Prelimanary shot/reverse shot.

My job in this exercise, was to do part of the camera work so whilst filmin, during the dialogue sequence, i made sure i stayed on one side for the 180 degree rule and always made sure that the characters were in the correct position for continuity whilst filming so, there would be no confusion for the audience.

to keep them in the correct position we always checked back to see where they were originally to make sure that they were in certian positions, so we could move them back. also we checked where the second character would be so that he also wasn't out of place. We sometimes put markers on the floor to make sure  they knew where they were first off, and it was easier and saved more time than having to check back constantly through the footage of what we had done, as some of the footage was not not used, so we had to keep trying different methods to try and match the dialogue sequence up.

So as jake entered throught th door and the music faded out we placed dom in a certian position to make an establishing shot. jake then walked into view of the camera starting an over the shoulder shot and staring the dialogue. Once dom had said his first line, we cut scened it to the next point which was over doms shoulder, and kept jake in the same position to make sure we didn't arouse confusion in the audience.

overall i believe we did well, checking what we had done and trying to make more time of what we had. it made the exercise easier and more fun, but more importantly made it work better. also it made things alot easier to understand in the movie as it made sense, excluding some moments where the characters are probably a little bit out of place with the way they look or are positioned with there body.

Jacks 5 Thriller Openings

Batman Dark Knight opening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OYBEquZ_j0

Sound

• During the opening you hear a gradual sound build up, building up tension to make the audience start to feel uncomfortable and let them know that something bad will happen, And to snap them into attention.
•  I like how the window then explodes to wake everyone up and think were going straight into the action.
• Also the loud high pace action music whilst the manager of the bank, comes out with the gun to try and confront the robbers is also brilliant.
• Sets the tone of the film, straight away letting us know who the villains are.
• The dialogue is also good as it starts interest in the viewers, when they’re giving little bits of information off.

Editing

• I like the fast paced cut scenes to show a fast pace action and thrill, when the bus comes through the wall, and hits one of the robbers.
• Also I like the cross cutting to show the different scenarios that happen during he robbery.
• Also I like the fast pace cut scenes when the robber is taking all the money from the trolleys to show his greed and need for money.

Mise en scene

• I like the use of the masks, to try and give a little bit of fear into the audience, by creating a mystery and letting the audience think who are they?
• The make up on the joker is a good way to show how this man I insane, as it was poorly applied and show how scary he is.
• I like the guns and grenades as props, to show that they’re ruthless and won’t hesitate, to try and make us feel no sympathy for them as we now know they are the villians

Camera work

• The opening scene is from a birds eye point of view, when it flies into the establishing shot of a certain window on a building
• Also I like the tracking up to the mask to create suspense, to show a certain object and make the audience think what are they going to do with that?
• Also I like the dollying/ handheld part where they all run in  to the bank to show conf

The Departed opening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4nUFxsZqpA

Sound

• The start opens with the sound of jack Nicholson’s voice, to open up as a narration to show his views things. A narration, usually used in most thrillers, to create suspense and makes the audience think who is it who is talking, and what is his role in the movie.
• The sounds of rioting gives it a sense of violence
• His voice during the narration is a slow drawl, that shows he is at complete ease and makes him seem as though he is in power.
• The screech of the car gives us confusion, as jack Nicholson even looks to see what it was, but merely shakes it off when he looks away to show there is nothing wrong.
• The music ironically is called ‘Gimme Shelter’ by the rolling stones, and that is a 1969 song to show what time period it is  set in, and how it shows that jack Nicholson is collecting the protection money from the deli.

Editing

• The cross cutting with the narration, is also a good way to try and keep the audiences attention.
• The slow motion tracking is also a good way to show calm environment.

Mise En Scene

• Jack Nicholson’s sunglasses also gives him a sense of great importance and power, because he can ultimately look into the eyes of others but no one can look into his.
• The money in his hand shows his essence of power as he got it without asking and then gives some away, as he generally doesn’t need it (but that is my opinion)

Camerawork

• I like the way they never show the full face of jack nicholson’s face they always keep him in the shadows (silhouette shots)
• I like the use of tracking when they follow jack Nicholson whilst he’s smoking his cigarette.

No Country for Old Men

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSyC45584jM

Sound

• The introduction starts with what appears to be the protagonists narration, explaining in a calm manner his thoughts and history.
• The footsteps in the quite space just shows tension as they takes his final steps towards the police car.

Editing

• I like the way the antagonist is kept from view the whole time, that way he has a sense of mystery about him as he is clearly kept hidden.
• The way things are taken in such a slow manner it seems like the whole world is slowing down, like when it shows the sun rising, it looks like everything is stopping and slowing down and it fits well with the narration

Mise En Scene

• The whole dessert, in a calm and subtle atmosphere goes well with the calm narration.
• The police car shows that something or someone has shown reason for some authority to be out there, to keep the peace.

Camerawork

• The smooth pans across the dessert shows calm.
• The camera rarely does any moving during the first few seconds of the opening showing the large dessert and what he has to look after and police (also showing desolation as the dessert is so empty

The Prestige

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLba9pC7qZ8

Sound

• The introduction starts with a very gripping one liner that makes the audience sit up and pay attention instantly ‘are you watching closely?’
• Immediately after, we have a second voice narrating the rest of the introduction, giving a slight insight to what the movie has in store, giving away more of the movie.

Editing

• The cross cutting to the past and present and future is a good way to create confusion in the movie as it makes it hard for the audience to try and keep up with it.
• The dark lighting on the stage and under the stage, then the change of lighting when in the court room after
• The electrical bolts that shoot across the room is a good use of editing as it creates tension as we do not know if it will kill him or not.

Mise En Scene

• The curtains rising to reveal the machine is a good way to create anticipation, and excitement, as the audience really want to know what’s behind it.
• The machine that shoots electrical bolts is also a good prop to create a interest and thought as to what it is.
• The wigs of the judges show that they are judges and instantly lets us know who has the authority.
• The fake beard and moustache is a good use to show his secrecy and how he doesn’t want to be noticed.
• the water tank that drowns the man, is the murder weapon and one that kills the man slowly so we don’t know if he will get out in time or not at first until we are in the court room.

Camerawork

• The opening scene has a handheld style camera shot, dollying on one character, walking along a bird cage
• Also in the opening scene, it has focus pulls where the camera will focus on the birds in the bird cage and then will follow the character

The Goodfellowa’s opening

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

Sound

• The opening starts with the sound of the single car driving along, showing it is a long journey as the car continuously goes.
• After killing the man in the trunk the man who is (as we see the driver and man who opens the trunk of the car) opens up with  a one liner as a narration ‘Ever since I can remember I wanted to be a gangster’ and as soon as that is said, the music kicks in with a very loud and what appears to be a dischord, which is a collaboration of notes played together that don’t really sound right, which sets a dark atmosphere.

Editing

• Low lighting creates a dark mood, showing us that this is something that isn’t right or could not be right.
• The cut scenes show different periods of time to speed up towards the event, which is good because it throws the audience straight into the story.
• As the car drives on, it cuts to a caption setting the date and place to keep our audiences in the loop.

Mise En Scene

• The knife that is the prop used to kill the man in the trunk is used to scare the audience, as knifes are generally used to hurt people in some senses.
• The man beaten and bloody in the trunk of the car is covered in fake blood that way it shows that he is a victim.

Camera Work

• The camera following the car whilst its moving is used to keep our attentions fixed to the car, and makes us think who is in it.
• The canted camera position on the victim on the shows he is in danger by having the camera placed at an awkward angle and also at a shallow depth of field, which shows he is in more of a helpless position than they are.

Dom's Thriller Research

44 inch Chest
The opening sequence of 44 inch Chest shows a vandalised house, this suggests that there has been a fight of some sort tat the audience hasn't viewed. This opening sequence allows the audience to question about how the destruction of the house. It is a very tense scene because of the length of time between shots. I like how this opening sequence is shot as it doesn't reveal anything and keeps me wanting to watch on to find out what has happened in the lead up to the event. It is very important for a thriller to keep the audience puzzled and interested in the plot.

Camera work

• The shot used at the start is the establishing shot, this is very important as it shows the audience the setting and gives the audience some questions to ask right at the start. Such as; How did the house become vandalised?, Who did this?, What lead to this happening?
• Close ups are used quite frequently in this opening sequence, these are used to show facial expressions on characters. 
• Foregrounding is used to point out anything that the viewer may not have spotted from a long shot. The close up of the dogs face shows that it is scared, this shows that the dog is in fear and is vulnerable to its surroundings.
• The camera in this pans across the house very slowly, this gives the audience a chance to look at what has occurred here. As the camera pans across the room a body of a man becomes visible this automatically makes the viewer believe that there may be a murder in the film.
• There is a close up of the mans face when he is on the floor. As the viewer believes he is dead his eyes move which shocks the audience.

Mise en Scene

• The ruined house is a key setting as it helps to identify the sort of character that lives in this house. The remains of the house suggests that the person living there is quite well off, many props suggest this such as; the flat screen TV, the ripped large sofa and the way the house is laid out. The viewer can then imagine what it was like before it was vandalised.
• The ripped cushion on the sofa suggests that the attack has only recently passed by as the feathers are still falling from to the floor.
• The shattered glass everywhere suggests it could be a break in. However, the valuable items have not been stolen therefore it tells the audience that the attack was planned.
• This sequence helps the audience identify the type of characters involved in this film. The destruction makes the audience assume that something dodgy has been going on. The fact that there is a victim automatically suggests that crime is a main theme to this film.

Editing

• The main editing technique used in this sequence is straight slow cuts. The time between each cut is relatively long as the camera pans across the room it slowly cuts into the close ups of significant objects. Apart from the cuts I didn't notice any other types of editing being used. The cuts that were used in the sequence helped the film flow better otherwise it would have just been an establishing shot of the house for the whole opening sequence.

Sound

• There is use of contrapuntal music in this opening sequence as the music does not match the mood and the shots used. However, as it is a depressing song it suggests that it is how the victim is feeling at that point in time.
• There is no dialogue in this sequence, which means that nothing is given away and is left for the audience to work out.

Munich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2SxJS6NpV4

The opening sequence of Munich is extremely tense as there is a huge build up to the break in that eventually happens. This clip is very mysterious and it is hard to work out why the people are waiting outside a large gate in the middle of the night.
Camera work

• A close up of the gate is used at the start of the clip, this suggests that there the gate is guarding something.
• An extreme long shot is used to shows the journey of the characters to where they get into there gear, I like how they are silhouetted slightly as they walk past the lit windows. This type of shot in the dark is great for not revealing identity of characters which adds to the tension.
• There are a few good examples of foregrounding being used on the weapons that the men have, these close ups show the threat that the weapons hold and this therefore makes the audience wonder how these weapons are going to be used.
• There is lots of camera movement in this clip, especially the use of hand held shots during the weapon preparation part. The camera moved around very quickly as all the men were loading their guns.

Mise en Scene

• The clothes that the men are wearing is relevant to the time the movie is set in. There are many styles worn by the characters. For example the characters that have their shirts tucked into their jeans and can speak English are most likely to be the ring leaders of the men.
• The setting is a dark and eerie night which suggests threat and builds up tension as it is a daunting setting. The fact that it is filmed in the middle of the night also suggests that the men are up to no good.

Editing

• In this sequence I noticed that when the music started to speed up the time in between cuts was reduced, this suggests that the opening scene is about to reach its climax.
• I have only noticed cuts used in this sequence. However I like the effect that is used to show the title of the film, this shows a black screen with many names of cities and then it specifically highlights "Munich"

Sound

• Eeerie music suggests that there is threat and or that there is going to be a battle of some sort.
• When the music starts to quicken and pounds slightly it suggests that the planned event if going to happen soon. This type of music helps to build up tension in the clip.

Face off

Face off is one of my favourite thrillers. It has a great storyline and generally is a well made film that uses many techniques to lure in the audience.

Camera work

• Close up of villain sipping drink from a straw and the fact that he is taking his time shows that he is a relaxed character.
• As his face is revealed the audience can see his focus as he doesn't blink until he takes aim for the first time. Facial expression is key to show emotion on characters faces as this shows how they feel and allows the viewer to understand them more. As the villain realises that he has killed the boy he appears to be shocked.

Mise en Scene

• The gun being revealed changes the mood of the whole scene as it is seen as a threatening prop.
• I like how the director has used the carousel to show the connection between the father and son and how the carousel shows the innocence of the child.

Editing

• Slow motion builds up tension in the scene and also allows the audience to notice the father and son on the carousel, otherwise the carousel may be too fast to pick up clear identities of father and son.
• Fade as villain readies to shoot victim.
• Many fades used to show grief, it also worked well as the sequence is filmed in slow motion. As cuts would not work as well as fades in this instance.
• Sepia tone suggests that it may be a flashback.
• It is made clear that the shot is a flashback as the title "Six years later" appears. This gives the viewer and understanding of the opening sequence, also it allows the viewer to know who the villain was and his location.

Sound

• Sound effect of child's laughter is slightly out of time with the shot as it seems like it echos.
• Music changes to a threatening tune as villain is clearly introduced.
• Orchestral music suggests that this will be a sad ending to the opening scene.

The Silence of the Lambs (Apologies for the backwards text, it is the best clip I could find)

This film is part of he Hannibal Lecter series. In my opinion it is the best one as I enjoy crime based thrillers.
Camera work

• Big close up is used to show the character struggling for breathe as she is climbing up a hill, this suggests she might be getting chased by someone.
• Camera is placed on a  track in one instance where she is running and is being filmed from side on, this shows that she is running fast which makes the audience question why she is running so fast in a smoggy forest.

Mise en Scene

• Smog in woods provide an eerie and mysterious setting which adds tension and builds threat.
• The civilised area she enters appears to be sunnier and therefore reduces the sense of threat in the opening sequence slightly.
• The part where the woman enters the elevator in between all the men shows that she is more vulnerable as she is smaller to her surroundings.
• The elevator shot also suggests claustrophobia.

Editing

• Fade into establishing shot of very remote area.
• Cuts are used in the fast paced shots such as the shot where she is running where it cuts from her feet to her face. These happen as the clip becomes more tense and suggests there may be a climax to the reason that the female is running.

Sound

• Orchestral music becomes very deep in certain parts which adds to the tension of the opening shot.
• As she enters the civilised place the music becomes less threatening and eventually dies down and diegetic sound comes into place in the form of a busy work place.
• The silence when she is waiting adds to the tension as the viewer may expect that something could happen.

Red eye

Camera work

• Foregrounding of a specific object is used to show tension building right at the start of this clip.
• A point of view shot is used to show a mysterious character looking down at a key object which was the wallet and photos of unknown characters. This adds to the tension as the audience question who the mysterious character is. However they can assume it is a villain because of the theft of the wallet at the start.
• An establishing shot of the hotel is used in a a differently to most thrillers in this film as it is shown half way through the opening sequence. This suggests that it is a place of key relevance in the film and the film may be based around a plot to do with the hotel.

Mise en Scene

• I really like how the crow bar is thrown and caught as if the character knew that his companion would throw it too him, this shows that the types of characters are organised and efficient as they work quickly.
• A key prop used in this opening sequence is the suspicious crate of seafood which makes the viewer wonder what it actually is. The crate being a seafood crate itself makes the audience think that there may be something hidden as it becomes more and more important. It is also revealed to the audience that the crate of seafood does hold a mysterious box. This allows for the audience to ask plenty of questions of the significance of the box.

Editing

• The use of quick cuts in this opening sequence suggests that the planning of a possible attack on a hotel is being planned and the plan is being carried out by an organisation as it cuts in between different places and people.
• In one instance a wipe is used at 1:48 - 1:50 this is a good effect as it helps the sequence flow better, it gives the viewer the sense that the characters are in a rush and working smoothly and efficiently.

Sound

• The tension building music gets louder as the camera zooms into the object as it is suggesting that something might happen to the object. As the object is taken by a hand of a stranger there is an added sound effect. The audience would probably expect for something to happen as the tension was building up therefore the hand grabbing the wallet may not have spooked the audience too much.
• The music rapidly picks up pace which gives a sense that there is a rush against time.
• There is a lack of dialogue which shows that the characters are focused on their job.

Dani's Research Task

Misery

Camerawork

There are many key elements in the opening of Misery that allow us to know and prepare for a shocking thriller movie. Straight away, our focus is directed onto some objects that have major importance at a later time in the film. This is a very clever technique, which gives us clues of their later importance and adds to the chilling, sinister feelings that are created from this genre.

• There are a lot of close ups and extreme close ups that foreground particular objects in the opening of the film. This indicates an importance of them but also gives us an idea of the main characters personality and occupation. Seeing as there is little dialogue, key objects and very limited movement from the camera helps us to quickly figure out the basics of the main character.
• When the car drives past the camera for the first time there is a pan which moves into an establishing shot. The pan makes it seem like this car is quite powerful as it zooms past the camera; it also keeps our attention following the main character and shows he is starting a journey. The establishing shot allows us to see the setting in relation to the character; in this case it is quite dangerous looking and makes him seem weak and vulnerable, which sets us up for what’s to come.
• There’s a point of view, tracking shot that allows us to see the cars journey from his point of view. It enforces the speed that he’s driving on this dangerous road and builds the tension that the audience start to feel.
• The extreme long shot that makes the car seem even weaker and sees the it off on it’s own round the snowy corners heightens our tension, suspense and the characters vulnerability as we know the speed is going to get the better of him in these torrential weather conditions.

Mise en scene  

·         The immediate close ups and extreme close ups on the glass, Champaign, cigarette, match and typewriter give us implications that they are going to al be used again somewhere in this film which is really quite creepy. The fact they’re all single objects, for one, could also show us he’s isolated.

·         There are many other things in the opening of the movie that give off an isolated feel as well. The house stands on it’s own in the middle of a very snowy setting and snow by itself can give off connotations of entrapment. Isolation is a very key feeling that creates all the other emotions we experience when watching thrillers.

·         Sharp, tall mountain faces are quite often found in thrillers as they enhance the danger within them. The weather is very dark and snowy, which gives off a very cold mood and atmosphere and creates tension and fear for the character within us.

·         After his accident, the person that saves him is wrapped up completely in clothes designed particularly for snow to keep the realism in the film, creates enigma as we start to wonder who it could possibly be and whether they are good or evil.

·         When we first meet Annie, she is dressed very clean and tidy like a nurse or carer would be. This gives us very high hopes for the main character as we see how he’s been very fortunate. Annie is also dressed like this so we least expect her to ever commit any crime, which emphasises the shock when the twist takes place and we realise she is capable of extreme crime.    

·         The single bed that the main character is placed in again highlights isolation to us. Tension is once again raised as we realise he is on his own in this very powerless state with a women that we know nothing about. 

Editing   

• Right at the beginning there are straight, solid cuts that lock the audiences focus hard onto them. This gives the message that they must have some significance and importance in the film. The cuts are also important at the beginning so we can place ourselves into the story and correct mood of the film quickly and clearly.
• When the camera is at a side view shot of the main character driving along in the car, there is added jolty action on the camera. This is to add to the effect that he’s driving along a bumpy road, which adds to the dangerous sense in this scene.
• The cuts at the moment where he has his accident pick up pace and are a lot more fast and ferocious. Immediately, this effect puts us on an instant edge and heightens the tension as the disruption in the narrative takes place.
• A graphic match takes place from the snowy storm that turns into a complete white sheet across the camera, to the white wall in Annie’s house. This is a very effective way of linking two scenes or shots together and the slow fade adds to the creepy feel that these types of edits raise in thrillers. It also introduces an Enigma code and causes us to feel how the main character is feeling, in his dreamy and confused state.

Sound  

• There is complete silence in the background at the very start of this movie, with just the diegetic sound of the type-writer clicking which is purposely made prominent. This emphasizes to us that he is probably a very successful writer, as he looks very professional and finishes what he is working on at the start of the scene.
• There is restricted narration in this film and we pick the basics of the film up by the prominent actions we see. We definitely feel the same feelings and emotions as this character and are at the same level as him throughout the movie.
• The music that comes in at the car journey seems non-diegetic at first and is parallel sound; it puts us in a positive mood and seems like this character is progressing to some point in his life. However when the accident takes place it immediately turns into contrapuntal music as it definitely does not fit with the visual action that we are seeing on screen. It also suddenly seems diegetic as the music cuts out when the car smashes to the ground, as if it was playing on the car radio. This effect is used, to cause us to feel an immediate downfall with the character and as the disruption stage takes place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgqu2W3Ore4&feature=player_embedded

Seven

Camerawork

• There are a lot of close ups and extreme close ups in the opening credits of the film that draw the audiences attention, in major detail to the very sinister images on screen. They are also there as an introduction; to show what the movie entails. A lot of the objects in the images showed significance to detective scenes and cases of crime and murder, which is significant to the opposition of the main characters.
• There is a lot of restricted narration; covering our view of what some of the objects really are, which is very unsettling and creates enigma before the movie has even begun.
• Right at the beginning a canted framed, high angle shot takes place over some very unhealthy looking hands. This gives an immediate indication to the tension and eeriness that will be created from the film.

Mise en Scene

·         There is desaturated and sepia colouring in the opening credits which is unusual to our normality and causes disturbance. Along with this a limited view is caused by a spotlight effect that moves about some of the images. This adds detective significance and gives the effect that we’re intruding upon undesignated areas.

·         Again all the objects and images are relevant to the significance of the detectives and are enigma codes as we’re already wondering what mystery they have to solve. The images have a very decrepit look about them and with the lighting and camera work; it’s very chilling for the audience watching.

·         Flashes of red appear here and there, representing blood, murder and danger. These three things all appear in this movie and are very graphic images; adding to the tense and sinister feelings of thriller.

Editing

·         The credits and title that appear frequently are written in a very sharp font and jolt as they appear; this is as if they are shuddering or shivering, which is a normal human action that occurs in fear, nervousness or very chilling situations.

·         The cuts are extremely quick and very unclear at some points. This heightens our tension and confusion to get us in the mood for a thriller, before we have even seen the first scene of the film.

·         There are lots of flickers from the credits and from random lines, creating the effect of old technology and dodgy signals. Fuzzy TVs or radios are always used in thriller or horror movies to give off an isolated or very ghostly feel. It could also represent sparks of electricity which highlights possible danger in the film.

Sound 

• The sound effects in the opening credits are very typically associated to the thriller genre. In this case they could be there to set the mood of the film before it begins and build the audiences tension. Or they could be an indication to certain actions that will take place within the movie.
• The music is very eerie and quite scary; high screeching elements quite frequently occur in it which are quite similar to the sound of a high scream, indicating fear and danger within the film.

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

Inception

Camerawork

•  There are opening close up shots of the powerful, vigorous waves of the sea. They completely fill the screen causing us to feel very weak and vulnerable. We share these same feelings with the main character, who looks as though he has been washed up and is limp compared to these waves. Immediately enigma is created as we wonder how did he get in this situation and who are the children that seem to be of importance?
•  There are slight jolty pans and wobbles that don’t look messy but really add to the beach effects that we’re used to; rocking boats, splashing waves and summer activities. 
•    When the scene changes to inside the room there is a long shot to highlight to us there has been a change in setting. However we are still very unclear of the story and our character.

·         The scene completely changes again into a 3 shot; the 3 shot that stays mainly at normal eye level is a simple but effective shot that takes place in some kind of important dialogue. It keeps referring back to each character so we can see any important expressions, reactions or emotions that may be significant.  

Mise en Scene

·         The weak and vulnerable main character, who looks wounded for an unclear reason and extremely weakened, is juxtaposed with the care-free, happy and colourful actions of the young children. This definitely increases the enigma and empathy we feel right at the start of the film.

·         The guards and interior setting of the room give implications that this particular man must be of some importance.

·         The spinning top is most definitely an enigma code for some time in the movie as we wonder why such a small and simple object holds so much importance for the main character.

·         When the scene changes to clearly a different time, the lighting and interior look very similar. However the main character has a completely different status and is in a much better state. This is very confusing but could possibly be done to keep the realism of the film and to make it clear that lots happens to this character throughout the film, for him to reach the sudden weak status.

Editing

·         Quite often in thrillers,  straight, fast cuts are used to really put us on edge, build up our tension and allow us to suspect very chilling events. However in this opening, the cuts are slower; this is so we really capture what’s going on, recognise the emotion that is present in this scene and remember it for later on in the film.

·         Manipulation of time takes place in the opening of Inception; the scenes are put into a non-chronological order. These scenes act as little messages of a puzzle and as the film goes along we can piece it all together.

·         There is a graphic match between where the main character is weakened and the 3 shot scene. The interiors of the two rooms are visually similar, there is a long, posh table and both men (the one it flicks from and the one it flicks onto) are focused with a close up shot and are both eating.

·         The opening scene is actually from much later in the film, from the state the character seems to be in it could possibly be the disruption stage of the movie. However it is moved to the first thing we see onscreen, causing the disruption scene to take place first. This is a particular element that is often found in thrillers. 

Sound   

·         Diegetic sound opens the film as thrashing wave noises (with the waves themselves) appear; they have very negative and fearful implications as compared to us the sea holds huge power.

·         Non-diegetic sound follows this as some quite emotional music comes in with the children playing. We feel empathy for the character, as it implies something sad has happened to him in his life.

·         The music moves to a sudden point, where it turns eerie; from this we can assume that this back of the man that appears on screen is possibly evil. There is an enigma code from the music that suggests trouble has occurred but also from the spinning top which the music accompanies; we want to find out why it seems to have so much importance.

·         The deep vibrating noises that suddenly emerge lead us into the sudden explosion in a different scene. This sound bridge increases our curiosity and interest, as the situations of each scene are quite different but they all still flow. We want to keep watching and make sense of the action.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VXkUzf1et4

The Birds

Camerawork

• The camera doesn’t move at all in the opening credits of the movie but this is done to create an unsettling and anxious effect. The still camera causes the birds to seem more powerful and threatening, it’s like they’re swarming in on you which has a lot of significance to the film.

Mise en Scene 

• The birds are just black birds, which is purposely done to create fear. Blackbirds have a connotation of evil and are associated with a bad omen. The fact that there are loads of them increases this sense of evil and give an indication that tense moments are going to take place in this film.

Editing

• There isn’t really any particular editing effects needed on the credits but the credits themselves appear all in the middle of the scene very casually without any movement. This makes it look like they are being surrounded by the vicious birds and attacked. It is a constant attack which indicates that someone is attacked by a bird somehow in the film; maybe a constant attack or maybe at random points in the movie.

Sound

• Instead of music (which is normally heard to credits) we hear just the diegetic sound of the birds screeching. A bird tweeting is normally known as a pretty little sound, for example in Disney films. However these birds are really screeching which gives of the sinister mood that must be given off in this film. The dynamics of the bird screeching is used to effect as well; it builds up to quite a piercing loudness when the title of the film appears and then gets quieter again. It’s highlighting to us there is nasty events in this film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp5cgFf_GkA&feature=player_embedded

 

Face off

Camerawork

·         There are lots of close up and extreme close ups to capture the emotion of this beautiful father and son relationship. The closeness of the merry-go-round allows us to remember the fun and excitement these rides give to children.

·         There are also extreme close ups that form a restricted view of the man with the gun, which is purposely done to create the sense of crime and we immediately know something is about to break this happy moment.

·         We see the point of view shot through the gun, when the man is aiming for the father; it’s a shallow depth of field shot as it directs all attention onto this father and son and causes them to attain a sudden vulnerability. Our tension rises to an ultimate high, as we are able to see how easy it is for this man to kill them.

·         When they are shot, the camera doesn’t follow them to the ground but stay as a close up on the carrousel horse to show the blood stain, which emphasises it went straight through the boy and they were definitely hit.

Mise en Scene

·         The colouring has a slight sepia touch to it, which juxtaposes with the happy fairground setting; it foreshadows the crime and murder that is yet to happen.

·         The setting of the fairground however still really emphasise the child-like, happy emotions and we really capture this within the scene. Also the balloons are purposely made to stand out from the rest of the scene because of their connotation of children, happiness and fun. They are a symbol that represents the relationship between this father and child; when they float away at the end it represents the boy’s life, he has drifted away from his father.

·         The villain is silhouetted to add to our enigma of who he is and why he commits this crime. It keeps him hidden from us, as we find out more later on in the movie.

·         We only see the end of the gun and a close up of the bullet; this is the where the main danger point of this weapon lies and it adds to the anxiety and tension when we’re in front of it on screen; we feel great empathy for the father and son.

Editing

·         The slowing of time throughout this very moving scene is done so we really capture the emotion from the characters. It also builds a sense of calmness right at the start before the villain is introduced which allows us to feel the happiness to a greater depth; it makes the climax and the instant dread of the scene feel a lot more sudden.

·         There are dissolves throughout the carrousel scene that over-lap the happy, emotional images. Several sudden quick cuts take place when the villain appears, directing all our attention quickly and sharply to the gun and then this figure.

·         Quick, straight cuts transform the horses; from happy, childhood symbols into eerie ghostly figures that represent the young boy’s tragic death.

Sound  

·         The parallel sound is a beautiful piece of music; it complements the beautiful start to this scene.

·         There are many diegetic sounds relevant to the thriller genre; the whooshing sounds from the carrousel moving past, is a very unsettling sound to us and usually represent in movies danger approaching. When he villain comes into the scene the music cuts out and the gun is uncovered with an emphasised sound effect; this highlights there is danger in the scene and rapidly draws our attention to this realisation.

·         The sound of the gunshot emphasises the climax of the scene and at this moment the music cuts out completely to silence. Someone has died and to highlight this so has all sounds.

·         At this moment there is a horse neigh (alongside the blood stain on its head) as well, which makes it sound as though the horse has been shot too. It emphasises the murder, danger and loss of life within the scene. It inflicts an immediate change in emotion, mood and atmosphere towards the rest of the film.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNOvfuybPao&feature=related

Mise En Scene in Prelimanery video

Because I played a lead role in the film, I had to make sure that I had all the parts of my costume with me everyday of filming, this included things like the hat, jacket, scarf, the same jeans and trainers etc. I had to make sure Dom also was wearing the same jacket and clothes for the video as he played a part in it as well, as well as clothing I was also in charge of the props we used, I had to think to myself what we could use, for the final video we used my bag, and a phone it was my responsibility to bring the bag and I had to ensure Dom brought the phone in on the days that we filmed. a problem that I noticed in the video was Dom's hair, this was spotted during the late stages of editing, the problem was that Dom in most of the shots had his hair down but then in some of the final shots we see his hair was spiked up this is something we will have to look into when we start our foundation assessment.

another thing that I had to be careful of was my body language and facial expression, I needed to act suspicious, we decided to have me looking back a couple of times and act a little mysterious compared to an average person, this was the same for the facial expressions except I tried to show as little emotion as possible as to leave the audience guessing about my character.

Colour and lighting were an issue towards the end of the film, this was I think due to the difference in sunlight on the days of shooting, we will need to pay extra attention to this when doing our foundation assessment because I think this was the only real area we slipped a bit in.

setting was crucial for the opening, we needed to find a suitable area to film that was quiet and also looked a bit unused, so Dom found a room in the old building that we could use and showed me, I then came up with a the positioning of both Dom and myself and then mocked up where the camera would go. I think the setting worked well considering we were limited to college grounds and we need to ensure that the setting goes with the plot in our foundation production.

Match on action in prelimnary video

 As I was in charge of locations of filming I chose the places where we used our match on actions. We have used two examples of matches on action in our final edited clip the first occurs at 00:30-00:31 and the other at 1:06-1:09. We used match on actions to help our film flow.

 We filmed the first match on action as Jake approaches a closed door and his hand leads to push it open. To create this match on action we filmed Jake coming through the door from the other side. This shot took a lot of careful editing as we had to time it correctly. There was also an issue of continuity which we had to make sure we got right whilst filming this match on action. This was the way in which Jake opened the door, we had to make sure he lead with the same hand as he did when he was approaching the door.

For the other match on action we filmed Jake again approaching a door as he is exiting to the shot we quickly cut to the door handle as he grabs it. This is the best bit of editing in the clip in my opinion as it was well planned.

Preliminary final edited video.

This is our final edited film.

Jake's five thriller openings

Law Abiding Citizen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBdzxIN2hwM

Duration: from 00.30-03.00 minuets

The opening of Law Abiding Citizen is very dark yet gripping, the opening introduces a family and also the main character played by 'Gerard Butler' who has his family killed by some thugs. this opening was very gripping, it raised a lot of questions about the plot and the characters i think this is key to any good thriller movie, to make the audience want answers, if we can include this it our opening/plot then I think we would get abetter mark i also think that to make a good opening we need a good overall plot and instead of making a simple opening on its own we need to think of a story it can lead onto as well, even though we wont be showing the story.

Camerawork:

• i liked the gentle tracking/panning movement sets the pace the audience are at and helps set them up for the later events in the opening. I think that we should try to do something like this and gradually take the pace higher as it progresses
• Later in the opening the something happens that sets up the entire movie's plot the volume of cuts used and the pace of the shots increases to match the action of the scene, we need to ensure we do this when the action or event of our thriller increases or starts.   

Mise En Scene:

• At the start the farther/ main character (Gerard Butler) and his daughter are sitting at a table she's making a necklace he is working, they exchange dialogue, you can tell they are a typical American happy family nice home, clothes, lifestyle. we can see this by their costume's they wear, and these are directly contrasted by the thugs costumes,we need to ensure that throughout filming our costumes match the mood and plot.
• I liked the thugs costume in this opening, it definitely matched the character, another thing I liked was the blood used to emphasis the knife on Gerard Butler's character, we need to ensure the costumes are different from each other so the audience can determine the 'victim' from the 'thug' just by looking at them. 

Editing:

• The fade in at the start of the opening is really good to give the audience a false sense of security and it makes way for the slow start to calm them before the event of the plot. I think the fade in is a good way to start off a thriller
• One thing I noticed was the fade to black after Gerard butler's character had been stabbed I liked how it really emphasised the wound, pain and pace of the opening, I’m sure that this is what we will do if our plot involves similar circumstances. 

Sound:

• The sound at the beginning of the opening is diagetic sound, it is also contrapuntal, and it matches the mood and atmosphere of the scene. This was really good to lull the audience into a fake false sense of security; it helps give the impression of a normal happy evening before the plot begins. 
• The sound changes as soon as Gerard Butler's character gets hit by the bat, it becomes non-diagetic sound and also becomes darker and faster, there is also emphasis on certain sounds, for example the wife screaming or breathing.  I think the use of the emphasis of certain sound's is a really good way to get the audience more involved with the scene and has a bigger impact on them so is useful to use in a thriller opening. 

The Transporter 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qcMQ7Db5ag

Duration: whole clip

This is not the entire opening, but I could not find another clip.

The opening to 'The Transporter' is a very mysterious opening, the audience are almost immediately asking questions as to what he is doing, who is he doing it for and why is he doing it the opening does answer these questions and it also gives us an impression of what kind of character he is.

Camerawork:

• I liked the slow tracking shots at the start, they worked as good establishing shots so immediately the audience could tell he was in a car park, and it also fit the slow, calm mood of the first bit of the opening. in some circumstances this would work better then if it was a fade in like 'Law Abiding Citizen'.
• I liked the use of close up's and big close up's during the car scene when the thugs first get into the car, the difference between the them and Jason Statham’s character showed the experience and emotion between the thugs and himself, you could tell he's professional and he sticks to the rules. 

Mise En Scene:

• I liked the whole concept of the smart car, smart character contrasted with the thugs simple, plain, tatty clothing, I also like the difference in behaviour, Jason Statham's character was completely calm compared to the thugs who's body language and tone of voice was the exact opposite which made Jason's character appeal to the audience because he knows what he's doing,
• I also liked the props used the balaclava was good to fit a stereotypical thug, and the guns also were a nice touch I also noticed that the thugs had bags with them probably filled with money, we will have to come up with a way to show there is weapons present without having an literal gun there. 

Editing:

•     the green tint at the start of the clip was a nice touch, it spoke to the genra of the film and kept in conjunction with the mood.
• there was a few 'wipes' at the start of the sequence to show passing time so the opening credits would match the sequence.

Sound:

• the music at the very beginning was mysterious, it doesn’t amount to much at the start although, it does make the audience fairly suspicious of what he is doing. The pace of the music increases when the car begins to move, this now starts building a little bit of tension within the audience, I think this is a good way to start a thriller and if we find a suitable soundtrack for it then it would work nicely.
• when they are in the chase scenes the music intensifies to fit the mood of the action, all the music in the opening is parallel sound, it all fits in with the mood of the scene, in this case contrapuntal sound could also be used, for example, he could be listening to classical music in his car while being chased aggressively by the police.    

Green Zone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsUjrZtDmA8

Duration: 00.00-02.34

The opening to 'Green Zone' is much more action packed then the last two, it dives the audience head first into the action. the clip focuses on one particular guy, named 'General Al Rawi' this action approach to the thriller works well because it doesn’t give the audience time to think straight from the get go, they want to know who this ‘Al Rawi’ is and why is he  so important?

Camerawork:

• this is the first opening that I have seen a 'Blocking or Slit frame' used, when the opening starts you see a man struggling to open a safe for a book, this is a good indication that the book holds some importance to the story and that we may see it later, another thing I liked about the camera work was the shaking of the camera, to give the feel of panic, hurry and I also felt an element of excitement. I think during action scenes we will have to do a similar technique when doing an action scene that involves fast paced movement.
• I think the fast tilting throughout the opening really keeps the pace of the opening going, and it also keeps the audience in tune with what’s going on, I also like the amount of zoom used in the opening it really adds that extra feel of panic and keeps the audience interested by keeping the pace. I think that all of this is a really good for this opening

Mise En Scene:

• I thought lighting was clearly effective here, purely because there was no lighting, the only light that the audience got was from the explosions outside, this really makes the audience focus on the situation at hand. I think that we should use a similar approach however it would be hard to pull off.
• I liked the costumes and setting of the opening, it was obvious from the start that this was an undeveloped country(3rd world country) due to the bombs and explosion, but you could tell they were fairly wealthy and held some importance. this could be used with our thriller opening but it depends on the plot that we come up with and when we do confirm our plot we need to make sure the setting is suitable with the mood and pace of the opening,

Editing:

• I didn’t see many special effects other then explosions towards the end when you see the General drive away and the camera zooms out, apart from that I did not see much Editing in the opening.
• I liked how the camera gave a similar amount of time for each shot, it keeps them tuned in as to not confuse them to a point where they cant tell what’s going on, I think that if we have a action scene in our opening, we need to be carful not to over do it with shot lengths and camerawork

Sound:

• The non-diagetic sound through out the opening is parallel sound it matches the mood/atmosphere of the moment and it keeps at a steady pace through out I think that we should make sure we pick a good soundtrack for our opening, it is vital it matches the pace of the scene.
• I liked how the sound was constantly focusing on the extras rushing around to get out, it was good because it really got the audience immersed into the panic and stress of the situation,

 Valkyeri

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6n3hRZmgxU

Duration: whole clip

valkyeri in a whole is a very plot driven film, however the opening is crucial to the overall story, the opening sees Tom cruise's character writing about his view of Hitler and the Nazi Rich he complains about his leadership and goals, we can tell from this opening that Cruise wants him gone. also in the opening we see the German military division that Cruise is in charge of get's attacked, tom's character is wounded this also raises questions about the plot, will he live, how does this effect him, what will happen this keeps the audience interested. With out the opening sequence the beginning of the story would be hard for the audience to digest.

Camerawork:

• I liked the very slow paced tracking shot at the beginning after the oath, it gently introduces the audience into Tom Cruises character I also liked the slow tilts and I noticed a very slight zoom. All of this just paces the film more so again the audience can focus entirely on what he is saying.
• towards the end of the opening, we see that the German military division is getting attacked, this completely changes the pace of the sequence because instead of slow tracking and dissolves like in the first few shots of the opening, we now get brisk, fast paced cut's this change sudden of pace. I think a sudden change of pace is a good way to evolve the story like in valkyeri.

Mise En Scene:

• I think the costume at the beginning when he is writing works well with the mood, we know he's an officer because of the setting, he has a tent to himself, and in the dialogue he mentions the 'Officer corps' but his uniform suggests otherwise, its unbuttoned, tatty, he does not look like an officer. This is an area we will have to look at carefully with our opening.
• at the very end we see that Tom Cruises character is badly wounded, this is again due to the costume and we can easily determine this from his character in general, his make up is dusty, pale as are his clothes, his costume is shredded and we can see from his facial expression that he is near death. we will have to address these actions with make up and costume changes, this is key for realism in the sequence.

Editing:

• I could notice one bit of Editing but it was used frequently, the opening used dissolves at the start and another at the end of the sequence this was again used to keep the pace of that scene slow and steady, and I think that we should look at more options instead of just using cuts all the time.
• I did feel a build up from start to finish the shots got gradually faster, they went in sections if you will for example at the beginning it was really slow to focus on the dialogue, the when he was talking to the General about troop movement it went to normal cutting speed, then when the attack started it went a lot faster so there was a sort of element of cross cutting there.

Sound:

• I liked the light, gentle diagetic sound at the beginning, the wind blowing, the tent being blown by the wind, the flame from the candle they all seemed delicately put there so as to not interrupt
• I noticed that after the dialogue with the General there was a moment of silence or very slight sound, then when AA gun fired the sound and volume of the gun was used to wake the audience up. 

The Disappearance of Alice Creed

I have not seen the film as a whole but after whatching the opening i want to watch more, the opening sees two shifty guy's doing suspiscious things, breaking into a van, renovating a flat room so there is no light, or way of getting out.

Camerawork:

• I liked the slow, steady, tracking tht is used at the start, it's good for the audience because we can see that they dont want to be seen and there up to somthing. 
• i think the use of cuts when they were renovating the the flat room, it really made the audience pay attention.

Mise En Scene:

• the costumes of the two shifty looking guy's were very normal, they obviously dident want much attention, they were noraml guy's but with a devalish plan.
• i think the facial exspresion between the two characters were really good, because there was no dialogue it was the only thing to go on interms of there intentions.

Editing:

• the pace of the cut's increased when they were renovating the room as to get us to wonder about it, they dont want us to know the details of what exactly they are doing/ going to do with that room.
•  

Sound:

• i liked ho the opening focused on certain sounds, so the audience would only focus on what they were told to to sort of add more menaching bcause they were sounds that suggested they were up to no good. 
• i think the use non-diagetic sound that comes in when oneof the characters does somthing is a good way to get the audience attracted to that, e.g. when one of them nail's meat to a tree there is a non-diagetic sound that really makes them focus on that bit of meat, why did they do that?