Establishing shot - Boy walking across a bridge at dawn, dribbling a basketball. Due to lighting boy is portrayed as a silhouette. On either side of the bridge there is dark forests, which ultimately makes the bridge the main focal point. Diegetic sound id used to exemplify the basketball.
Transitions - Flashback is used to introduce the key characters of the text. Main characters each have a series of 3 flashbacks, central characters have 2 and transient characters have 1. Character origin flashbacks are used, to indicate dealing with key events early in a characters development. Soft edge vignette used through out the entire opening credits indicates a flashback atmosphere, which is also partially blurred.
Lucas - In the first flashback shown of him, he is conveyed as a heroic figure, by recovering a female characters car with his pick up truck. The reason for the girl being shown first, is that she may be his sole interest. This could make him the protagonist. Other than being shown with the girl, in all the other flashbacks he is shown alone.
Nathan - In his first flashback he is shown, at the forefront of a crowd of teenagers who are cheering him on. Teenagers in the background are partially blurred, whereas he is not blurred. Leads us to believe he is popular, by the admiration of his peers. In his second flashback he is shown staring offset, a more vulnerable side to that shown in the first. Hijacking the school bus, conveying him as a rebellious character, antagonist?
Peyton - First flashback shows her in the high school gym, as a cheerleader at a Basketball game. Following on from this she is shown sketching alone, almost signifying a split personality. Pretending to be someone she's not, when she is a cheerleader. The third flashback shows herself, and Nathan kissing, implicating that they're in a relationship. However, in Lucas's first flashback it shows her being rescued by him. This could be the disequilibrium, and the reason for Protagonist Vs Antagonist.
Hayley - Shown closing the coffee shop, and staring offset in to the distance out of the window. This is particularly to Nathan's vulnerable shot. Creating cohesion between characters? Next flashback is an over the shoulder shot, could possibly indicate an event is going to take a new direction. "As one door closes another opens".
Dan - older character, shown leaving car. Portrayed as successful through personal possession i.e Flash car, suit, dark sunglasses. Transient character no indication of key events.
Brooke - Shown talking with Peyton, flirtatious attitude, stereotypically 'The Girl Next door'. Shown in a car talking to somebody, although we are not shown who. "Male Gaze"
Protagonist is re-introduced for 1 second, sitting on a bench staring amorously at basketball hoop. Represents hopes, dreams and over all success? Preluding the following flashback.
Whitey - Close up, smiling establishing that he is a friendly character. Split screen effect, other half of the screen shows him walking through the doors of the gym with the protagonist.
Keith - Talking to woman, smiling at her amorously. not alot of information, transient character.
karen - Close up of her talking to protagonist, slowly dissolves to her welcoming him home on the front porch. Strong Mother/Son relationship.
Actors names fade in during their shots.
- Key events are used to intrigue the audience
- Main characters shown throughout the opening credits are teenage characters, thus defining the target audience
- Conveyed in different social settings i.e Talking and Playing sport
- Stereotypes are all pretty similar, good looking, popular students.
- Teenage atmosphere is depicted through iconography i.e Basketball, school gym, school bus, cheerleader and cars
- Cohesion is created as it ends where it begins
The last part of the opening credits shows the boy walking back over the bridge, but this time at dusk. The boy is the protagonist and the opening credits is a bildungsroman as through use of signifying Key events it portrays a journey from innocence to experience.
