The Notebook - Opening Of Romance Genre

The Notebook - Opening Of Romance Genre

 the opening scene shows a peaceful landscape with the sun setting,the sun set strikes us as the most important as it is shown with only black trees and scenery making them fade into the background. the opening shot is a long shot which lets us focus on the setting and the mood its trying to create. there is also non-diegetic piano music playing the background which is slow and creates a sad theme. the second shot is a medium shot which focuses on the rower in the lake using shallow focus - although we can still only see the shadow of the rower it begins to make the scene feel more personal as we start to follow the rower ' on there journey' this emotion is created through the third shot which is a tracking shot at a low angle making the rower look superior to us as the audience. the fourth shot is an extreme long shot as we can only just make out the rower again using shallow focus by colours as the black contrasts with the orange/red. Rowing is a cliche throughout the film as Noah is a keen rower and uses rowing to release anger and for pleasure so by opening with a rower looking lost and alone complimented by slow sad music could by foreshadowing a sad ending to the film. As the opening continues the scenery and footage starts to become more realistic allowing us to see more small features e.g. the birds flying and grass blowing in the wind also the rowing boat becomes slightly clearer, this prop is shown at the beginning to replicate the romance genre as place like Venice are known for having romantic river journeys on the gondoliers therefore we instantly and stereo typically relate them to romance. the white house shown in a long shot shown at a low angle making it look important also by the house being white it adds a clinical effect implying this is possibly a retirement home or an institution for the unwell. The birds in a flock fly toward it elegantly to the music by the rower, this begins an enigma code as we as the audience become curious as why the rower relates to the house and why they are going there. We now see a women standing at her window watching the rower suggesting this could be part of her imagination or her having a flashback of her past or someone in her life who meant great importance, leading the audience to think she may miss this part of her life or the person symbolised through the rower.