Film Opening Research: "Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring"

Institution information.

• Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• Director: Peter Jackson
• Production Companies: New line cinema, WingNut Films
• Distributor: New Line Cinema
• Rated PG-13
• Opening weekend: $5, 163,034

Target Audience.

    This film, being based of such an infamous series of books and having a well known title and content to even those who perhaps had not read the books, therefore the title and mese en scene are iconic enough for most people to take note of the films existence. Primarily this leaves the target audience to the existing and extensive already existing fan base. There is little other genre this film shares aspects with other than fantasy and the secondary audience would be one that appeals to fans of such.Although there is nothing specific of the fantasy genre within the opening monologue besides the mention of elves, dwarves, battle scenes and the set up itself being a fairly fairy-tale like explanation but being so well known as a book it affords a less conventional opening.

Title and Credit Analysis.

    Before even the title emerges the film starts with a black screen and the voice over of the introduction adequately resorts the focus onto the words in order to keep the audience informed enough to understand what is going on. When the titles do appear the typography in question has a style that is in a font that is especially connotative to the fantasy genre. With the voice over being spoken by Galadriel we see the first suggestions of who the main characters are going to be or at least a character important enough that the unaware audience immediately begins to question the purpose of (protagonist or antagonist?).

An impressive wide range of locations is set up, especially considering the broad expanse that is middle earth, all through cutting into the different parts of the build up of the information. This simultaneously connects the locations with the species as the voice over progresses, further detailing the knowledge the audience needs in set up.

Camera and Editing Analysis.

   Quickly mentioning that within the introduction of the elves to the "one ring" story, Galadriel stands in the foreground of the shot and that this could both be used to continue with outlining her as an important character but also by confirming to the fans that it is the connection of the name between the voice and face. The shot types continue to outline important characters throughout the entire opening through close ups or continuous returning to those specific characters.

Due to such a detailed opening and so much information to be absorbed within these three minutes it notable that the range of shot types and the first use of the iconic animation of the middle earth map is used to make the experience enjoyable. Whilst also using this to - as previously mentioned - highlight the most important, and narrative crucial parts of the opening, namely the close ups of the rings.