BLK Homework 2 - Film Opening analysis

For this Homework, we were given the task of analysing a film clip and listing all the Film making conventions and cultural codes used in the scene, the clip I choose was from the start of the second film in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy "The Dark Knight." In this scene 5 people rob a mob's bank while talking about 6th person who supposedly masterminded the whole thing.
Here is a list of all the Film making conventions which I could spot being used in this scene:

• The Shot of the Gotham skyline, setting the seen.
• The Smashing of the windows a shooting across the zip line, shows action or espionage
• The running into the bank shooting shows action.
• The criminals shooting each other shows there is some mysterious elements to the scene
• The long shot of the back of the person wearing the mask shows that this man is in some way mysterious
• High angle shots of the zip line show the danger involved in this act
• The Low key lighting in the car contrasts the high key lighting outside, on the roof
• The use of mostly long shots inside, contrasts the close up over the shoulder shots on the roof

And Here is a list of all the Cultural codes:

• The masks show that the robbers are criminals not wanting to show their identity
• When they run into the building shooting the audience understands this is a heist, despite it not being explicitly mentioned.
• The mobster wearing a suit indicates he is quite important.
• By giving the civilians grenades the audience understands how they are preventing trouble