Research - Openings of thrillers: 3 Se7en.

Se7en:

Camera -

CU's and ECU's are the camera shots which are chosen be used by the director in the opening sequence of this film. The two different camera shots allow the audience to pay attention to detail and focus on what is being shown to you on screen and the different images in order to start connecting them together and gain an understand of the film.

Editing -

The speed of the images and transitions increases throughout the opening. The sound also increases along with it emphasizing the speed and the pace it is picking up. The images are all shown to dissolve and cut between each other and the different types of transitions allow the audience to piece the images together and start to gain an understand of the film. 

Sound -

Non-diegetic sound increases in pitch and volume throughout the sequence and it works parallel to both the camera work and the editing. The music increases in time with the editing and allows the audience to make connections.  

Mise-en-scene-  The opening sequence of the film focuses on the use of props and the ways in which they are used to portray the danger of the forthcoming events. The light font on a dark background allows the writing of the names to stand out whilst still presenting to the audience the darkness in the persona's life by keeping the scene dark.  The images which are shown to the audience denote that this thriller is perhaps a horror thriller and the director has taken a hybrid approach to the film by adding a sense of horror meaning that the film can have a much deeper meaning as there is more to change and this way the mise-en-sense is important in portraying this to the audience.

Research - Openings of thrillers: 2 Psycho.

Psycho: 

Camera- The camera is not used in the opening of this film. The film opens with simple graphics moving across the screen this gives the audience an unnerving feeling as the plot of the film is not revealed through the opening of the film.

Editing-  In the opening of Psycho, the film begins with a black screen, then it turns grey. It is then split by animated parallel  lines which enter from the right hand side of the screen. The colours and words which appear on screen afterwards are always split down the middle using the different colours apart from the directors name which is used in contrast and left on the screen for several seconds. The splitting of the colours in the opening title sequence connotes the idea of a split personality linking in with what is usually thought of to be a 'psycho'. This simple effect used by Hitchcock enforces the idea of the film without having to show any images or scenes of the film to start off with but simple introducing the cast. 

Sound-   The Music which is used in the opening of the film is parallel and allows the images on screen to move at a much faster pace and follow the music. The music has an harsh tone with connotes danger and panic. The music is able to do these things by the pace and the instruments which are used to create a certain tone to the music. The music fits the opening and fits in with the conventions of a thriller. 

Mis-en-scene - All that is shown are the graphics which have the connotations of split personalities. 

Research - Openings of thrillers: 1 Sin City.

Sin City: 
Camera - The scene first opens showing a shot of a female character. We are first shown this character using an extreme long shot which establishes the location and setting of the scene. Throughout the scene the camera using a combinations of mid-shots and close-ups provides to the audience connotations of feelings and relationships due to the closeness between the female character and a newly introduced male character who is shot in a long shot when entering the scene denoting his importance in the scene by allowing the audience to see all of him. When the two are talking the director uses close up, mid-shots and duel shots to represent the emotion and recognize the characters facial expressions which allows us to gain further understanding of the characters relationship and emotions towards each other. 

Editing - The director uses a mixture of red, white and black throughout the opening extract. The setting is all black and white which contrasts to the female protagonists' brightly coloured red dress which connotes a sense of importance. The director has used a bright light within the scene to draw attention to the male and the female standing on the balcony. The light is also used to highlight the city surrounding them.


Sound - The music in this scene is parallel to the happenings in the scene. It is slow and  calm and matches the atmosphere the director is creating through the use of camera, editing and lighting. There is also diagetic sound which adds a sense of realism to the scene with the noise from the lighter for example when it is lit.


Mise-en-scene - The director is trying to establish the importance of these two characters in this particular scene by not using many props, The cigarette both characters are smoking shows the type of people they are however the smoking in this scene is almost used to make the characters appear cool This might be in line with the time period in which this film is meant to be sent.