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Opening Title Sequence: A Bronx Tale

·         0-21 seconds: ‘Studio Canal’ (production/distribution company) logo presented in animation form

22-27 seconds: screen fades to black

·         28 seconds: ‘Focus Features’ (production/distribution company) logo presented in animation form

·         29-35 seconds: Screen fades to black

36-39 seconds: ‘A Savoy Pictures release’ (production company) presented in bold italics/capital letters/white font in the centre of a black screen

40-42 seconds: ‘Price Entertainment’ and ‘Penta Entertainment (both production companies) presented in bold italics/white font in the centre of a black screen

·         42 seconds: music begins – low/sad tones, which is likely immediately implemented to convey a tragedy that is to unfold in the story. Audience will have an emotional engagement, as a result since they will be intrigued to understand the reason for the sense of anguish established at the beginning. 

42-45 seconds: screen fades to black
Exterior:

·         46 seconds: screen fades to shot of New York city at night (establishing shot used to set the location) – camera continues to pan across the city. The fact that the opening sequence is at night, perhaps reinforces the perception that there will be some form of animosity with a saddening outcome that is entirely relevant to the story. 

·         1.13 seconds: screen fades to another area of New York, whilst the camera pan continues – still an overlook of the city. Famous landmarks such as the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building can be seen in the distant, again ensuring that the setting of New York is established. The main character begins his voice over: "This is the forgone section of the Bronx, my home. A world onto itself."

·         1.27 seconds: screen fades to a shot of a church. Voice over continues: "That's the church and the sound of the bells would fill the neighbourhood."

·         1.29 seconds: screen fades to another street  - there is a high shot with characters singing down below (singing plays over the original music). This could portray their vulnerability, implying that anyone, even an innocent bystander is at risk. 

·         1.40 seconds: screen fades to another street corner with a close up of the street’s sign post. The voice over continues: "It was 1960 and doo-wop was the sound on the streets." 

·         1.48 seconds: tracking shot of a car comes into frame. Voice over: It felt like there was a doo-wop group on every corner back then. What a time it was. The New York Yankees were playing the Pittsburgh Pirates in the world series and Mickey Mantle was like a God to me."

·         2.06 seconds: screen fades to another shot – reveals other characters by a café – tracking shot of the character closest to the screen. Voice over: "My Dad would take me to Yankee stadium and we would watch the Yankees win. That's the Chez Rigby. That's where all the guys hung out, but I'll tell you about them later. "

·         2.20 seconds: screen fades to main character’s home (exterior) – establishing shot used here, but the camera is also slighted at a canted angle, suggesting the audience should be wary of the character and follow him closely. Voice over: "That's my building. I live right there on the fourth floor. 667 street. There's my stoop." 

·         2.34 seconds: screen fades to a couple romancing. Voice over: "and on warm summer evenings, all through the neighbourhood. You would hear the sounds of young Italian men romancing their woman. 

·         2.41 seconds: camera quickly moves across the street to show an altercation between a man and woman (dialogue between them is a brief argument) - "Will you get in the car! Come on baby, you know I love you". There is a tracking shot of the car. The argument between the man and woman may act as an indication towards the general animosity throughout the film, implying that there will be various altercations between characters. Therefore, there is a sense of conflict, which may be synonymous to the film itself. 

·         2.54 seconds: screen fades into another shot – another car comes into frame – shows several characters together. The lead of the group is followed by a tracking shot. This goes into a mid-shot of him standing waiting. This identifies his formal appearance (suit, tie) and he is greeted by everyone, suggesting he is important and superior. Voice over: "There stood the number one man. The man with all the power. Sunni. Everybody loved Sunni and treated him like a God. And in my neighbourhood he was a God. And I would sit on my stoop and watch him all day and all night, but he would never even look at me. Never. Until one day". The voice over serves as a hint towards the direction of the film, suggesting that the character of Sunni will be very influential towards the events of the film. 

·         3.28–3.33 seconds: ‘A Tribeca Production’ (production company)  - name presented in bold italics/ white font in the centre screen  - It is now day time and the city of New York is full of working people  - dramatic change in music (much more lively and jovial now) – the music and titles are played over the action that occurs in the scenes. A close up of a woman is seen dancing, reflecting the peace of the story at this point.

·         3.37-3.41 seconds: ‘Robert De Niro’ (Actor 1)  - name presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. There is the use of mid shot on the three actors, showing their working class status as they are wearing vests and navy workmen trousers. 

·         3.44-3.47 seconds: ‘Chazz Palminteri (Actor 2) - name presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. A long shot is used, detailing the full profile of several men. They are also wearing workmen clothing, but are bright colours, suggesting there is a calm and tranquility about the current scene due to the normality of it. The men are playing baseball on the streets. 

·         3.58-4.01 seconds: ‘A Bronx Tale’ – title of the film presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. The camera used a mid shot showing several food sellers, which generally conveys a working city (the music compliments this). 

·         4.03-4.07 seconds: ‘Lillo Brancate’ (Actor 3) - name presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. Mid shot used to show business men talking. The men are wearing formal shirt and tie suits, suggesting the area consists of various different people with various different backgrounds - different classes. 

·         4.10-4.14 seconds: ‘Francis Capra’ (Actor 4) - name presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. Consistent us of mid-shots used with a focus theme of money, suggesting that the wealthier members of this society have the power and control. 

·         4.17-4.20 seconds: ‘Taral Hicks’ (Actor 5) - name presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. A two shot is used with the camera at a mid level, showing two individuals dealing with money. Again, this may emphasise the importance of money and being more powerful as a result of possessing such money. Additionally, the man counting the money is wearing a suit, whereas the one who gave the money over is simply wearing a working standard white shit. This may be an indication of the difference in classes of this society; upper class dominate the lower class. 

·         4.22-4.25 seconds: ‘Original Music by Butch Barbella/ Music Supervisor Jeffrey Kimball’ - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. We see the previous young men playing baseball again. Each of them are wearing working class clothes - trouser, shirt/vest, boots. 

·         4.27-31 seconds: ‘Casting Ellen Chenweth’ - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. Within each second, the camera quickly cuts to a different person hitting the baseball each time. 

·         4.33-3.36 seconds: ‘Associate Producer Joseph Reidy’ - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. The camera pans around a market area, displaying a vibrancy among the people as they move hastily. 

·         4.38-4.42 seconds: ‘Costume Designer Rita Ryack’ - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. We see tracking shots of men and women at the market stalls, which perhaps identifies the variety in business. The market men are dressed in lower class attire with t-shirts and trousers. 

·          4.45-4.59 seconds: ‘Edited by David Ray and R.Q Lovett’ - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. There is a close up of a pizza being cut into slices, which is synonymous to the characters within the story who are Italian. 

·         5.09-5.11 seconds: ‘Production Designer Wynn Thomas’ - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. A long shot is again used. Match on action used here, with several boys jumping on each other's backs. First the boy jumps from behind, then the camera moves to the right of them to show that they've completed the jump. This again confirms the more jovial atmosphere created here. 

·         5.13-5.17 seconds: ‘Director Photography Reynaldo Villalobos’ - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. Long shot, then mid shot used on a group of young girls and boys, who can be seen playing cards. This suggests that there are a range of different demographics within this area. 

·         5.25-6.06 seconds: ‘Executive Producer Peter Gatien' - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font. Tracking shot of a bus, before medium close up of the bus driver who  looks a little uneasy. There is then a close up of the character through a mirror, as he spots teenagers jumping onto the back of the bus. There is a close up of his foot slamming the breaks, before a tracking shot of him leaving the bus and telling the boys to leave.   

·         6.07-6.38 seconds: Voice over begins again: "That's my Dad. Lorenzo Alleno. His bus route was 187 street and I used to love to ride the bus with him". Camera then pans towards the boy sitting behind the bus driver. Medium shot of the boy, shows his baseball cap (supporter of the New York Yankees) and his smile, suggesting a love for his Father as they look at each other.. Voice over: "That's me. Calogero".
-     6.39-6.44 seconds: Tracking shot of the boy as he leaves the bus and says "See you later" to his Dad, who responds with "Okay. Go straight up stairs". This particular scene initiates the idea that the Father is the main authority figure.
6.45-6.48 seconds: Low shot of the Mother waving from the window upstairs. This type of shot may serve as a subtle hint that the Mother is another influential figure and the story very much revolves around her family.

·         6.57-7.00 seconds: ‘Screenplay by Chazz Palminteri based on his play’ - presented centre screen in bold italics/capital letters/white font – music fades out and voice over stops speaking. 

·         7.01-7.04 seconds: ‘Produced by Jane Rosenthal/Jon Kilik/ Robert De Niro' in the centre of the screen with bold and white italics.. Tracking shot of the boy as he goes down the steps. The camera is also slightly of a low angle, again potentially emphasising the significance of the boy as he is the main character. 

·         7.05-7.09 seconds: ‘directed by Robert De Niro’ placed centre screen in bold and white italics. 

Group Roles;
Written and uploaded by Ismail Khwaja