Final Opening Sequence

Drawing Closer

   

This movie greatly inspired me for the visual representations of my opening sequences. Therefore, I want to choose it as my final opening sequence analysis.

This Japanese movie is a tragic romance about two teenagers who are about to die due to terminal illnesses. One, Akito (right), has one year left, and the other, Haruna (left), has six months. The two of them become friends and find the meaning of life before they leave this world. 

The film starts with a Netflix introduction and immediately switches to the very first scene of the sequence. Unlike other movies, they used a handwritten font for the phrase 'Netflix Series.' The font style makes viewers feel soft and aesthetic, as it is a sad go-along with healing romance. Then, it begins with a disruption stage of equilibrium where the boy stands quietly on the hospital roof, looking around the city. The scene is filmed from a high angle and in a wide shot. This questions the audience about the boy's first appearance: 'Why is he there?' Some could think that our protagonist is about to jump off the roof to end his life. 

Another high-angle shot reveals the protagonist, Akito, and highlights his emotions. He looks sad and frustrated. It encodes that he could have just received bad health news. 

Next, an insert shot is applied to the sequence, showing a social platform in Japan. The status asks, "Is there an easy way to die?" which ensures the audience's thinking that Akito is trying or having a thought of committing suicide by jumping off a building. 

Following that, a low-angle shot appears, focusing on Akito's despair. His mouth and eyes are shaking. He seems about to cry and restrain his tears, encoding a profound inner conflict or sadness he's trying to hold back. The emotions attract watchers to wonder about the reason behind his sorrow. 

After that, a tracking shot follows Akito's running to the roof and trying to jump, mixed with a diegetic sound: deep, hard breathing. However, it stops when the sound of something drops to the wood floor and suddenly changes to a wide shot of a mysterious woman sitting in the garden, picking something up. This is the J-cut technique. 

Then, numerous two-shots, medium close-ups, and over-the-shoulder show the conversation between the two characters. During these scenes, the diegetic sound mainly contributes to the sequence. The sound of the wind, the sound of drawing pencils, and also footsteps. This brings a sense of reality to the audience and makes the movie look more natural. 

A hint of the boy's career is now expressed in his dialogue. 'Faber-Castell pencils are great, aren't they?' This is an enigma code, encoding that he could be an artist because only professionals would have knowledge about equipment, what is good to use, and what is not. Subsequently, Akito asks Haruno (the girl protagonist) what she is drawing, and she replies, 'Heaven,' 'The place that I am gonna go soon.' This is encoding that she has limited time left, and she will leave this world soon. 

Another insert shot is added to the sequence, revealing the picture Haruno has drawn at the beginning. The art piece is well-drawn, suggesting that Haruna could also be an artist or that she enjoys and loves art and is linked to the subject. 

After repeating, 'I am gonna die soon,' encoding that even though she looks carefree, she is still depressed and disappointed to end her life at a very young age. Akito only answers 'I see' calmly, acting as if this is a typical situation and does not surprise him. Soft music instantly kicks in, and the girls' expressions also change. Her eyes widen, encoding she is shocked by what the boy just said. This is filmed in a medium close-up shot. 

Haruno then asks Akito if he is not shocked by the news that Haruno will die. She looks like she is in disbelief because she thinks that death is earth-shattering news. This could be an enigma code that Haruna has experienced many condolences from people when they heard that she is suffering from a rare illness, which caused her to 6 months left. Also, another enigma code of the boy protagonist could be that he is in the same situation as the girl.  

Finally, a cut-away editing technique is implied when the girl is witnessing her 'Heaven' drawing with dialogue going along with that. 'It's gotta be nicer than down there, being stuck in a hospital.' This encodes that she accepts the fact that she will die someday openly and positively. The opening sequence ends with a question from the boy protagonist: 'Aren't you scared of death?' which immediately introduces the audience to the film's content. 

Additionally, the whole sequence primarily uses high-key lighting for the lighting and coloring. The scenes are soft, sentimental, and comfortable, dipping into gentle pastel shades. This shows warmth but also sadness, which matches the bittersweet plot of the film. 

In conclusion, the movie used various camerawork, positions of the camera, and good dialogue to express the characters' personalities. Light and soft color to comfort the watchers. Drawing Closer has a relatable relationship theme and digs deep into the emotional side. Moreover, the visual representations are appealing, enhancing the experience while watching the film. Besides that, emotional storytelling contributes significantly to the aim of targeting the audience. Many reviewers have feedback that the plot is familiar, but the characters' development is well-written, and it attracts viewers.