middle of shops, run-down area - Andy

TITLES ANALYSIS

Fades used on titles. Yellow and orange colour scheme - synergetic. Two fonts used, regular uncapitalised font for the names, a curly font for their titles. Titles not placed on shots of the protagonist.

Order of Appearance:

Meryl Streep

Anne Hathaway

*Title of the film*

Stanley Tucci

Simon Baker

Emily Blunt

...other actors

Casting by Ellen Lewis

Music Supervisor Julia Michels

Music by Theodore Shapiro

Costume Designer Patricia Field

Film Editor Mark Livolsi a.c.e

Production Designer Jess Gonchor

Director of Photography Florian Ballhaus

Executive Producers Karen Rosenfelt, Joe Carraciolo jr

Produced by Wendy Finerman

Based upon the novel by Lauren Weisberger

Screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna

Directed by David Frankel

Institutional Information Revealed:

20th Century Fox ident

'Fox 2000 pictures presents'

'A Wendy Finerman Production'