Six Feet Under Title Sequence Analysis

The opening sequence to Six Feet Under inspires me in several ways. The camerawork style for example, is something I'd like to use in my thriller opening because of the wide range of shots used and how they are edited together to create effective continuity. Another thing is their use of Mise-en-scene, as there had to have been a lot of planning involved so that the Mise-en-scene, especially the lighting, worked so well in representing certain themes. Its this kind of work and effort I want to incorporate into my own Opening.

The first shot is at first an extreme long shot that zooms out even further becoming a close-up shot of two dead hands held together, which then come apart to reveal the stark white typography. I think they used the zooming out long shot in order to surprise the audience with the dead hands, which could connote to the narrative or be linked to the tree in the background.
The use of Mise-en-scene is effective through the use of lighting, make-up , and setting in this shot. Lighting is used effectively to create shadows and silhouettes. The daylight in the scene creates dark shadows on  the hands and silhouettes the tree in the background. This emphasises how dark the hands colour is and could connote the darkness surrounding death within the narrative. it also makes them as dark as the tree, which is silhouetted against the sky, which could connote a link between death and that tree.
Make-up is used effectively as you have a pair of hands that have been made to look dead showing narrative and a key theme. Its important as in the first few shots the audience sees these hands and knows what the narrative will include; the theme of death, which shows them the genre of the show.
Setting is also used effectively to show some of the narrative. the single tree silhouetted against the sky connotes the tree is an important part of the narrative but also emphasises the empty sky, highlighting the theme of emptiness.

This shot is an extreme close up of hands being washed in darkness whilst typography appears, contrasting the darkness. I think this shot was used to show opposites and contrasts. The living hands in the darkness directly contrast the previous shot of the dead hands in daylight. This could connote a theme of the contrast between the living and the dead within characters and narrative.
Mise-en-scene is used effectively with lighting being significant in this shot. The light sparkles off of the water on the hands and overall the hands contrast the background. with the hands, which are practically sparkling, with light, almost being swallowed up by the darkness in the background, I think this is connoting how life which is precious (in the narrative) is easily swallowed up by death.

This shot is a close up, dolly shot of a hospital/morgue gurney  travelling down a hallway but the camera is facing in reverse so that we see a silhouetted man walking away from a bright light at the end of a corridor. I think this shot was used to connote that the silhouetted figure is the soul of the man on the gurney and is trying to escape the light, which represents the afterlife, which could connote some of the narrative or themes.
Mise-en-scene is used effectively with lighting, setting and props connoting key themes, narrative and genre. Lighting is used to show the afterlife through an extremely bright light so that the light is the end of the corridor, which silhouettes the man , connoting he may be dead. This is important as from seeing this the audience can see what could be part of the narrative and the genre of the show.
setting is important here for this shot as the corridor allows the other areas of Mise-en-scene to work better. For example the gurney would not have shown that this was a hospital or morgue alone, but with the corridor it look like that.
The gurney prop was an effective choice of props. this is because it instantly shows where the show is set (with other areas of Mise-en-scene) and shows the morbid narrative and the genre.

This shot is an extreme close up of a liquid being extracted by a syringe. I think this shot was used to show just the medical themes within the show and highlight them as being important so the audience recognise the genre. The use of the Props here was important as it reinforces the setting and the narrative ideas they have already given us, the audience. it connotes themes of death and hospitals/ morgues.

This shot is a low angle long shot of a hearse with its door open. I think this shot was used to connote the size and power that the hearse has within the narrative but also make us feel small and vulnerable which could also be an important part of the narrative.
Mise-en-scene is used effectively with lighting as with the lighting shining brightly through the windows connotes a direct link between the hearse and the light, which represents the afterlife.

Editing was important with the use of typography. They used a serif font that was either black or white so that it would contrast the background. I think this was important as it connotes the theme ofcontrasts within other areas of the show.

Sound is important throughout the piece in creating a weird/eerie atmosphere.  Composed by award winning composer, Thomas Newman, the theme song to six feet under is a happy but asynchronous soundtrack with it being a complete opposite to the themes shown visually throughout the opening. this creates a tension that the audience will see and create the weird atmosphere the show was looking for.

The title sequence is effective for the genre and as an introduction to the show through how it shows the key themes and some of what the narrative is. For example the use of the things visually that represent death such as crows and graveyards show the theme of death and these are used throughout the opening. It is important for this opening to show these as the audience will want to know quickly what the genre is and what the narrative could be if they are to continue watching, which they do here.