The Evaluation of the Opening Sequence’s Major Elements
Camera shots and movement play a crucial role in the viewers’ perception of the film’s story and environment. In the movie The King’s Speech, released in 2010 and awarded the Oscar for Best Picture, a significant scene that determines the overall tone of the work is the opening sequence. During this sequence, the audience receives contextual information about the film’s characters and the plot, learning about the social status of the protagonists. In addition, this sequence is critical for facilitating positive impressions of the main hero, George, the acting Duke of York, as well as determining the primary conflict to be discussed throughout the work.
In the opening sequence of the motion picture, George prepares to give a closing speech at the Empire Exhibition in Wembley, London. Being the Duke of York and the future king of Great Britain, George is expected to demonstrate exceptional skills in public speaking and present himself as a professional and capable leader. Through the written information from the first shot and the dictator’s explanations, the viewers learn that George must relay the message from his father, the acting King of Great Britain (Hooper, 2010). As his father and older brother have already given such speeches successfully, George has a tremendous responsibility to fulfill.
The mise-en-scéne of the discussed sequence is integral to creating the first impressions of George. The close-up shots of his eyes and face as he is preparing for the speech illustrate his nervousness about the event. Moreover, the support from his wife, Elizabeth, and the encouraging words from advisors allow the audience to understand that they are concerned about the Duke’s performance (Hooper, 2010). The stillness of the camera and the routine preparation tasks of the radio host create a feeling of the speech’s tremendous importance, demonstrating that George has a vital duty to perform. As a result, the overall setting, characters’ behavior, and lack of camera movement communicate the themes of responsibility, uneasiness, and high expectations regarding George’s performance.
A vital characteristic of the opening scene is the color of the picture. The sequence was shot in grayish tones and hard light, with most colors becoming bleak. The environment surrounding George is dull and dark, reminiscent of rainy and misty weather (Hooper, 2010). As the main character moves closer to the tribune to give the speech, the colors become even more washed out, incorporating a significant amount of white, gray, and black (Hooper, 2010). Such a distribution of color contributes to the perceptions of George’s anxiety, demonstrating how unsettling it was for him to participate in this event. While the recording studio is covered with softer lighting and has some warmer colors, the overall tones still remain cold and distant, further pointing toward the strictness of the environment where George has to perform.
Shot by Shot Analysis
Description of the camera shots and movements from the opening scene of The King’s Speech:
- Shot 1: Medium Close-Up (MCU) shot of the studio microphone
- Shot 2: MCU on the microphone’s back
- Shot 3: MCU on the microphone’s front
- Shot 4: Medium wide shot of the recording studio
- Shot 5: Close-Up (CU) shot of the piece of paper with printed text and the George’s hand
- Shot 6: CU on George’s lower part of the face
- Shot 7: Medium shot of George and Elizabeth
- Shot 8: Medium shot of George’s advisors; the exit from the building is visible
- Shot 9: Medium shot of the studio microphone, the radio host, and the apprentice
- Shot 10: CU on the radio host
- Shot 11: CU from below on the radio host
- Shot 12: Medium shot of the tray with speaking preparation supplies
- Shot 13: Medium shot of the radio host and apprentice with the back of the microphone in the foreground
- Shot 14: Extreme Close-Up (ECU) of George’s eyes
- Shot 15: Medium shot of George
- Shot 16: Medium Wide (MW) shot of George, Elizabeth, and the advisor
- Shot 17: Medium shot of the radio host
- Shot 18: Wide shot of the recording studio
- Shot 19: Medium shot of George and Elizabeth
- Shot 20: MCU on the advisor; following up with CU on George
- Shot 21: MCU on the advisors
- Shot 22: Medium shot of the radio host followed by an MCU on him
- Shot 23: CU on George and Elizabeth, followed by a CU on Elizabeth
- Shot 24: MCU on Elizabeth’s hand
- Shot 25: Medium shot of the radio host
- Shot 26: MCU on the microphone
- Shot 27: Wide shot of the recording studio
- Shot 28: Medium shot of the radio host
- Shot 29: Wide shot of George; tracking his path through the stairs, then pedestal up
- Shot 30: Returning to horizontal view, MCU on George and the advisor, followed by CU on George
- Shot 31: Medium shot of the dictor
- Shot 32: Wide shot of the recording studio
- Shot 33: Medium shot of the recording equipment, trucking right
- Shot 34: MCU on the radio host
- Shot 35: MCU on George, tracking his movement towards the camera
- Shot 36: Wide shot of the microphone and the booth; dolly on the microphone until the microphone is in CU shot
Reference
Hooper, T. (2010). The King’s Speech [Film]. Momentum Pictures.