The opening scene for shameless feels very chaotic, while at the same time purposefully showcasing certain information to lead the viewer to an understanding of its characters. The camera shots are typically close ups, with multiple things happening at once, which leads to a very claustrophobic feeling in some moments. We see characters running past the camera many times, which leads us to believe they are in a rush and enhances the stressful feeling. The camera also moves around during shots, which adds another layer of movement to the chaos. Continuity is used to help keep the story together and keep the viewer from becoming confused. If these clips were not filmed the way they were, the story would be incredibly difficult to follow.
While things are going on in the background, the camera focuses on specific things like items or characters. With doing this, it is able to quickly convey relationship dynamics between the characters, their current situation, as well as information about each person’s life.
For example, many of the shots highlight the family’s financial situation. Even without dialogue, you can see issues such as the broken washing machine, the kids passing cash around, things like that. We also get information like who is likely the parent figure in the house from the way the camera follows the character around the house as she completes tasks.
Overall this scene does a good job at using continuity to maintain a solid storyline and convey information even during chaotic moments.