I have selected 4 possible font styles that could be used in our opening sequence, and I got these from a website called "Da Font".
This text is called “Static Buss” I like this one the most, as you cannot quite see the text as it is fuzzy, making the audience wonder at what is going to happening and why the events are going to happen. Also, I just think it looks very creepy for the viewer, almost forcing them to watch.
This text is called "Kremlin" and I like this one a lot as I feel that the E's being backwards make the audience a little more weary towards the film, almost making them question at what will happen, and if it will be a good thing or a bad thing.
This text is called "Plakkaat" and I feel that it could work within the opening sequence as like other thriller openings it is in big and bold, like it is kept basic just to keep things simple for the viewer, not making a fuss over the titles, just keeping them interested in the film.
This type of text is known as "Zombie" and I feel that this could be used in our opening sequence as it shows an edgy style, almost like that something is happening and can't be stopped, like it needs to be done, like the crime needs to be committed.
Eddie plays the main character Jay, and he is the victim within the movie, and this is strange as it is usually a woman who is the victim but in our opening the woman is a killer. He is wearing a blue coat maybe to suggest that he is a calm person and will cause no harm, and that the audience should sympathise with him as he is the innocent one. Also, Eddie being dressed in everyday clothing makes the character seem more realistic.
Tom is playing the character of Will, who is the main cause of the murder of Jay, he is having an affair with Carly and they are both trying to get Jay's money. Will looks like a normal person but he is wearing the dark colours of black and grey, like he is hiding something from the audience and that they have to carry on watching to find out just how evil this character is. Also, Tom was chosen as the killer as it is typical to see a male lead commit the crime.
Jade is playing the character of Carly, who is in a partnership with Jay, but she assists the murder of Jay. She is clothed in the colours of black and red, and these can present that she is a dark person, full of anger and rage towards Jay, also the colour red can suggest the blood and hurt she has caused just to get Jay's money. Throughout the opening we don't see her face almost to make the viewer question if she is good or bad.
In our opening sequence there is no dialogue but there is a phone message that is left in a panic tone. The message left will be along the lines of warning the character of Jay that he is in trouble and needs to escape. But through the film we learn that the partner Carly really set him up with her secret lover Will.
Message Left: "Jay you've got to get out of here, they know, and they're coming for you Jay, they're coming........"
Props: → A Knife – covered in blood to show that it’s the murder weapon. → Home Phone – this when Carly leaves the message, almost a way to help the audience at what is happening. → A Ring – On Jays finger showing that he is the victim at first then cutting to his normal life. → Books, Paper, Glass & Picture Frame – shows that one of the characters is an artist and the titles will appear on them e.g. producer, composer, etc. Costumes: The death scene: → Jay will be covered in blood and mud, the clothing, which was fancy will also be ripped showing that something bad has happened to him, and this can make the audience think about what has happened and why would it happen. → The two killers Carly and Will would be in dark clothing almost to show that they are hiding something. The house scene: → Jay is wearing normal, everyday clothing to show the viewer that nothing is wrong and doesn’t hint at that he will be murdered. Locations: → River/Woodland – This location is where the murder scene is and it’s a nice place for the opening of a thriller as it creates a sinister atmosphere making the viewer question at what has happened. Also, the woodlands can suggest that the death scene is empty; it’s a vast space where no one could help Jay. → House (bathroom/bedroom) – This location almost breaks the creepy, sinister atmosphere and bringing the mood back too an everyday life, which makes the viewer feel a lot more comfortable.
→ Footsteps – walking away from the murder scene, shows at how quite the scene is making it more creepy. → Breathing – to increase the tension in the opening and making the audience feel scared. → Alarm Clock – used as a sound bridge to break up the scenes. → Shower – makes the opening more everyday, almost reassuring the viewer. → Phone Calling – the audience questions, who is calling and why? → Answer Phone Message – increases the tension amongst the audience, and it almost gives them more clues.
Below I have chosen some music clips that could be possibly used in our opening sequence, I feel that the music has to be very slow and sinister, but it eventually builds up to the alarm clock that will break the scary atmosphere. Also I feel that the music needs to make the audience feel uncomfortable and hold them hostage, almost forcing them to watch the opening.
→ Close up – shows emotions, to show shots of everyday things like Jay turning off the alarm clock.
→ Establishing shot – sets the scene, can be used to show where the characters are showing if it’s an everyday scene or not.
→ Tracking shot – follows action, plan to use this when characters Will and Carly walk away from murder scene.
→ Extreme close up – more detail in the frame, we will use this to show body parts of the dead body to keep the viewer questioning at what has happened.
→ Pan shot – shows the scene while camera is still, can show the shot of Jay’s bedroom with the titles appearing on the screen.
→ Focus pull – main object stands out, can use this in the shot of the knife to show that this is the object that hurt Jay.
The two main characters, Jay and Carly, are a married couple. Then one day Jay receives a distressing phone call from Carly, however Jay doesn’t hear this message as he is in the shower. After showering he listens to the message but he doesn’t know where Carly has gone, almost like she has disappeared. Then Jay sets out to find her; but along the way he becomes the main target for Carly and her secret lover Will. Although in the end it results Jay in dying, being stabbed by his exe wife and her lover all for his money/fortune.
Opening Sequence Synopsis – Deceit In the opening sequence of ‘Deceit’ we firstly see the 3 main characters Jay, Carly and Will, but we see the dead body of Jay then Carly and Will walking away from the body. But then it quickly cuts to the alarm clock where we see Jay and Carly together as a couple and living a normal life. While Jay is in the shower Carly leaves a phone message (almost setting him up) and then disappears. This leaves the audience questioning at what will happen to Jay, and then what is Carly up to?
This shooting schedule shows the days that we plane to film as a group and it also shows the locations where we plan to go to film for our opening sequence. We had to plan these days around each other so we could all be there to film.
Do you like the 'end' of the film at the beginning of the film?
The half of the people of the survey show that they don't mind if the end is shown or not, meaning that as long as they are kept interested at the beginning they don't mind.
From the results it shows that most of the people answered that they like the opening set at night-time, and this could suggest that the audience wants to be more creeped out.
In the post before you can see that I produced a questionnaire to see what certain people like from a thriller opening sequence. Below I have produced some pie charts and tables to show some results from the questionnaire.
Do you like 'Fast', 'Slow' or 'Doesn't Matter' music?
From the results you can see that most of the audience likes slow music in the opening sequence, and this could be due to it makes the mood more creepy and builds a lot of tension.
Questionnaire: Thriller, Hot or Not? In this questionnaire we will be researching information about the opening of our thriller, and we are gathering information about thriller opening sequences, so we can establish a unique and interesting idea that will appeal to our target audience. Instructions: - Circle appropriate answers - Answer questions truthfully, with your own opinion
Question 1 Do you like the end of the film to be shown at the beginning of the film? YESSOMETIMESNO
Question 2 Do you like a cliff-hanger ending? Strongly AgreeAgreeDon’t KnowDisagreeStrongly Disagree
Question 3 Describe your ideal thriller opening location.
Question 4 Do you prefer fast paced or slow paced music in the opening? YESNO
Question 5 List 3 features you expect for the following characters.
Question 6 Do you like lots of titles at the start of the film? YESSOMETIMESNO
Question 7 What time of day do you expect a thriller opening to be set? Early MorningMid-dayNight-time
Question 8 Do you think that the opening is important to a film? YESSOMETIMESNO Why?
The opening sequence is an important part to a film, as it almost introduces the film to the viewer making them get 'hooked' to watch the film. Some conventions are: - The audience is usually familiarised with the setting of the film, an establishing shot is used - Clips are slow paced, and are edited in the style of continuity editing - The viewer could be introduced to some characters - Most times there are titles of producers or actors names - It must 'hook' the viewer, making them want to watch the film and find out what's going to happen
A thriller has a lot of conventions to it to make it a successful thriller film. It must have the viewer hooked from start to end, making them question the events going on during the film. Some conventions could be:
- Many close up shots to question the viewer
- Sinister locations, almost making the mood creepy
- Props used, for example a polaroid picture in 'Memento'
- Music that starts off slow, but gains speed as tension builds in the film
- Story-line has to be interesting to keep the viewer watching the film, making them question the film
- There are also many quick cuts between shots to make an event fast paced
These are my 8 beautifully composed images for ideas for a location for a new thriller opening sequence.
The images above reflect what I believe would make good locations for a thriller opening sequence, firstly I feel that the images of the trees in a long shot make a good location as it shows a sense of wonder for the viewer, making them wonder at what is out there and what could happen. Also, I like the use of the mist in the frames because it shows that the scene is quite creepy.
I chose the image of the phone box, as it shows a sense of loneliness in the frame, yes the frame is almost filled but its a single object in the frame, also its almost a cliche as in some films the phone box would ring and a person would answer it and would be given a task to complete.
This then links to the close up of a branch with graffiti, showing that the scene is very corrupt and that something bad could happen. Then the image with the hole in the middle with light shining through, also shows a sense of wonder, making the viewer wonder what's out there and what could happen.
The mid-shot of the grey box with black graffiti could show a sign for the characters, almost like it helps them solve a puzzle, and I like the last image of the rose with snow on as it links to all the other pictures saying that there is always a sense of loneliness in each frame, but something so basic is shown as beautiful and peaceful.
Overall, I believe that I have composed 8 good images as a suggestion for a new thriller opening sequence.
Double Indemnity – Opening Sequence The title of the film: The title of the film is called ‘Double indemnity’, and at first we see that the film is in black and white but we see a silhouette of a man on crutches, maybe this is linking to the title suggesting that someone has tried to harm this person so they can get their money, but the man has survived. As usual the title is in the centre of the screen and stands out to the viewer.
How the setting/location is revealed: The audience gets to see an establishing shot of a main road, and they see a sign within the shot telling them that the film is set in Los Angeles. Also, the viewer is shown that it is set during the night-time as the scene looks dark and also we see men working on the road.
Costumes/props: Firstly, there is a use of a car in the opening sequence and this makes the reader question at who is driving and why are they driving out of control, furthermore the car driving crazy may suggest that the driver is in a bit of trouble and needs to sort something out, like a story is unfolding. Also, when the man is in the office on his clothing by his shoulders is a gun wound, also making the viewer wonder at what has happened and why he has got shot.
Camera work/editing: During the opening sequence of when the titles are appearing of producers and actors, the silhouette of the man is being zoomed on maybe making the viewer wonder who this man is and why he is on crutches. Also, the long shot of the office works really well as it shows that the insurance company is big by the amount of desks, but is shown as being empty with only cleaners there cleaning.
Title and font style: Like in other thriller opening sequences we see the traditional usage of bold, simple texts that are central within the screen. Also, as before I feel that the usage of this simple lettering doesn’t give that much away for the audience forcing them to watch on and see what the film is all about.
How the opening sets the story: Well we see a main road with a crazy driver in a car, and then we see this car pull up by a work building with a lobby. We then see the man go up in a lift to the place where he works and then we see him sit back in his own office, and it’s like he is about to confess what has happened and this sets the story for the viewer making them watch on to find out.
How does it suggest that it’s a thriller: The opening sequence could suggest that the film is a thriller, by all the shadowing used throughout the opening sequence making it a lot more creepy for the viewer, almost forcing them to watch on. Also, the music in the opening sequence makes out the film is going to be a thriller as it’s very sinister and builds a lot of tension for the viewer.
The characters introduced: In the opening sequence we meet the driver of the car, and we learn that his name is Mr Nef, and we learn that he is an important person in his business as he has his own office showing that he has power. Also, we meet another male but not as powerful as Mr Nef, almost like he works for Mr Nef.
Special effects: In ‘Double Indemnity’ opening sequence I believe that there are no real special effects, but it is kept simple and basic making it easier for the viewer to understand the plot of the film, also there seems to be a lot of fades between each clips maybe making it flow more.
Fargo – Opening Sequence The title of the film: The title of the film is called ‘Fargo’ and it appears in the centre of the screen after we see names of the actors and producers, and it’s on the background of the blue sky. It is faded in and also it is faded out. Also, when the name appears on the screen the music becomes a lot calmer almost like it’s calming the viewer, getting them ready for what is going to happen during the film.
How the setting/location is revealed: Firstly, after we see the companies MGM and Polygram, we see a bit of text saying that the film is based on a true story. Finally, the audience sees a blue sky with titles on it, but it cross-dissolves into an establishing shot of a snowy road with a car in the distance, and this makes the reader question, where is this car going, why is it travelling in the harsh conditions.
Costumes/Props: We first see the character of Jerry Lundegaard, and he is presented in a geeky way, with plain clothing and an oversized coat, also he is shown with a bowl hat on and he is presented as a scared character as he is hunched over, showing that he isn’t confident in what he is about to do. Also, the car is used as it makes the viewer question where is it going and what is the person driving doing.
Camera work/editing: I believe that the establishing shot of the car driving down the snowy road worked well in the opening sequence as it uses the ‘rule of thirds’ and I feel that it’s a beautifully composed shot that does make the viewer wonder what’s going to happen in the film. Also, I feel that the long shot of the character of Jerry Lundegaard works well as it shows the audience that this is the main person in the film, and that something bad may/will happen to him.
Title and font style: The font used in this thriller opening sequence is very similar to other opening sequences, the usage of capital letters that show a simple and traditional style to the title, and it is like that it doesn’t give away any information. Also, the actually typing ‘Fargo’ makes the viewer question what does this mean, and what has it got to do with the film.
How the opening sets the story: Firstly the viewer gets to see a clear blue sky, almost like that everything is perfect, and it then cuts to an establishing shot of a car driving down the road, and the ‘rule of thirds’ is used with the road-side on either side and the car travelling down the middle. After the audience gets to see a long shot of a small country bar, and we know that it’s a country place as we hear country, folk music and there are old men in the bar wearing checked tops and gillets.
How does it suggest that it’s a thriller: The audience could know that the film is going to be a thriller by the opening sequence, as there is a plot evolving between Jerry Lundegaard and the two hit men who are going to do something for Jerry. Also, the music can help suggest that it’s a thriller as it starts off very calm and it then builds up, and becomes louder building up more tension, making the viewer wonder what is going to happen through the film.
The characters introduced: We first meet the character of Jerry Lundegaard when he walks into the bar, and he is represented as a geeky person, almost like he is unconfident and that he is of a lower status too the two hit men, who have more confidence as they are sitting up right and are more forward.
Special effects: In ‘Fargo’ opening sequence I feel that there are no real special effects, as it is kept basic and simple, almost making it a lot easier for the audience to understand the plot and the characters involved with this plot that will occur in the film.
Kiss Me Deadly – Opening Sequence The title of the film: The title of the film is called ‘Kiss Me Deadly’, and we first see the title appear on the screen after we see a girl running and stopping a car to get in, and after that we have a personal view of the car driving along the road. As before the title is central in the screen but this time the credits are rolling down so you almost read it as it comes on the screen.
How the setting/location is revealed: The audience gets to see a long shot of a woman running down a road and we assume that it’s a road due to cars passing her and how there are markings on the road for the cars. Also, the shot could suggest that this road is a motorway as cars are driving past fast and that it’s in the middle of nowhere surrounded by grass/fields.
Costumes/props: When the woman first appears on the screen we see that she is quite young with very short hair, and the only thing that she is wearing is a lightly coloured trench coat and also she isn’t wearing any shoes maybe telling the viewer that she is running away from something in a panic. Also, the man in the car looks very formal and upper class, and the viewer suggests this by his car, as it looks like a top of the range car and very sporty.
Camera work/editing: During the opening sequence there are many different shots and angles used effectively. Firstly, the unusual usage of the mid shot works very well as it shows a woman’s legs running barefoot, and this makes the viewer question at what has happened to her and why is she running, is she in any trouble. Also, ‘shot, reverse, shot’ is used to show the male and female characters just looking at each other.
Title and font style: As before like in other thriller opening sequences the viewer sees the usage of big, bold traditional font styles. And these simple texts are always centred into the screen. Also, I believe that this type of font and title doesn’t give away much information about the film making the viewer have to watch on.
How the opening sets the story: The story is set in a car of man and he has picked up the woman who was running away from something, and when they come to police stop the audience find out that the woman has run away from an insinuation, and that the man has now lied to the police to help this woman. This works well as the viewer finds out some information about the plot but not a lot is given away, making the viewer watch on.
How does it suggest that it’s a thriller: The opening sequence could suggest that this film is a thriller, by the usage of the quick cuts of different shots, for example mid-shot of legs cutting to a mid-shot of the woman’s upper body and then cutting to a long shot of the woman running. Also, in the opening there is a lot of shadowing making it very creepy for the viewer.
The characters introduced: In the opening sequence the audience meets two characters, a male and a female. The female is first seen running away in panic making the reader question at what is wrong and why is she running. Secondly, we meet the male who is stopped by the woman who is trying to escape discomfort, and he is seen as a powerful person sitting up right and owning an expensive car.
Special effects: In ‘Kiss Me Deadly’ I feel that there are no real special effects, maybe it could be because of it being made in the 50s, and also I feel it works well with no special effects as it makes the events look more realistic.
Brick – Opening Sequence The title of the film: The title of the film is called ‘Brick’ and it appears on the screen after we see the school setting, and it’s a quick cut into it. The text is central on the screen and it is on a black background, and after it’s faded out. Also, when the title appears on the screen the music stops almost forcing the audience question what this film is going to be about.
How the setting/location is revealed: Firstly, all we see is close ups of the scene and of a person making the viewer wonder where this film is set, but it then cuts to an establishing shot of the setting. The audience sees a tunnel or a storm drain, and in it there is a man kneeling down looking over at a body of a murdered girl. Also, further on into the opening sequence another establishing shot is used to show a long and empty road with a phone box, while the boy is sitting there.
Costumes/props: Well the clothing from the opening sequence seems to be very normal, everyday clothing, but when get the close ups of the descent girl we see that she is wearing high heels and a formal skirt suggesting that the girl was going somewhere nice and didn’t plan to get all muddy shown by the close up of her legs. Also, the props of the ‘blue bracelets’ can tell the audience that this girl is young and almost innocent as she is shown at school with these bracelets on. Lastly, nearing the end of the opening sequence we see a cigarette with an arrow on it making the viewer wonder at what this means, and what is going to happen.
Camera work/editing: I like the use of the longs shot/establishing shot of the storm drain, as I feel it’s a really well composed shot using the ‘rule of thirds’, with the tunnel in the middle and the two people either side. Also, a sound bridge is used between the girl’s arm in the drain then it shown to the school, and we know that it’s a school by the viewer being able to hear the school bell and lots of kids talking. Lastly, many close ups are used building tension for the audience, making them feel uncomfortable and curious.
Title and font style: The main title in all of the opening sequence is the title of the film ‘Brick’, it’s in capital letters and the font is almost traditional, like it isn’t giving to much information away for the viewer, not saying what it’s about straight away. The text ‘2 days previous’ makes the audience ask questions like when and where what has happened?
How the opening sets the story: Well the story is mainly set when we see and establishing shot of the storm drain with the girl and the boy also within the shot. Yet, this shot doesn’t give too much away for the viewer as it makes the question at how and what has happened, especially to the girl. Also, the establishing shot of the empty road with the phone box sets the scene as the audience wonders if they will find out what has happened or if they have to keep watching to find out.
How does it suggest that it’s a thriller: The opening sequence can suggest that the film is going to be a thriller by the opening being in broad daylight but it gives off a creepy, sinister atmosphere, as the music is building louder and more uncomfortable making the tension build for the audience. Also, when the boy is on the phone to the girl a story is unfolding about a ‘brick’ and then a car drives by fast as the girl panics making the viewer question it more.
The characters introduced: From the first few shots we see close ups of two people a male and female, but when we see them we don’t actually get to see their faces fully, only parts of them, making it more creepy and making the audience wonder at who they are. From the opening sequence we learn that both characters are young and that they go to school as we see the blue bracelets at lockers and then we see the male by the same lockers, and also the sounds of school bells and children talking suggest that they are young.
Special effects: I believe that in the opening sequence of ‘Brick’ is kept very basic and simple with no real effects maybe making it a lot easier for the viewer to understand and know what’s going on. Although, I feel that the shot from the bracelets of the girl on the floor to them being in a school environment is really effective as it is going to show the viewer what happened.
Wallander – Opening Sequence The title of the film: The title of this film is called ‘Wallander’ and it is based about the person Kurt Wallander who is a fictional police inspector of books and film. We first see the title appear about a minute into the opening sequence on a yellow screen with a slit in it so the viewer can see the actors, and further on we see actors/producers names appear and after all that we see the title again ‘Wallander’.
How the setting/location is revealed: The viewer first sees a close up of a sea but it then goes into an establishing shot of a beach with hills behind it, and then it starts to zoom in, and then the viewer sees a car which is a taxi. Also, at the same time we can see two girls walking, and this makes the viewer question at what has happened. It’s also really effective as it’s zooming in because the music is building a lot of tension and is making the audience very uncomfortable.
Costumes/props: The two girls are presented to the audience in a mess, as if they have been caught up in a lot of trouble. Both of the girls have messed up hair, while wearing black jackets with lighter coloured and both of the girls have blood splattered all over their face showing the audience that these girls have been caught up in some sort of trouble. Also, one of the girls is holding a knife covered in blood, telling the viewer that they have caused a bad crime and making them question if these girls had a good reason to kill.
Camera work/editing: During this opening sequence I feel that the slow, cut editing between the murder scene and the two girls walking works really effectively, and this is because in the actual shots close ups are used and they show no emotions in them, and I feel this works well as the audience become hostile towards the screen and are wondering at what is happening.
Title and font style: Like in other thriller opening sequences we see the traditional usage of bold, simple text, but this time the texts are too the sides of the screen, making more tension for the reader as they don’t know what will pop out at anytime and where. Also, as before I feel that the usage of this simple lettering doesn’t give that much away for the audience forcing them to watch on and see what the film is all about.
How the opening sets the story: Well the audience establishes that the two girls have committed a serious crime, as they are holding a knife with blood on it, and also in the car there is blood all over the window screen. Further on into the opening sequence we establish that the detective is wondering why the girls killed a man just for money, and here we see that a plot/story is evolving.
How does it suggest that it’s a thriller: The opening sequence could suggest that it’s a thriller by the cutting of clips between the murder scene of the car and the girls. Also, in both of the shots of the girls and the car there is the sign of blood being splattered.
The characters introduced: In the opening sequence we meet two girls whom have committed a terrible crime of killing a taxi drive for money. Yet further on into the opening sequence we meet a police inspector who believes that the girls have killed for much deeper reasons, making the viewer following the inspector like they are also trying to crack the story.
Special effects: Like before in other opening thriller sequences, I feel that there are no real special effects, except for the way the titles of names are presented. Firstly, we see the characters in a dark lighting with the word ‘Wallander’ in an extreme close up in bright yellow, maybe showing the audience that there is a chance of hope amongst death/fear.
This video is the opening sequence to the film 'Memento' which was directed by Christopher Nolan, and was made in 2002. I am now going to comment on how the opening sequence is produced and what is contained within it to make it such a successful piece of footage.
The title of the film: The title of the film appears quite near the beginning of the opening sequence, as it firstly it shows who produced the film and who the famous actors are. But when the title ‘Memento’ appears it’s in a blue font and the letters are spaced out, almost making it easier for the audience to know that ‘Memento’ is the name of the film. Also, the title ‘Memento” appears on a black background but the words are fading in and out on the screen making the mood much more creepy.
Setting/Location:
The viewer gets to see the setting/location on the film about 30 seconds into it, and the first clip is faded in while the title of the film is on the screen, and once the word ‘Memento’ is gone we see a close up of a hand holding a Polaroid picture, and the scene that is set is almost a murder scene so the viewer is already asking questions and wanting the answers. This makes the opening successful, as the viewer doesn’t know what’s happening so they carry on watching to find out.
Key props in the opening: In this particular opening sequence the key prop used is a Polaroid picture, as they viewer may see this as the prime prop because when we see the Polaroid picture it’s in a close up shot, showing that it has a lot of importance and that this is what makes the film so special. The Polaroid picture and the title of the film almost link because a memento is a physical reminder of a place or experience, and the character in the film shows that he always has images to keep a memento to remember things in his life, and we see this right from the first clip.
Titles, font, placement and style: When we first see the opening its just a black screen but then we see names fading in and out of producers or actors, and their names are in a ‘Times New Roman’ font showing the simplistic style of the font maybe suggesting that nothing major is happening, almost calming the viewer before they watch the film. The names are placed central of the screen and the font is in a light blue colour, like before almost calming the viewer again. But when the clips start showing of the Polaroid picture names are still appearing in the same font and colour maybe trying to hold onto the calm mood before something bad happens.
Camerawork of opening sequence: Within the opening sequence there isn’t a variety of camera angles/shots used, and this could because that the director Nolan wanted to keep the viewer interested so if he made the opening more creepy and secretive, the viewer would engage more and would want their questions to be answered about what’s going on and why. However, the use of the close up when we see the hand holding a Polaroid picture is used to a great advantage, as the viewer is asking questions like who’s holding the picture, why has it been taken or who’s the dead person within the picture, and this is successful as the audience will keep on watching to get the answers they want. Also, once the clips have started to play the scene has almost been reverse so as the viewer we may get to see the climax and why the person has been shot in the film.
Opening sequence on relation to rest of film: I believe that the opening sequence relates a lot to the rest of the film because it is almost the end product shown at the beginning of the film, and that the rest of the film shows the climax of what happens to the characters. Also, in the opening sequence we see the prop of the Polaroid picture and this is then used throughout the film, and it is used like a ‘memento’ to help the main character remember things within his life.
Music in the opening sequence: The music in the opening sequence starts off quite come and slow almost easing in the viewer making them feel safe and telling them that the film is ok. However, when the blood appears and we see bullets the music starts to go even quieter like it’s building up tension for the viewer as they don’t know what’s going to happen next, but then we hear a gunshot and it goes silence and then we hear a voiceover that is about to explain something within the story.
The title of this well known thriller film is called 'The Sixth Sense', but it appears on the screen after we see who the film is made by and who's starring in it, and when it does appear we see the title 'The Sixth Sense', it's positioned in the middle of the screen with a black background but as it appears the music becomes more sinister, almost high pitched warning the audience that something might happen.
The way the setting/location is revealed:
The setting/location is revealed in a creepy way, almost like it is drawing in the viewer, almost forcing them to watch the film. We first see the location of a basement in a home; this can suggest that the house is very large so that very creepy things are easier to happen making it more like a thriller. Afterwards we then see a large room with a large staircase suggesting to the viewer that something might happen in a posh home to people with money.
Costumes/Props used in the opening:
During the opening sequence many props are used, for instance throughout the opening sequence we see the prop of a wine bottle and then it is followed by the use of a wine glass, and this suggests that the setting for the thriller is a large home with a lot of money, making it a prime target for something to happen. Followed on by the idea of wealth, the characters costume almost show a higher class person like the man in a sweater vest and the woman in a formal dress, and this also shows the viewer them two people could be a prime target due to their wealth.
Camerawork/Editing in the opening:
The opening sequence is edited in the style of continuity, as it will show something that is going happen but has the build up then the event, followed by the consequences. Also, ‘shot, reverse, shot’ is used during the opening sequence and this shows the viewer that something normal happening but could be broken. The camerawork in the opening sequence is very basic as close-ups and mid-shots are used a lot, maybe to build tension for the viewer and this can be shown by the shot of seeing the basement.
The title and font style: The titles of text are very basic, as they are on a black background and then the text is placed in the centre of the screen. Also, all of this creates a creepy atmosphere but it changes as the text is in blue almost calming the viewer, suggesting that something will happen but it’s drawing the viewer in slowly.
How the opening sequence sets the story:
Seeing the basement scene where the woman comes down to get some wine sets the story. The audience could automatically think that something would happen to the woman there and then, as it is very dark and creepy, like something could jump out on her.
How the opening suggests that it's a Thriller: I believe that the music suggests that this opening sequence is a thriller and this is because it starts of very calm and quite, but then when the title ‘The Sixth Sense’ appears on the screen the music becomes very loud and sharp, almost warning the viewer that something is going to happen but they have to watch to find out what it is.
The characters introduced in the opening: During the opening sequence we are introduced too two characters, firstly we see a woman and she is presented as very beautiful, wearing a formal dress and high heels telling the viewer that she is of a higher class, but seeing the woman in the basement she is presented as vulnerable. But when we see the other character, the male, she automatically is presented as safe due to being with him and he is also presented as a person of higher class.
Special effects in the opening: During the opening I feel that there are no real special effects, except for the clip either being cut one after each other, also some shots are slowed down almost to build tension for the viewer.
Cinematography: During the opening sequence you always see mid shots and long shots of the city, letting you be able to see where the movie will be set and almost giving the viewer the type of lifestyle the characters may live. For example, see tall buildings of offices could suggest that the characters live a fast paced life with their main focus being on work. Also, during the opening sequence we see many low angle shots maybe suggesting that something bad may happen as it gives more power to whoever or whatever the thing is.
Mise-en-scene: In the opening sequence the audience gets to see straight away where the movie will be set, as they keep getting repeated shots of tall buildings suggesting that it is set in a busy place like London or New York. The viewer doesn't see any characters yet so there is no reference to costumes.
Editing: The opening sequence is almost a form of montage editing and this means that the clips are in a random order, but it works well as they all associate with New York city. Also, there are no special effects really except for the actors/producers names appearing suddenly on the screen, and the transitions between the clips are just quick cuts.
Sound: The sound within the opening sequence starts off very quite and calm almost giving off a creepy feel to the audience but when the title of the film appears 'Panic Room', the music becomes a lot louder and faster paced almost trying to scare the viewer making them want to watch on.
Cinematography: Throughout the opening sequence there is a variety of camera angles/shots used to draw in the viewer. There is a lot of use of a high angle shot, and this shows that the audience has less power against whatever is in the film. Also, close ups are used throughout maybe to get the viewer to question what is happening and why, and the use of the close up doesn't give away much making the viewer ask questions.
Mise-en-scene: Within this opening sequence there is no use of costume, make-up or props showing that the scene is not yet set. Although the composition within the frame is amazing due to the opening sequence presenting X-rays of skeletons, showing that something sinister is going to happen in the film. The use of the x-rays makes this opening sequence very different from others as it's very creepy and doesn't give away what the film is about at the beginning making the viewer have to it to find out.
Editing: In his opening sequence its just animation, but the animation is very technical and the editing is very good as many of the objects are flown in and faded out to maybe show the creepiness of the opening. The type of editing is continuity as it shows the deaths from the other 'Final Destinations' but they are shown in orders of the movie, and this is put in the opening sequence because it might be showing a build up to the the final movie.
Sound: Constantly, throughout the opening sequence there is music from a soundtrack, and the genre of music is rock, it's loud and chaotic, maybe suggesting to the viewer that this film is going to be crazy and that lots of things will happen.
Cinematography: At the beginning of the clip there is a close up of Robert Downey Jr, and this shows his facial expression well creating tension with the viewer wondering what is happening making them want to carry on watching the film. Then it goes into a establishing shot of the press, showing two very different shots and angles, making the sequence much more interesting. Although, it goes into animation, showing creations of 'iron man', yet close ups, mid and long shots are used to show these images.
Mise-en-scene: There isn't no real setting for the opening sequence but right at the beginning we see a press room, and we know this by a famous person talking to the press, whom have props like cameras and microphones, while wearing very formal suits showing that the meeting is very important. Also, after that clip we seen more of an animation with the colours of green, blue and many more, on a black background with credits appearing over the top.
Editing: During the opening sequence there are not many clips from the actual movie, only right at the beginning and they aren't on for long, but it is almost a form of continuity editing as credits are appearing in a certain order, so that its not random. Also, the opening is mainly animated maybe to make the audience carry on watching and to get them hooked so they want to know what the film is about.
Sound: The sound within the opening sequence is very loud and is almost like rock music, and this could make the viewer feel excited as it may represent that the film is an action packed movie with a lot of special effects.
There is a distinctive difference between an opening sequence and trailer, and here I will explain and show how they are different with a referred example of the film 'Seven'.
Movie Trailer: Firstly, a movie trailer is a very short piece of footage, that involves fast pace and montage editing to give the audience an overview of the story/plot of the film. Also, within the trailer many shots are used and it is likely that over 80 shots would be used due to the trailer being fast paced, during in the viewer making them want to see the movie. Usual conventions are used like a voice over giving details and showing the audience at what actors are starring in the film. The trailer should never give away the ending, and doing that no one would see the film as the audience would know what happens, but the trailer has to show the good, action bits to draw in the viewer to see that film. Lastly overall, the trailer has to persuade the audience to go and watch the movie.
Movie Opening Sequence: An opening sequence is very different to a trailer, as usually the audience gets to familiarise the setting and establish where the beginning is, and these clips are edited continually and its much more slower paced, like its leading the audience into the narrative. Sometimes the audience gets introduced to some characters or actors through clips or titles, and sometimes the viewer is able to establish the mood or tone of the movie, like its creating an atmosphere. Also, a soundtrack is sometimes used to help set the mood of the film. Lastly, the viewers need to feel curious and engaged, wanting their questions to be answered within the film, making them watch on.
Underneath is an example of a trailer of the movie 'Se7en'.
Underneath is an example of the opening sequence of the movie 'Se7en'.
In a thriller title sequence there are many titles used to show that it is an opening for a film. Firstly, usually in a thriller opening sequence the audience sees the titles appear of the main star and then it is followed by the supporting actors names. After the name of the stars, we see the job roles of a ‘photographer’ that makes each shot look like a picture, and then jobs like ‘art director’ or ‘set decorator’ who get the mise-en-scene ready with props and the setting. Also, on the titles we see job roles like ‘assistant director’ and ‘assistant of the producer’ showing that they are there to help the main producers/directors. The texts of these roles are in a much smaller size than the main stars and producers/directors. After that there are the titles of the jobs associated with the music, like the workers of ‘ orchestrations’ and ‘music composer’. Lastly, in bigger and bolder writing we see the titles with the names of the producers and directors, and the example of the titles are seen in the film ‘Kiss Me Deadly’. Lastly, towards the end of an opening sequence you see the end of the titles and names, and begin to see an establishing shot of where the film is set.
For this piece of media we have to produce an opening sequence to a new Thriller film that is fiction and it has to last least two minutes long. To produce it I have to do a lot of research and planning into producing a very good Thriller opening sequence, and I have done this by watching many Thriller opening sequences to give me the best ideas to produce my own. While producing this I have to insert all the knowledge I have learnt like 180 degree rule and match on action to make it a good opening sequence.
My peers in my class evaluated my preliminary task and this is my feedback.
What Went Well: We had a good storyline with creativity and innovation. Our continuity was well composed as we used the 180 degree rule well as well as shot reverse shot and match on action. Our cinematography was good, which includes various shot types.
Even Better If: Our improvements would be to cut the clips or have a shorter film as it dragged out and the walking shots were too long. Also we needed to add in a master shot, to show more of a range of continuity editing.
With all this feedback I plan to use this information to help create an opening sequence for a thriller. I will keep in mind in making the clips short and sharp to keep the audience interested. Lastly, I will keep in mind all the concepts of continuity editing to make my next project really good.
Today in groups of three we had to complete a preliminary task, to show that we understood the ideas of 'Continuity Editing', and perfect our skills. Within the groups we had to film someone walking through a door, then going up to someone within the room and have a conversation with that person. -Firstly, as a group we storyboard our ideas, thinking about the camera angles/shots, and making sure we some dialogue within the piece. Also, we had to make sure we were using many of the rules within 'Continuity Editing', like focusing on the 180 rule and match on action. - We was then given a camera, tri-pod and tape to start filming. And within my piece the girl is walking through the door and walking up to a boy whom is sitting at a table. The boy is asking 'What"s wrong' which then the girl replies 'I'm pregnant'.
I believe that we used 'Continuity Editing' well within our piece of work, as while the girl and boy were talking we stuck to the idea of 'shot/reverse/shot' showing that they were having a conversation. Also, I believed we used 'Match on Action' well as we got the clip of the apple dropping onto the table, then rolling across the table and then lastly rolling on to the floor.
However, the task did have its difficulties, as once we had filmed the scene we had to import it onto the Macs, but we had trouble importing as the battery on the camera kept dying and we had the wrong wire to connect the camera and the Mac together. But we over came this by asking for the correct wire and getting a new battery for the camera. And now all the clips were imported, we were able to start editing.
Out of all the induction tasks I feel the one that didn't go so well was the re-creating of the advert 'Push a Little Button'. I felt that it didn't go so well because it was the first time in using all the equipment so it had some getting use too. Also, once I had filmed all the scenes I found it hard to import all the clips, as I got the wrong wire, so this process took a bit longer. But since this task I feel that I have improved a lot.
