Treatment of the Opening Scenes

The first thing we see is a black screen and the only thing we can hear are diegetic footsteps. The production/distribution company titles fade in and out and then the black screen fades into a mid shot of a pair of female legs. A girl walks up a school drive, approximately 80 meters in length. On the left side there is a white stone fence, separating the drive from a street of houses, and on the right side a row of high bushes keeping the students away from the cars driving in and out of the car park. The drive eases left; the girl makes her way through some tall green gates and enters the school. On her left is a large building, in the rough shape of an octagon, seemingly very modern. In front of her, slightly on her left is a long translucent tunnel, in the style of a bus shelter. The girl makes her way up a couple of steps and gradually starts to get into the heart of the school. Finally, she stops and the camera tilts up to reveal a sign that says ‘RECEPTION’. She walks in and is faced by a pond with fish swimming around, and foliage surrounding it. On the walls are pictures of students, past and present engaging in activities that the school has to offer. In the top right hand corner of the room there is a set of double doors, which lead into the school hall. The girl walks up the stairway, which is in the middle of the room; the camera is positioned at the top of the stairs, so the audience can see her progressing upwards. Finally, as she makes it to the top, the girl trips and the glasses she is wearing fall off. A close up of them reveal that they are not broken and two hands reach out to pick them up. Slowly the camera zooms out to show who’s the other pair of hands belong to, a male teacher's. The girl and man are looking in surprise at each other, both still holding the pair of glasses. The man is the first to take control and break the silence,
‘Here-’
He hands her, her glasses and they both straighten up. Again he speaks,
‘Are you the new student here?’
The girl nods and then looks down, apparently too embarrassed to speak to him.
‘Follow me.’
The man turns and walks past the reception and down a corridor. The screen fades to black as the movie title appears.