Hassan Shahid

Media Studies

Analysis of an opening sequence: Jaws

Jaws is a 1975 American Thriller film with the sub-genre of a
horror. The film is based on a top selling novel and directed
by Steven Spielberg. The film is about, the police chief of
Amity Island, trying to protect beach goers from a giant maneating white shark.
Location: The opening of Jaws is set deep in the ocean on the
ocean floor, which gives us an eerie feeling to the location,
as water can be associated with death and drowning, and gives
away to the audience that the majority of the film will either
be set either near the sea, or underwater. Later into the
opening sequence, the location of the film changes to a beach
setting with the characters around a campfire. This gives us a
warm hearty feeling, and the mood changes instantly which is
mirroring the beginning of the opening sequence where the
setting created an eerie vibe.
Lighting: In the beginning of the opening sequence, the
lighting used is quite dark, creating quite a chilling effect.
But contrasting this, throughout the underwater sequence in
the opening, you can see some light colours, and some beams of
light which are shone through the sea giving a calm effect.
However, we know that the scene isnt ultimately calm, as the
background music is quite quick and fast-paced and the viewer
can tell can tell that the score music being played in the
background, means that something dangerous is approaching.
Further into the opening sequence, the lighting changes to
night time and it is dark, and the characters are surrounding
a campfire giving a warm friendly feeling, however the fact
that the scene is set in the night and it is dark, this
contrasts this warm feeling and gives us more of an eerie
feeling, and the viewer gets a feeling that something bad is
going to happen.
Colour: In the opening sequence there are quite calm and
neutral colours, and a light blue is also used, giving us a
calm feeling. However this is then contrasted further into the
opening of the sequence of using dark colours such as black,
and navy blue to create a dark scary feeling, and to create
suspense, as the colours usually represent that something bad
is going to happen soon.

Hassan Shahid
Media Studies

Props:
Harmonica - I believed that this specific prop was used as
music often symbolises calm and happiness, and again creates a
warm vibe. I believe that the direction of this film did this,
so it would be a direct contrast of further into the sequence,
when one of the young female characters are killed by the
shark, meaning that the harmonica didnt create happiness, it
ultimately brought sadness as the character was killed.
Alcohol & Cigarettes - I think that these props were used to
show how young and naive the young characters are, as they
believed that these things wont harm them and their bodies,
and that they are invincible, which is the typical teenage
stereotype. Again this is then reflected later in the scene
when the young girl who thought she was invincible and could
do anything is killed.
Shots:
P.O.V (point of view) - This allows the audience to see what
the subject is seeing. In the opening of the sequence, we are
seeing from the sharks P.O.V, and can see everything that the
shark is seeing. As a viewer it feels in a way as if you
yourself are the shark, and it makes you want to continue
watching the film to see what is going to happen to the shark
and its victims.
Close up To show the audience the victims expression as she
is attacked.
P.O.V (point of view) Used again to show the viewer what the
shark is seeing as it attacks its prey.
Cut in A close up of the victims legs are shown, to alarm
the audience that the shock is ultimately going to be
attacking her legs.