"The Birds" Thriller Opening

"The Birds" - 1963

BELOW: The opening scene from "The Birds"



CAMERAWORK

The fixed position of the camera in the opening's only shot creates an atmosphere of claustrophobia. The birds are very close to the camera and by not moving the camera further away or anywhere else it seems impossible to escape from the birds and it establishes them as a threat.

The shot is eye level so we are not looking down or up at the birds. This eye level shot allows us to see the birds very close up as a dominant threat apposed to watching them from far away.

These combined add a sense of claustrophobia and not being able to escape from the birds as only one shot is used.

MISE EN SCENE

The colour of the white sky against the black birds makes them stand out. The choice to film this opening scene in black and white helps to emphasise the birds and their power.By using only the birds in shot and no other props there is nothing for the audience to escape to whilst they birds fly past.

BELOW: The positioning of the birds close tot he camera is crucial for establishing the birds as the antagonist.

The positioning of the birds very close to the camera makes them seem much more threatening and much bigger. This establishes the birds as the menacing antagonist of the film.

SOUND

No other sound is used in the opening scene but the sounds of the birds flapping and sqwaking. No other diagetic or non diagetic sound is used e.g.  non diagetic sound track or other natural diagetic sounds from the sky like planes. This too enforces the mood throughout this opening of no escape.

The diagetic sound of the birds peaks and falls like normal birds and gets very loud to emphasise their evil presencee. A sound bridge is also used from the opening company credits into the shot of the birds (seen at 0:06 seconds in video above) These few seconds of off stage diagetic sound of the birds where the audience can only hear the birds not see them can arouse panic as they can hear the threatening birds but are unable to see them.

EDITING

The whole opening scene is one shot and this enforces a feeling of not being able to escape and by changing the footage to black and white the birds stand out.

The titles and credits appear as the birds flap past the camera and the way the titles appear resembles a spray of bullet fire and has sinister connotations and moves with the rhythm of the birds to emphasise them whilst reading titles and credits, as is the titles are part of the birds. 

BELOW: an example of the titles and credits appearing in unison with the birds to emphasise their presence.

Instead of creating pace through changing shot of the birds. The pace is instead created by the movement of the birds instead of the change in camera angle or shot size.

George