Johnny English opening sequence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDrIGdCMwT4



The opening to Johnny English builds up the protagonist's character. The audience first see him wearing a vest and shorts which shows he isn't the stereotypical secret agent. He then practises a series of scenarios that he may encounter when being a secret agent which shows him as being a hard worker and constantly trying his best. This creates a juxtaposition when he makes mistakes and increases the humour when the protagonist is wearing stereotypical secret agent clothes and trying to  fit the stereotype. It also shows that the protagonist's thinks he is a successful secret agent but it s clear to the audience that he is wrong but doesn't know it. When he chooses his gun he chooses the biggest. This could be phallic symbolism, showing his power, but when he sets it up wrong his superiority is lost. He walks with confidence until he realises he is lost. This shatters his secret agent persona. He regains his composure when he enters the room but when he throws his coat out of the window by mistake, he looses it again. The humour throughout this opening sequence derives from the constant subversion of the secret agent stereotype.

The camera shots when he is walking around the building with confidence a slightly lower than eye level and medium or close up shots are mainly used which shows he has power and is confident in his surroundings. When the protagonist realises he is lost,  lots of long shots are used to show that he is more inferior than before. A crane shot is used which also shows his inferiority.


The blue and red colours on screen represent the union Jack and show that the protagonist is proudly British and fights for his country. The text is silver which signifies wealth. This could connote that wealth is a large part of the plot. The fast cutting speed when the protagonist is wearing different clothes adds to the humour and shows his desire to be perceived as well as possible.

The non-diegetic sound of the song lyrics describe what the protagonist thinks he is, but the audience can see that he isn't. The diegetic sound used when he attacks a coat stand shows he struggles doing so and this shows his incompetence. A non-diegetic swooping sound is used when a shot cuts to the guns on the table and the car. This could show his equipment is important and impressive.