Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Opening Sequence

In order to analyse the opening sequence of Ace Ventura:Pet Detective we will look at the different micro elements and try and establish how they are used to set up character, narrative and genre.

The theme of the production is instantly recognised by the subtlty of the non-diegetic theme tune which is fast paced and racey and fits seemlessly with the actions on-screen. The tone of the tune enables the viewer to undrstand what genre of film they are watching which in this case is a light-hearted comedy

The song playing in the background during the opening sequence is non diogetic and fits with the actions that the character portrays throughout the sequence, its fast paced and racey which fits with the tempo of the characters movements and actions, the tone of the song lets the viewer instantly know what genre of film.

The sequence begins in slow-motion slowly increasing to real-time when the theme tune kicks in. This eases the viewer into the film It starts off with a low-angle shot quickly cutting to a tracking shot following the character as he runs along the sidewalk. The next shot is a close-up of a random pedestrians face showing his reaction to what is happening in the scene, it carries on with a tracking shot, showing the surrounding enviroment. All transisitions are cuts throughout the entirety of the film, this helps to not distant the viewer from the reality of what is happening on-screen, .


The character then walks up to the hotel walking in the oppossite direction of the camera which is situated at the bottom of the stairs, the camera then cuts to his face for a moment then returns back to a shot of the stairs as he returns to pick up his parcel following a low angle shot. What follows is a panning shot as the character walks from the door to the elevator, he enters the elevator with the camera in a fixed position until the film cuts to the elevator opening on the second floor of the hotel.

The micro element mise-en-scene is apparent from the beginning of the sequence with the main character, Ace Ventura, wearing a delivery company suit because this is the start of the film you dont know if it is his actual clothing or a disguise.