Opening Scene Analysis

Breakfast at Tiffany's Opening Scene Analysis

• The opening sequence begins with a relaxing, romantic soundtrack. This indicates to the audience that the film's genre is romance. 
• From the woman's appearance we can infer that this film is probably set in the 50s or 60s.
• The first shot used is a wide angle establishing shot which allows the audience to discover that the scene is set in New York. The audience knows this because we see a yellow taxi approaching from the background into the foreground and New York is famous for their yellow taxis. Other than the taxi, there are no cars or people on the street which suggests that the scene is set at a time when few people are out. Due to the scene being naturally lit, we can infer that the scene is set in the early hours of the morning.
• We are introduced to the protagonist, a young woman dressed in a black ball gown, within the first 30 seconds of the opening sequence. From this point onwards, each shot is linked chronologically by the movement of this character in each shot from when she steps out of the taxi to when she reaches what appears to be her house.
• An over the shoulder, low angle shot is used to show the protagonist peering up to a sign which reads "Tiffany's". This gives the audience an insight into her lifestyle as Tiffany's is an expensive jewellers which implies that she is most likely wealthy. 
• It appears as though the main character is coming back from a formal event as she is wearing a black ball gown, a prominent pearl necklace, long black gloves, sunglasses and her hair is in a formal 'up do'. We know that she is coming back from, rather than going to, a formal event as the scene is set in the morning which suggests that she has been out all night.
• The audience are given little information about what the film entails. It is made clear that the film is set in New York and that the protagonist is a young, most likely wealthy woman who likes Tiffany's jewellery and attending evening functions.
• We are only introduced to two characters in the opening sequence; the protagonist and a man waiting in a car in front of her house. The protagonist seems to be hiding from this man however the audience are not told who the man is and why she is hiding from him. At the beginning of the movie we expect to discover the identity of this man and what his relation to the protagonist is.