Props & Costume for our Opening Sequence

We chose the costume as smart and formal for the detective because it shows he has authority in this situation, and shows the audience what his job is. The brother and sister are wearing formal/casual clothes to suggest they are as normal as everyone else, and a big shock happens in their life which suggest to do audience they didn't expect it was going to happen.

Animatic Feedback

Our Animatic

Chosen Font For Opening Sequence

Fonts For Opening Sequence

I chose this font because its plain and simple, and also has a little scratchy effect to it which could represent the idea of a thriller. It is good for our target audience, which is males and females under the age of 25, because its simple and sets the scene for what our film is about.






I chose this font because its simple once again and is clear what the wiritng is saying. Also it is bold which could show a type of thriller and presents the words in a way which makes the audience attracted to them.

Lastly, I chose this font because it has a dripping effect on the letters. This could represent blood which is usually present within the thriller genre. Also creates the effect of danger which is present within our opening sequence, and gives our target audience an idea of what the film will be about.

Shutter Island Opening Sequence Analysis - Thriller

Distribution Company - Vertigo Films

Vertigo Films is a distribution company based in London, England and was created in July 2002. The company was formed for the purpose of distributing and producing two films, The Football Factory and It's All Gone Pete Tong. Its current purpose is to produce and distribute four films per year. Entertainment One distributed vertigo Films’ releases. We have chosen Vertigo films to distribute our film because; in the past they have distributed thriller films before, which is the genre of our film, such as Pusher II and London To Brighton. Also these films are similar to ours because they consist of violence, like our film, and always keep the audience asking questions. This means they have experience in the past within the thriller genre so we feel Vertigo Films was the right company to distribute our film. Also, we chose Vertigo films because they focus around the same target audience as our film, which is male and females, under the age of 25. This was good because as they already target the same target audience, it will be easier for our film to be successful.

25 Word Pitch

This is my 25 word pitch for our opening sequence of a psychological thriller:

Thriller Survey Analysis

Initial Ideas

Extension Activity - 7

Title sequences - final approach (1991):

Who made the title design for final approach?

Eric Steven Stahl was the director, producer and title designer for the film Final Approach. Glen Glenn sound was a hollywood-based audio post-production company which provided creative services which was where stahl started off.

Where did they get their ideas from?

Eric Stahl was hugely influenced by stanley kubrick and 2001. "when you look at final approach it just reeks of 2001 influence". the little particles of light are completely influenced by 2001, the whole star travel sequence. he loves the beauty and the simplicity of 2001 and so this was his emulation and homage to that. the other thing that he was always fascinated with was mind game movies. stahl loved sleuth and the twilight zone. 

What was their relationship with the director and film studio like?

"well, he and i go back. he was my visual effects supervisor and he was running a company called apogee. they started their shop on a little street called Valjean that’s about five miles from where i am now which is right on top of the van nuys airport. i approached John when i was doing digital dream. he was wonderful and that’s where i established my relationship with him. years later when i did final approach i went back and i said, “this is my first feature film. do you want to help me out?” and so they did an enormous amount of the visual effects work and compositing work. he’s the guy that came up with the idea in final approach where the camera — at the end of the title sequence — pulls out of Jim sikking’s eye. that’s all John Dykstra."

Thriller Target Audience Research

Production Company Ident Plan

GREENLIT STUDIOS

This is our production company ident plan for Greenlit Studios. We have chosen a circular outline with a green candle in the centre which will flicker when the name of our company appears. It represents our genre of a thriller with the electric sound used during the flickering of the candle and also the way the writing appears, can be used to create a tense atmosphere.

Thriller Survey Questions

We have created a survey on our genre, thriller, because we want to find out what people would like to see in the opening sequence of a thriller film. We hope to find out, what props people most associate with a thriller, what characters would they like too see, who's perspective would they like to see the opening sequence from, etc. 
Thriller Questions Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ZLZ8YN3

Conventions Of Thriller Films

Catch Me If You Can Titles Analysis

Silence Of The Lambs Opening Sequence Analysis - Thriller

Legally Blonde Opening Sequence Analysis

Introduction:
In this opening sequence analysis, i am going to explain how useful mise-en-scene, editing, camera work and sound is in the Legally Blonde opening.

Mise-En-Scene:
The use of pink credits and titles suggest it is a romantic genre and stereotypically targeted at girls because of the colour of the font and the way it is presented which is in a bubble-like font.
Likewise, the use of props in the opening also suggest a typical girl as it shows perfume and a hair brush which is normally used to represent a girl character. Also as she is brushing her hair, it suggest a Barbie-like character and that she cares about her appearance. 
The location of the film is set at a soroity house which normally includes partying etc, which is what stereotypically teenage girls get up to. Also with the use of costume such as high heels etc, is also what girls wear and suggests the film is targeted to the teenage girls audience.
Lastly, the use of high key lighting in the opening suggests fun which is also backed up by the partying and games going on etc, which is what a typical teenage girl would get up to in their spare time.

Editing:
The use of slow motion when the girl picks up the letter could be used to let the viewer take in the scenery around her which is typically for a girl as there is pink walls, make-up etc. Alternatively, the use of slow motion creates a dream-like scene of happiness and suggest its not reality.
Cross-cutting is also used between Elle and the letter to show the connection between the two and also suggests Elle's importance and popularity as every girl is taking the time to sign the letter.
The use of an action match when the letter goes under the door, keeps the continuity of the scene which makes the audience more likely to want to watch on and find out what the letter says.

Camera Work:
Camera work is used in legally blonde to give the audience more information about the rest of the film For example, close ups are used of the letter to show its importance and wants the audience to follow the letter, which puts questions, such as what does the letter say, in the audience's mind. Also another close up is used of Elle's hair which suggest to the audience a Barbie-like appearance which is what a stereotypical girl would grow up wanting to be. Lastly, a birds eye view shot is used when someone is walking up the stairs, which shows us where it is set and suggest the wealth of the girls as it looks like a quite expensive place to live.


Sound:
The music used during the opening of the sequence is quite girly and catchy which makes the audience more engaged with the song and the representation of females.
Likewise, the tone of voice at the end of the sequence is high pitched and girly which also represents teenage girls as stereotypically they like singing.
Also the use of a catchy song creates the impression that everything is perfect and the used of dialogue in the song, such as shopping, represents a typical girl and the wealth they have.

Wallander Opening Sequence Analysis

Introduction:
I am going to explain why Wallander is a good opening sequence through the areas of mise-en-scene, editing, camera work and sound. A opening sequence normally consists of continuity editing; credits and titles; introduction to setting, characters and events which is all used to make the audience want to watch on.

Mise-En-Scene:

Firstly, the use of low key lighting when the girls are in the police car gives the audience the assumption that the girls are evil/immoral because the rest of the scene is high key lighting. Furthermore, because of what the girls have done, by killing the innocent man, it makes the audience feel even worse as the girls show no emotion towards their actions. 
Another way mise-en-scene is used is through the use of costume which for the older girl is all black and she has a red highlight in her hair. The black could represent her personality of being evil and immortal, and the red highlight could show she is dangerous, shown by how she murdered the man. 
The use of props also helps the audience understand what type of person the girl is as she has a razor blade around her neck and a knife in her hand which are both lethal weapons. This could represent her personality as she is very rebellious which is shown by her killing the man. 
Lastly, location is used to contradict what happens because as it is in the countryside, it is stereotyped to be peaceful which isn't what happens in the opening scene as a murder is involved.

Editing:
The use of editing in the opening sequence of Wallander, such as how the credits fade in and out creates a tense atmosphere. This is done to keep the audience wanting to watch on, as it makes the audience asking questions, for example, what happens to the girls? Etc.
Cross-cutting is also used between the man in the car and the two girls, this is done too show the three characters are connected which leads to questions being asked by the audience and making them wanting to watch on. For example, the audience could be wondering why they killed the man. Also creates a shocking effect as we don't expect the girls to have killed him, which also makes the audience want to keep watching, to see why they did it.
Also the use of an eye line match from the police man to the two girls in the police car shows us who he is talking about and suggest to us they are now trapped and creates the sense of disgust as you wouldn't normally expect two teenage girls to murder a man for money.
Lastly, the slow pace editing of shots in the opening sequence suggest that because of their actions it will have a long-lasting effect on the rest of their lives, and also the man's family lives etc. Also shows the brutality of what they have done, which makes the audience feel even more disgusted towards the girls.

Sound:

The use of music when the credits appear is soft and emotional which is contrasting the event and could make the audience more intrigued.
Also the use of a fast sinister sound when zooming into the girls could represent the murder as they haven't really thought about their actions over a little bit of money. Also makes the audience more alert straight away as the sound creates a tense atmosphere. The use of another sharp, sinister sound is used when the girl drops the knife, this could make the audience feel uncomfortable and suggest the importance of the knife because its a dangerous weapon.
Lastly, the soft music in the car when showing the man being murdered, contradicts the scene but also suggests to us the man's personality and how cold-blooded the girls were towards him.

Camera Work:
The use of an establishing shot at the beginning of the sequence shows the audience the location and where it is set, but contradicts the murder as the country side is normally seen as a peaceful and quiet place.
Furthermore, the use of a close up to the girls face shows us they have no emotion towards the murder they have just committed and suggests to the audience their personality of being brutal and cold blooded.
Lastly, another close up was used of the man's chain and keyring which could suggest his importance as he has a well paid job but also his innocence as he did nothing wrong.

Sixth Sense Opening Analysis