Research Task - Drive (2011)

Synopsis-

A mysterious Hollywood stuntman, mechanic and getaway driver lands himself in trouble when he helps out his neighbor.

Camera-

• Establishing shot of a busy city which pans across the skyline. Evidence of this camera shot is shown below.

• Following the establishing shot the lead character played by Ryan Gosling is shown in a low angle shot creating the idea that he is a high status character, evidence is below.

• Over the shoulder shot of lead character driving the car creates the idea in the audience that he is in control, shown below.

• The next shot is a point of view shot from Gosling's position and a clever camera technique shows the driver in the mirror, evidence of this is above.
• Aerial shot zooms out and then tracks across the skyline seeing more of the road. Evidence of this is below.

• Mid-shot of the character driving into a parking space, keeps the wonder and intrigue of the audience as to what will happen next, an example of this is above.
• The next show is in shallow focus of everything but the lead character's shoulder. As he walks towards the elevator the image becomes clearer, Both examples are to the right and below.

• Following this the shot cuts to a point of view shot of the lead character looking at the elevator door closing, still giving away nothing to the audience about what will happen next. Evidence of this is in the screen shot above.
• The next shot is a long shot of the lead character opening a door to a dark room, this enhances the mystery and status of the character.

• The next shot is a tracking mid shot as Gosling's character walks across the dark room. Creates a gloomy urban feel in the viewer. Evidence of this is below.

• The shot cuts to a low angle mid shot of the lead character in the dark room still keeping the audience guessing what will happen next. The low angle and light on Gosling's face suggests the character has a higher status. An example of this is below.

• The penultimate shot to the opening of Drive is an aerial tracking shot of the leads car driving on an empty road in the city. The shot tracking the skyline slowly zooms in and out as it tracks. The evidence for this shot is below.
• The final shot in the opening is an over the shoulder shot of Gosling's character driving as he was before. Showing that the character still has a high status and still giving away nothing to the audience.

Sound-

• The song by Kavinsky called 'Nightcall' is played throughout, the song is below. The music is techno and includes music from a keyboard and drums. The song is sung by a male singer with a gruffly low voice and a female singer with a low voice. The song gives the film an urban retro feel.
• The music drops and becomes muffled when Gosling's character enters the empty room emphasizing the event.
• There is no diegetic music.

Editing-

• Fade in used to show lead character for the time emphasizes the event, suggesting the character has a high status and reinforces the retro feel given by other aspects of the film.
• Following this there are several jump cuts showing different angles of Gosling's character driving the car, this creates tension in the audience and keeps them interested. The many different angles of this one character does suggest he has a high status.
• Cleverly at one point in the opening the busy high way road in a bustling city very slowly fades out to show Gosling in the car again, at one point before the fade out it stops and gives you a few seconds of both on top of each other. This perhaps suggests the road or the car will be a huge factor of the film, with the name of the film being drive you would guess that to be true.

Mise-en-scene-

• The opening is set in a busy city at the dead of night with the only light on screen coming from the city's many windows and street lights, very low key lighting creating a mysterious and dangerous feeling, also helps build tension.
• The leads attire sums the word retro up and contributes to the many other retro items. The white driving jacket, with jeans and driving gloves suggests he is not a very high class character but the camera angles and street lights only illuminating his face would suggest he is of high status.
• The white driving jacket is decorated with a black scorpion on the back suggesting this character is dangerous.
• Setting change to a car park which stereo typically is a place where action usually happens, so this would build tension for the audience and keep them on the edge of there seats.
• The lead character walks past a check out girl wearing a sweater vest with a badge and a pair of beige trousers, her clothing suggests she has a lower class than that of the lead character.
• Lead walks into dark room and the only light is coming from behind the character suggesting he has a high status.
• Finally the leads car suggests he is of a high class which is ironic as the clothing he wears suggests the opposite, the car is a 1973 Chevy Malibu which is worth $36K.

Title list (In appearance order)-

1. Ryan Gosling
2. Drive (title)
3. Carey Mulligan
4. Bryan Cranston
5. Christina Hendricks
6. Ron Perman
7. With Oscar Isaac
8. and Albert Brooks
9. casting by Mindy Masin, C.S.A
10. costume designer Erin Benach
11. music by Cliff Mastineg
12. production designer Beth Mickle
13. edited by Mat Newman
14. director of photography Newton Thomas Sigel, A.S.C
15. executive producers Bill Lischak, Linda McDonough, Peter Schlessel
16. executive producers David Lanchester, Gary Michael Walkers, Jeffrey Stott
17. produced by Marc Platt, Adam Siegel, John Palermo
18. produced by Gigi Pritgker, Michel Litvak
19. based on the book by James Sallis
20. screenplay by Hossein Amimi
21. directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Credit Analysis -
Above is an  example of the font used in the opening credits, the font itself is very retro as are a lot of things I've already mentioned. The colour choice may have been chosen to attract the viewers eye or to appeal to female viewers as maybe the rest of the film may not appeal to them very much. 

Finally here is the opening scene and credits in all there glory.