21 Jump Street Opening Scene Analysis



21 Jump Street Film Poster

21 Jump Street

Director: Phil Lord

Budget: $42m

Release Date: 16 March 2012

(UK) 12 March 2012 (US)

Total Gross (Worldwide): $201.3m

Opening Scene Length: 1 min 29 sec

Company Idents: Columbia Pictures
                              Metro Goldwyn Mayer
                              Original



The first few seconds show the company idents for Columbia Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures, and Original Film.

Shot 1 (0:44)

Shot 1: We are given some information about the setting in this shot.



Shot 2 (0:48)

Shot 2: The next shot is a high angle shot of a typical yellow american school bus, with children coming out of the bus.

Shot 3 (0:53)

Shot 3: Next it flashes to animated writing which says 'Columbia Pictures and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Present'

Shot 4 (0:59) 

Shot 4: In this shot the camera moves down from a high angle shot to a medium shot of one of the people who got off the bus. There is narrative enigma as we can only see the back of this characters body.           

Shot 5 (1:01)

Shot 5: The next shot again shows animated writing in the theme of the film, which says 'In association with Relativity Media'

Shot 6 (1:04)

Shot 6: The shot then cuts back to a medium close up of the character who got off the bus's head, and still narrative enigma is used as we don't yet know what the person looks like. The camera follows this person walking up some stairs in a high school setting. 

Shot 7 (1:07)

Shot 7: This shot is again animated writing which shows the production company ident 'An Original Film SJC Studios production' 

Shot 8 (1:12)

Shot 8: This shot simply shows the film title '21 Jump Street' in animated themed writing.

Shot 9 (1:15)

Shot 9: In this shot we get to see the characters face, and it shows a medium close up of the character walking through a door.

Shot 10 (1:21)

Shot 10: This next shot shows a medium close up of the character walking down a corridor. The corridor is very busy and the character is pushed around, which tells us what the character could be like

                                              

Shot 11 (1:24)

Shot 11: This shot shows a close up of a prom poster, which gives us a clue about the setting of the film.



Shot 12 (1:26)

Shot 12: This shot is a medium close up of the character walking down a corridor from behind, and he sees a girl walking up the corridor. He turns around, now facing the camera until the girl walks past him and then dialogue starts. This goes on to a shot-reverse-shot of the two characters having a conversation.