Evaluation.

Research and Planning.

Thriller Opening

StoryBoard-Thriller Opening.

StoryBoard-Preliminary Task.

Preliminary Task- Final Cut Pro.

Opening Sequence Analysis.

Opening Sequence Analysis

‘Se7en’:

• Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

The camera is closely zoomed and focused on someone’s hands it shows  everything they are doing e.g writing, cutting snippets from newspapers, film and pictures, they cut their finger prints off the end of their fingers with a razor blade.

Following one characters hands shows the importance of what they’re doing and how it will effect the film.

It shows a vast amount of detail as if the camera is the persons eyes.

• Sound

 Non diegetic, The music used has a very strong base beat creating suspense, its very strange, but can be linked to horrors and thrillers because it is so strange.

There are no lyrics which hides what the film might be about, the music is written by NIN which is a heavy metal/rock band that makes various different music for horror films and their videos are normally very horrific.

• Editing

During the sequence there are various different images reflected in the background of what is happening with the hands, and the way that the names of the cast and directors etc. are slowly included after each action of the person, the effects used make it look old and flashes on and off the screen.

• Mise en Scene

The background is steeped in shadow and the lighting used is dark and of low brightness, this creates a calm yet scary atmosphere for the audience, light is shone upon various objects throughout the sequence, which could symbolise its importance or a method to engage the audience into feeling secure by the use of small sun light.

The scene itself isn’t very clear as the camera is very closely zoomed onto the characters hands trying not reveal anything that the film may in-tale. 

Props used include newspapers, a letter being written by the character, pictures/images, and books.

• Characters

Characters aren’t established because the camera only follows one person and even that person identity is hidden because it only reveals their hands.

• Locations

The scene seems to be set in one room for the time being as the location isn’t established there is no country or place very specific included in the scene or the title.

• Narrative/Plot

There doesn’t seem to be a plot but the conventions of a horror/thriller are used. Everything used creates suspense and a hidden sense of what is going to happen, the plot is unclear but it could be suggested that the person doing all of the action is trying to hide their identity by removing their finger prints which could be linked to the breaking of the law.

• Themes

There doesn’t seem to be a particular message brought across by this opening as it is unclear as to what may happen in the rest of the film, however the fact that the object associated with death and suffering are clearly seen could suggest that some the main themes is murder or the actions of a serial killer.

• Visual Style

The style used is very dark and creates a basic scariness of rest of the film, many images have been edited into the scene.

• Genre

I think it is a horror/thriller due to some of the convections used e.g strange diegetic sound( the music used), the way that the camera follows one person and the things they are doing with their hands.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJoPLY

‘Panic Room.’ :

• Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

The angle used seems to be a visual from a helicopter its an arial view of what seems to be New York City, it zooms in and out of various tall buildings which can symbolise its importance throughout the film.

• Sound

There is both diegetic sound and non diegetic sound used in the opening, the music used has violins and is very deep sounding and the pace of the music changes throughout different scenes. The background music which contrasts to the title of the film ‘panic’ the sounds of emergency services e.g ambulances and police cars, these are used in the background which can create a sense of panic. there is also conventional sounds of a busy city e.g New York.

• Editing

The names of characters and producers that are important to this film are highlighted in bold and big writing on the sides of buildings in silver word art.

• Mise en Scene

The setting is based in New York City which is a very busy place, 

• Characters

There are no characters in the opening, only the names of people that are featured in this film are shown, this gives a sense of difference to other films which normally acknowledge the main characters.

• Locations

The location of most of the film is based in the house and the ‘Panic Room’ within that house, it is also based in New York City and the beginning it is very large and open which contrasts to the clostaphobic feel the panic room gives throughout the film.

• Narrative/Plot

There is an unclear narrative/plot to the film the opening sequence doesn’t give a lot about the film away and where i have seen the film the opening strongly contrasts between the film. Although the title includes the word ‘panic’ which can be linked to the diegetic sound of ambulances and emergency vehicles.

• Themes

The themes used in the opening is a city it is New York City and so is a significant place for a film to be set and filmed in.

• Visual Style

The visuals used are tall buildings, it is an arial view and so shows its importance it is light and sunny which strongly contrasts between the dark small panic room that the film is set throughout.

• Genre

The Genre is unclear although the title gives a small hint into as what the film may be about and could link to panic which is commonly linked to horror or thrillers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqIclb4qsJI

‘Children Of Men’ :

• Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

The camera follows the main character, it is a continuous sequence which is very difficult to obtain because everyone would of had to be in the right place at the right time and be doing the correct things precisely, by doing this it creates a sense of suspense that something bad is going to happen.

• Sound

The sound used is all diegetic no music has been added on and the sounds in the background consist of woman in the shop crying and the news bulletin is the loudest, when he walks out of the coffee shop the noises of buses and cars creates a sense of busyness that a city withholds.

• Editing

There has been editing used to fade in and out of various different newspaper clippings and the news report and images of the man that died.

• Mise en Scene

The costumes used on various different people are very similar, they’re wearing stereotypical ‘work clothes’ and coats. This could convey its cold/winter.

There are buses used and buildings to set the scene of a busy city. This creates the location of the film. A time has been suggested to be the morning because everyone is in a coffee shop buying food and drinks and look as i they’re on their way to work.

• Characters

There are many characters used although only one is of importance, the main character is followed throughout and only his emotions have been conveyed.

• Locations

The location of this is set in 2027 London city many different things have been used to show this and the date is shown in the news because the ‘youngest person on earth’ has died.

• Narrative/Plot

The opening is very good at engaging the audience and making them want to watch the rest of the film. The plot isn’t clear at first and the film would have to be watched for this to come out.

• Themes

Themes of a busy city have been used to create the setting.

• Visual Style

The lighting is  low key and gives the city a sense of pollution from exhausts, it creates a saddened mood which represents what people are feeling about the man that died, this also creates a sense of wonder about what is going to happen next after the explosion although through the visual effect used the explosion is very unexpected.

• Genre

Science-fiction, Thriller.

He is the last person alive and has died and woman have become infertile this is to do with science but also fiction because this isn’t possible.

Thriller because there has been a murder and a bomb has been set off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCTgUq6hzUk

‘American Psycho’

• Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

The camera is set to one place and has a white background and writing and occasional red drops of what seems to be blood, after this it is filming the preparation of a meal containing red sauce and raspberries and then following a knife which then cuts a piece of meat. At all times it follows one object and appears to be from the characters eyes, it then looks at tables in a restaurant and goes from being the customers eyes to the waiters. 

• Sound

There is no sound used for the first minute only the sound of droplets of blood hitting a surface, this then turns into diegetic sound of people eating and plaits being put on tables and non diegetic music which sounds classical and links to the posh atmosphere of the restaurant.

• Editing

Names are shown on the screen at all times, although there are no special effects or edited images used.

• Mise en Scene

The props used are common objects you would find in a restaurant the clothes people are wearing are going out clothes, and the men are dressed in suits. There are tables and cutlery on them and candles giving the setting of a restaurant.

• Characters

At first there are no established characters until a few minutes in when the camera is focussed on Christian Bale and what he has to say to his group of friends.

• Locations

The opening is set in a restaurant and after that in a night club, this gives the impression to the audience that he has a lavish lifestyle.

• Narrative/Plot

The plot is unknown throughout and is very unclear as to what the film is going to in-tale, although you can see that blood could have a very important role.

• Themes

Themes of a posh, expensive restaurant reflecting the main characters lifestyle.

• Visual Style

The lighting used is reflecting dimmed light bulbs and candles which represents the restaurant, but still doesn’t give the film a sense of horror or thriller.

• Genre

The genre is unclear in the opening although i know it is a thriller you cannot tell in the opening by visuals and sounds used which normally convey these conventions of a thriller.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bXESFT2sRQ

‘Sin City’

• Camera Shot/Angle/Movement

The camera is a fast pan arial shot of New York City. And the buildings turn into the shape of sin city.

• Sound

The non diegetic sound is of weird music which sounds mysterious and nothing like any other music.

• Editing

The whole film is based on a graphical novel and so has major details portrayed and is all in black and white with some colour at important times, the main colour used apart from black and white is red, this resembles blood which is a very important convention of a thriller.

• Mise en Scene

There isn’t one particular setting in the opening, the only place portrayed is the city with is full of tall buildings which is used in a very clever way to spell out the words ‘Sin City’.

• Characters

The main characters are shown in the begging but in a comic style their names are flashed on the screen in red letters where the images are still you can see some of the roles each character has and what they are in the film for.

• Locations

One location is New York City cities like New York and London are often used in thrillers and horrors.

• Narrative/Plot

The plot is unclear but the use of guns is used a lot through out all of the characters comic still shots, which shows its importance for the film.

• Themes

The theme of a bad city and ‘Sins’ which could show how these are going to happen in the film.

• Visual Style

The visuals used are to represent a graphical novel and are in the style of comic drawings and still images of people in action.

• Genre

The genre horror/thriller can be portrayed due to the blood and weapons used in the still images and the various different characters that look large and scary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VspdKtdsku8

Comparison of ‘Se7en’ & ‘Panic Room’

They where both directed by the same person David Fincher, although they where directed by him they are two very different films and different openings being represented.

• Camera Shot/Angle/Movement 

In ‘Se7en the director has used a variety of close-ups and extreme close-ups giving the sense of closure, whereas the shots used in ‘Panic Room’ are long shots and arial views of a city.

• Sound

The sounds used are very different, in ‘Se7en’ music created by a heavy metal band has been used and in ‘Panic Room’ there are many different instruments used. The use of both diegetic and non diegetic sound is used in both.

• Editing

The lighting is a very easily identified difference which is used in both, in ‘Panic Room’ the opening scene is of an arial view of New York City its daylight and feels to be a big open space whereas in ‘Se7en’ it is very dark and the light used is very precise to what it is shone upon.

The shots in ‘Se7en’ change very quickly and move form one scene to another whereas in ‘Panic Room’ the director used very long length shots and slowly changed to another set of buildings.

• Mise en Scene

The Mise en scene used in ‘Se7en’ contains many props and visuals whereas in ‘Panic Room’ the only images used are that of New York City and an arial view of the buildings which doesn’t give away a lot about the film, the camera angles used are very different.

• Characters

Although in both there are no established characters, the character followed in the opening of ‘Se7en’ is hidden his identity is of importance he cuts off his fingerprints.

• Locations

The settings of both are very different although they both represent horror/thriller locations in both.

• Narrative/Plot

These can suggest that the director wanted to hide the genre of the film and what was going to happen in the film, creating a sense of mystery and suspense for the audience.

• Themes

Themes of murder and the lifestyle of a serial killer can be represented in the opening of ‘Se7en’ whereas in ‘Panic Room’ the themes can’t be easily found in the opening because it doesn’t start with any action just a view of the location.

• Visual Style

Both visual styles diffrentiate in many ways in both the lighting and shots used. The visuals in ‘Panic Room’ used are tall buildings, it is an arial view and so shows its importance it is light and sunny which strongly contrasts between the dark small panic room that the film is set throughout.

Although in ‘Se7en’ the style used is very dark and creates a basic scariness of rest of the film, many images have been edited into the scene.

• Genre

Both ‘Se7en’ and ‘Panic Room’ are very different in the way that they open, they are both under the Genre of thriller/horror. The genres in both are the same they are thrillers although by watching the opening of ‘Panic Room’ it is unclear as to what the director is trying to show the audience about what is going to happen in the film whereas in ‘Se7en’ you can see that by the things being used it is under the genre of Horror or Thriller.