MJM

Vantage Point

Narrative Structure
Vantage point has a very unique style of narrative. It develops the story by showing the same sequence of events, only in different views according to the character. However the opening scenes follow a traditional way of setting the scene.
The title sequence uses dramatic drums and high bells, to create a sense of tension before you see anything. It also uses the art of concealment by only showing film through the close up of the letters, spelling vantage point. It then goes through the letters to reveal the establishing shot. The camera moves from a high tracking shot of the buildings to aerial shots showing the huge crowds. It cuts away to close ups of the crowd, making it seem a lot larger than it actually is. This makes the viewer seem as though they are there and part of it. By using Spanish flags and the Spanish language spoken in the background by the news, it shows its set in Spain and that it’s an important event that everybody is involved with.
Along with this it cuts to the American news team whose story we follow many times. This is due to the fact that they are always in some body’s view. Each time it changes viewpoints we, as a audience get a bit more of the story. The first time we see the president getting shot and the building exploding, it is shown through the eyes of the news team. Just to show the audience what happened without getting confusing. It seems very standard in the way of narrative structure. However after the incidents have happened it goes to the close of the news team. The music rapidly dies down and a reversing tape player is put of the top. The film is then rewound and then a subtitle shows the time. It’s the same time for each of the characters when they have rewound. It then continues to play out the same scenes only through the character. They will catch a glimpse of the news report when walking towards the event. The camera also changes here; it has many more point of view shots, to make it feel as though you are the character. Whereas before many of the shots were mainly mid shots and tracking shots, of the people as though you are the news camera.
Overall it’s a solid opening. But with the use of the interesting narrative it makes an ordinary opening to a thriller/ action film that bit unique, rather than the same thing every time. In our thriller opening we may use a different type of narrative; somebody watching, somebody remembering, just to give it something else, to make it stand out from the crowd and to make seem much more unique.