Analysis of '8 Mile'

Genre - 
The genre of the film 8 Mile is obviously a drama. This is shown through the dark, low-key lighting used as well as the serious dialogue and title sequence that is shown - these are all normal conventions of a dramatic text. Furthermore there is use of slow-paced editing throughout the entire opening that presents the general idea of themes for the audience for the rest of the film - it is not going to be a light-hearted or overly- humours or fun/ feel good film.

Narrative / Character - 
The opening of this film does not give the audience much in terms of narrative, we have no idea what the film is about if you go by just the opening two minutes, however we do find that the film is going to be a serious drama and not a light-hearted romantic film. We are given the general themes of a lower class setting and of unhappiness, which is displayed by the lighting presented in the bathroom of the opening scene and in the shouting between the two characters, and these themes are supposed to tell the audience what to expect in the rest of the film. In terms of character, we meet the main character of the piece, however we do not get to know much about him or any of the other characters due to not much being given away.

Sound - 
The sound in this opening of a film is all diegetic and within the world of the film. We hear a song being played, which we later find is coming from the protagonists headphones, which is stereotypical of the setting of the film. The fact that we hear the song as if we are there gives us the feeling that we are really with the character as the song is playing and therefore adds to the verisimilitude of the piece - similarly, the choice of song is very stereotypical to the setting of the film and type of character that the audience is meeting and this also ads to the verisimilitude of the opening. Furthermore, we also hear shouted dialogue between the protagonist and two other characters that are outside the bathroom. This dialogue is very stereotypical of the setting as it contains profanities and is very colloquial - adding to the realness of the film and portraying to the audience where the film is supposed to be set and what its like in the life of the film.

                                                                                   Lighting / Atmosphere - 

The lighting in this opening is very low-key and dark and as the entire opening is set in the same room, it creates an idea of the film never changing and nothing ever happening - which, after watching the film, is the key theme and ideal of the entire film. The use of this dark lighting creates an atmosphere to the audience of a gritty drama and of tension within the film and the setting, which is an atmosphere that the film makers have deliberately created. The dark, gritty atmosphere has been created early in the opening to prepare the audience for the tension and darkness of the rest of the film.

Themes - 
Themes are not conveyed particularly clearly or obviously in this opening as not all that much is given away. However, there is a theme of lower class and poverty, which is presented through the darkness in the bathroom that the opening takes place in as this connotes unhappiness, also the bathroom is littered with graffiti and this again is a stereotypical convention of a lower class and un-kept place. Similarly, the fact that the entire opening is filmed in the same place and is very continuous, unlike many other films, suggests an idea and theme of nothing ever changing, which is a major motif in the entirety of this film.

Titles -
The titles of this film are all a simple font on a black screen - this gives an effect of a serious mood and tone throughout the film and connotes indirectly the idea of the film being a drama. Similarly, this allows the audience to focus their attention entirely on the main titles that are wanted to be seen and allows them to get a few seconds screen time to themselves.