what is a Macguffin?

In the classwe looked at what a macguffin was and how it could help in the world of filmmaking. As wetalked about it in class, we came up with the ideas that is something that drives the plot and we used an example such as 'Indiana Jones and the raiders of the lost ark'the lost ark is the macguffin of the movie because itis something that drives the plot but is not the main part of it. The macguffin was also a key element of some Alfred hitchcock films such as 'Psycho'

There are alot of films that use differenttypesof macguffins, hereis just a small list of them:

- The feather in FOREST GUMP
- The lost ark in INDINANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
- The heart of the ocean necklase in TITANIC
- The mysterious case in PULP FICTION
- The destiny sword in CROUCHING TIGER,HIDDEN DRAGON
- The cash in the envolope in PSYCHO



DICTIONARY DIFINITION

(Noun)

(film) a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot) "the McGuffin was a key element of Alfred Hitchcock's films"

When looking at macguffins in terms of film openings,we anaylised the sound and visuals of the classic movie, 'Forest gump'(2004).
It opens with a white feather- the macguffin,slowly falling down to what appears to be a homely town of some sort. the feather twists and turns in the wind and the camera catches this with a tracking shot. the sound starts with a non-diagetic lullaby-like pice with a twinkling piano which could connotate with the feather and its purity and innocense. It is gradually joined by the rest of the orchestra as it cresendos shadowing the moves of the feather. As the feather flows into the sky, the title is shown is a plain white font fitting in nicely with the clouds and blue sky,connotating with purity.
As the feather reaches the town, the first ever person in the shotis the protagonist,which the  audience is unclear of at this time as it justb looks like someone waiting for the bus. The feather then lands on a mans shoulder letting theaudience think for a brief moment that this man is the protagonist, but it rushes off into the town further getting blown about by a car. the music refects the feather andas the feather reaches it's highest point, so does the music.
The feather then lands at someones feet, as there is a close up, you can see that this person has muddy shoes that are worn out. as a member of the audience, you wonder why his shoes are so dirty, and what he would've done to get them like that. A hand then comes into shot picking the feather up as camera still tracks it, and the audeince can get a clear look of his face. This man then opens his brief case and pulls out a childrens book,opening a page with blue sky and white clouds on, (which could reflect the sky at thebeginning of the opening) and puts the feather inside closing the book. As the fetaher lands at the protangonists feet, the music returns to the twinkling piano, refelcting the personality of the protangonist.