Trainspotting : Opening

sequence
Megan Lawrence, Blake Challenger, Alice Percy

Synopsis of opening scene

The scene begins with two unknown males , in their mid 20s,
running from another two male figures with authority above
them. Whilst theyre running numerous items fall from their coat
pockets. The whole opening sequence is backed with a narrative
and music which juxtaposes what is shown on the screen. The
camera then follows only one of the men and shows fast paced
editing of montages of Rentons life, not giving away too many
hints but creating enigma to entice the audience. The scene
ends with the lead male passed out (or possibly dead) after
smoking heroin.

CAMERA
Varied amount of shots, keeps the sequence fast paced [fast
paced cuts]
The main character Renton constantly is looking straight into
the camera it makes it feel like he is looking directly to the
audience
When he falls towards the end the camera is at a low angle
shot. This makes the audience feel as if thy are catching him;
showing how he has no support in his life.
Medium shot of Renton once he is on the floor with smoke
pouring out of his mouth. Smoke looks as if his soul is leaving
his body slowly. The medium shot could represent Renton
being half dead.

Audio
At the beginning the music is fast paced to set the scene the same
music is used throughout the entire opening scene. It could be seen
as representing a heartbeat.
Narrative backs this up as it begins also fast paced. The narrator
begins to swear showing his agitation the longer the sequence
lasts.
Hyperbolic sounds are used when the car stops right in front of
Renton, this is to emphasize how close he could have been to a
potential fatality. This is followed by a surprised laugh which could
mean how have I got away again?!
Towards the ending there is a distinctive pause in the narrative and
music, this slows down the pace foreshadowing death(?)

Visual
Setting/costume: Begins in a rich city the two males juxtapose
the area and stick out like a sore thumb in how they are dressed,
they are wearing shabby/tacky dark coloured jumpers.
Mis-en-scene: As they are running away they run further into a
scummy area reflecting their lives and how they have gotten
themselves deeper into poverty.
Props: When running away item after item (emphasised) fall out of
Rentons jumper displaying how little he has and what lengths he
will go to for luxury.
Mis-en-scene: In the last section Renton is in a fire coloured run
down room. The fire colours that the room is decorated in appear
hell-like and the holes in the walls could portray the holes he has
created in his mind through using heroin. A number of chairs are
lined up against the wall showing that Renton is not the only one
who lives his life in this way

Pictures

This screenshot from the film looks

like his soul is leaving his body to
find a new life as his current life isn't
worth living. However, he doesn't
die in this scene so it suggests that
whatever he does he cant escape
from his world

This picture is of Renton in a room

that looks battered and destroyed.
The room reflects Rentons mind, it
has gaps in it and its damaged. The
colour of the walls are red, orange
and yellow which looks like fire so it
suggests that he's in hell.

Todorov
This film does not support Todorovs theory of
narrative structure because it starts of with a
disruption and not an equilibrium. This then
links to the opening sequence having an
enigma code because we don't know why
Renton and his acquittance is running from
which looks like security guards. There' also
another enigma code at the end of the
opening sequence as we see Renton in a
battered room, taking Heroin and falling to the
ground

Audience
The audience demographic for 'Trainspotting'
would be straight, white, British working class
men aged 15-30 because the film is centred
around the same sort of person. Many young
men would have gone through the same thing
as Renton so they can connect to the film
better than other people. Th socio-economic
status of the target audience for this film is E,
D and C2.