The film 'East is East' is based on an autobiographical screenplay by Ayub Khan-Din. It tells the story of a mixed-race Asian family living in a town in the north of England. The father, Mr. Khan, is intent on maintaining the traditions of Pakistan, while his children are opposed to following traditions such as arranged marriages with other Pakistani families. It shows the family's struggle to live normal British life as the father pushes to bring Pakistani culture to his children. The main themes running through the story are racial intolerance, teenagers and their need for independence, and the problem of being caught between two different cultures. In this analysis I will focus on the key characteristics of cinematographic language such as lighting, sound, camera and mise-en-scène. A successful opening for a film should introduce the area where the film will be set, the main characters and something about them, and begin to build the atmosphere and mood of the film. It should do this by using the first camera shots to show the scene. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Sound can be a very useful tool for creating atmosphere, as can lighting. Showing close-ups of the main characters' faces will introduce them to the audience and give them some information about the characters' backgrounds and give first impressions of the film's themes. Sometimes a director may want to use the opening sequence to create the illusion that the film has a particular theme or genre but will later contradict those first thoughts. The opening sequence of "East is East" begins by showing the audience the area where the film will be set. It then goes on to show a Christian Easter parade in which mixed-race children participate. Then show close-ups of the children's faces consecutively. This shows that they have some relationship. We later find out that they are brothers. The comedic actions of this group tell the audience that this film will have an element of comedy, but the problem of sneaking into alleys to avoid contact with the father indicates the culture clash that lasts throughout the film. Lighting is a very effective way to create atmosphere. There are many different lighting techniques that can be used to create mood. By using only the key lights (KL) and backlight (BL), a clear contrast is created between the dark and light areas on the screen. This forms unnaturally lit places and characters. This unnatural lighting is called low key (LK) lighting. However, by adding fill lights (FL) you can create natural-looking environments and characters. This is called high key (HK) lighting. Additionally, lights can be directed to different places in the scene, and the positions of these lights have different effects. Low light occurs when the main light source comes from underneath the subject and can distort the subject. This technique is often used in horror films. Superior illumination is the opposite of insufficient illumination. With uplighting, the main light source comes from above the subject. This highlights features that can create a glamorous look. Finally there is the backlight. With backlighting, the light source comes from behind the subject. If there are no other light sources present the subject will only be seen as a silhouette. The opening sequence of "East is East" was shot on location, so natural light would be needed to begin. However, the lighting needed to be improved. Therefore lights would be usedmain lights, backlight and fill lights. The lighting, being natural, is of a high standard. Being outside, light came from all the characters. The effect of these lighting techniques is that the audience can clearly see that the parade is taking place outside and because the scene still has a dull lighting effect, the audience can interpret that it is a city in Northern England around Easter time. The director's choice in lighting techniques helps determine the audience's feelings towards the film. If the wrong technique is used, the necessary suspense or desired effects may be lost and the film may not be as successful as desired. Sound is another crucial aspect of the film. He has a huge influence on the public. Music can create tension and suspense that prepares the viewer for something to happen or trick them into thinking something will happen when in reality it is just a red herring. Sounds that actually come from the cinematic world and that the audience sees create credible environments and events. There are two main categories of sound used in films. These are diegetic and non-diegetic. They are both vital components that build an effective film. Diegetic sounds are those that the audience will know come from the world they are watching. For example, a scene of children playing in a park might have other people talking, dogs barking, and toys to play. While non-diegetic sounds belong to the cinematic world that the audience is watching. These are things like soundtracks that have been placed alongside diegetic sounds to heighten the effect and emotions of the viewer. A director can choose between different types of soundtrack to use. One would be contrapuntal and the other parallel. Both have different effects. Contrapuntal music is when the music does not match what can be seen. For example, a major battle scene may have very calm music. This can create a mix of emotions. Parallel music is when the music matches what the audience can see. An example of this would be a love scene with passionate music to emphasize the feelings the characters have for each other. Continuity in the film is vital. If the scenes don't come together the film can't be effective. To help the scene connect, sound bridges are used. When you leave a street and enter a building, the sounds of the outside persist until you close the door or walk away. In the film the sound that remains is a sound bridge. Music can also be a sound bridge, continuing or fading as scenes change. A variety of these techniques are used in the opening sequence of "East is East". First there is the non-diegetic sound that is parallel music. It is parallel because the singer sings about a marching band while the audience watches a parade marching with a band. This helps demonstrate that this is a celebratory parade. Secondly, there are several diegetic sounds, ranging from clapping and people marching or walking, to whistling and dialogue. This creates a more believable world that brings the viewer into the environment so they feel part of the action. The only sound bridge is the non-diegetic music that fades from the end of the parade scene to the next scene of the boys in the house. This blends the two scenes together so the audience can tell that this guy was one of the ones in the parade. Sound can create tension and have other effects on the film that couldn't be achieved otherwise. The sound bridges unite the film and make it complete. All types of sound create a world that viewers can believe in and feel apart. The overall sound isfundamental to the final feeling of the film. The use of the camera is essential to manipulate the desired response, to the action of the film, from the audience. It can make the viewer focus on specific areas, and the angle can suggest certain emotions. For example, if the camera is looking through a character's eyes and is doing a rolling shot from a long distance, this suggests that the character is suffering from vertigo because he or she is afraid of heights. In early films, the camera did not have the ability to move or change focus. There is now a series of camera movements that can ensure that the viewer's attention is directed to the center of the film. There are two main groups of camera shots. These are close-ups, medium and long shots. There are four different types of close-ups. These are the extreme close-up, the large close-up, the close-up and the medium close-up. They all have different effects. Extreme close-ups show only the person's face. Large close-ups show a little more of the person's head. Close-ups show the entire face and head, as well as starting to show some backgrounds. Finally, a medium closes the show to the audience from the head down to just below the shoulders. One thing the first three have in common, that the medium close-up doesn't show, is less intimacy with the character. However, they all show the expression on the subject's face. There is an expression that says "the eyes are the window to the soul". By showing their eyes so close the audience can see the emotion in their eyes. In addition to camera zoom shots, there are seven special types of shots. The first four are about the content of the shot, while the second group of three are about the camera angle. First, there are two shots. The two shots show two people and can be a close-up, a medium close-up or a medium shot. Over the shoulder shots occur when the camera looks at the subject over another person's shoulder. Next, there is the shot of the interviewee showing a person looking and speaking into the space within the frame, which is in the direction of the interviewer. And finally the shot of the subject in motion. This shows the subject walking in space. The camera angle can suggest certain emotions and feelings. The first camera angle is the tilted frame. This is simply the camera rotated at an angle. Low angle shots have the camera lower down and looking at the subject. It suggests power and authority. Then finally there is the overhead shot. This despises the subject and can often be hung on a crane, which implies fragility and weakness. Camera movement can ensure that our attention, as an audience, remains on the appropriate image. There are six different camera movements that can be used for this purpose. They also have different effects. A pan shot is the camera moving in lateral motions from a fixed axis. A tilt shot is very similar to a pan shot, but instead of moving side to side, the camera tilts up and down about its fixed axis. When a camera is mounted on a crane, it is called crane camera. A tracking shot occurs when the camera follows the action as it moves along tracks set up for this purpose. A rolling shot is one where the camera moves diagonally making the image tilted and lopsided. It is often used to suggest that the character is ill or on drugs. Finally, there is a handheld shot. As the name suggests, the effect of the camera is that of being held in the hand making it wobbly and not fixed on a stand. The opening camera of 'East is East' is.