'Red Eye' Opening Scene:
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE:
It is in a linear structure because all the clips move in sequence, but it is very quick and paced. It is a domestic story to begin with, such as ordinary lives in an ordinary home but it soon changes when another character and another setting is introduced. The new setting is a contrasted place, because the seafood place is industrial, dark and outside rather than the house, being inside, with a warmer feel to it.
THRILLER CODES AND CONVENTIONS:
It makes us ask alot of questions about what is happening, such as:
Why are they moving the box so conspicuously? Why has he taken the man's wallet? Who has taken the wallet? What has the girl being shown in the photos got to do with the storyline? Why have they got a map and photographs of the building? What is the building? Why is it important? Who's looking at the photographs and map? Why are there blue prints? Who is he working for?
The guy who took the wallet also shows its not about money, because he takes the credit cards out of the wallet, keeping the photograph, and then throwing the cards in the bin when he could have easily used them.
CAMERA WORK:
The camera is constantly moving, apart from significant moments such as the close-up of the woman's picture which shows she is important to the plot and what is going to happen later in the film. It zooms in on the wallet to show it is significant and draws our attention as a viewer so that we look at the wallet, and only the wallet knowing something is going to happen. There is a tracking shot on the pick-up truck which makes it looks professional because it takes a lot of planning and makes the audience pan on it. Also, there is a low car-level tracking shot which also shows professionalism and tension. There is messy camerawork during the photographs being viewed, which could be from the viewers point of view. This creates tension, unease and makes the viewer on edge as to who is looking at the photographs and why. There is also extreme close-ups, but only to reveal certain information, such as the blue print to the building, and the notice on the seafood box. It reveals that the story is set in Florida and that they are planning something. There is never any close-ups of someone's face, which hides each character's identity. The camera builds up the pace because the angle changes speed up to show everything that is going on but it is always moving, like the characters in the film. When the man is looking inside the wallet, the camera looks like it is someone looking over the man's shoulder, revealing what it is in the wallet, and what he needs from the wallet e.g. the photograph.
MISE-EN-SCENE:
It is a City setting because two tall buildings were shown which could mean that the story is based on G.K. Chesterton's 'Transformed City' theory. The man's ID card in his wallet also reveals that he lives in Florida, which is a rich and high standard of living. The atmosphere in the house is rather gloomy, and dim-lighted, but it also feels warm and as if there is a presence there. When the scene switches to the Industrial estate, where they are packing seafood, there is a different atmosphere because it is dark and gloomy, but it is also outside and cold. No faces are revealed apart from the photographs too, which leaves the audience curious. When the man opens the envelope, it shows what kind of person he is because he violently rips it open, eager to get inside which shows hes impatient, or a violent person.
The character who takes the wallet has no identity as of yet and isn't revealed in the opening scene, making him/her mysterious. There are mystery character, excluding the thief, revealed during the opening scene, such as the photographs of the woman, which the camera lingers on to show she is important, and also the man's photograph shown in the wallet. There is a lot of close-ups on the photographs and the wallet, which makes both of them important to the plot. It also makes us curious as to who's wallet it is, and who the girl is in the picture, which makes us think she is a loved one, or in relation to the man who's wallet it is. The photograph's of the girl are significant because she has a graduation photograph which shows she is intelligent, but then also has a photograph next to it when she is playing sports, which shows she is athletic. It also shows that the person who owns these photographs is very proud of the girl because he/she has the photographs on show. There is a third photograph of the girl being close to a man, which shows she has people close to her.
SOUND:
At first, there is psychologically disturbing music and it has have the hidden noise of a plane in it which helps connote what the film is going to involve, and when the scene changes to outside, the song changes into a more 'Mission Impossible' theme rather than an eerie sound and it seems almost like an action film because it doesn't have the eerie feeling of a normal thriller, just upbeat and has suspense and tension. There is a suspense increase when there is a crescendo in a distorted sound as the camera zooms in on the wallet and a quick jolt in the music makes the audience jump when the wallet is snatched. There are diagetic noises such as the keys hitting the desk, and the door creaking when the man goes through it which makes it domestic and creepy. Music is concluding the door noises when the guy shuts the van doors, and hits the back of the van, which goes to the beat of the music, and then a low drone seeps into the first scene of the film.
EDITING:
In the beginning, the credits seem to go too fast, which could be a mistake or to set the pace for the film being quick moving. There are smooth cuts which doesn't draw attention to itself but still has pace behind it.
GRAPHICS:
In the beginning, there is a black background with white text which connotes good and evil, and the text is clear and precise, but it moves quickly which could be a connotation of how the film is going to be. The credits fade into one point, which could resemble what the story is going to do, build up to one point. The final title for the film 'RED EYE' introduces the colour red, but also danger and connotes blood and death.
'State of Play' Opening Scene
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE:
The opening scene seems to be linear and in sequence. It is about a man running from something or someone and then gets captured and killed, which introduces the structure:
Equilibrium = Disruption = Resolution
This means that there is nothing happening, and then there is a disruption, something chaotic or mysterious happens, and then in the end, they resolve it.
THRILLER CODES AND CONVENTIONS:
It makes the viewer ask questions, such as:
What does the killer want? What is in the briefcase? Why was he running? Who is the killer? Who is the runner?
CAMERA WORK:
During the opening scene, there is an establishing shot of the city at night. The camera seems to always be moving and ongoing, such as the camera following the running person, which is handheld or on a steadi-cam rather than a tripod, or a tracking shot. This gives the illusion that someone is behind him and chasing him, and we are looking from the chaser's point of view and it also shows chaos. First time we get an extreme close up is to show emotion on the runner's face so that we sympathize for that person. It never shows the runner and the chaser together in a two shot and this may be because they want to convey that the chaser is a lot more powerful, and they can do this by using two different angled shots, such as a low angle shot to make the chaser look superior, and a high angle shot to make the runner a lot more vunerable. When the cyclist arrives in the scene, it is shot from the cyclist's point of view which focuses on the killers face, the briefcase he is holding and the dead body on the floor in front of him. This allows the audience to know that the cyclist is now a witness. There is a tracking shot forward on to the cyclist's face to show that he is still alive after the chaser shoots him and that this will be significant later on in the film.
MISE-EN-SCENE:
Firsly, it is set in Washington DC which makes it a Political Thriller because Washington DC is the home of the president. At first, the city is busy and lighting is realistic, such as bright street lamps and dark surroundings. It is raining which is a pathetic fallacy, which means that we know what is about to happen and it also obscures some information when they are in the alley, such as every single move he is moving. At first, it is calm, and a vunerable, old couple are walking past a shop when a man comes bursting through and knocking them over. This could show that it is set up to have a lovely feel, and then all of a sudden there is a "Bull in a china shop" which means that there is sudden chaos. The runner also runs into the China shop, which also shows fragility and care being ruined. It makes us feel sympathethic for the people involved. There are lit up political buildings when the runner is thundering through the streets, and into a dark alley, which shows a sudden contrast between the two, because one is rich and beautiful, the other is dark, eerie and dirty. He also runs out of breath and struggles to breath which could show that maybe it is his last breath and he's taking advantage of it while he can.
The runner has damaged, brown teeth which could resemvle that he's from a slum, or takes drugs, and that he is not posh or important. The fact that he is a black person could represent that he isn't from a rich part of Washington DC because it is a state which is split in two - the rich and the poor. At first, you do not see the killer's face until he steps into the light. This cause suspense because now we know who the killer is before the film has started, but why did he do it? What was his purpose? He also shot the victim twice, which shows he is a professional killer, as if he were a hitman and trained to do so. The cyclist is fragile like the old couple because he means no harm and as he cycles away from the crime, it adds an exotic element to the film because he is shot, but we are shown he is still alive. This also creates a mini cliffhanger because now we know that the witness is not dead, therefore, he will be linked to the film later on. There is a link to democracy because a group of people save the cyclist's life by running around the corner to see what is happening.
SOUND:
There are helicopter noises and traffic which resembles a big city and there are people talking - The diegetic sounds of the city. There is also diegetic sounds of crashes and thuds, and panting help to make it more realistic. When the gun is shot, it is a very professional silenced gun noise which helps create suspense because we know he is a professional and knows what he is doing. Non-diegetic noises such as a low drone in the background create suspense because it is out of the ordinary and draws the audience in. The bicycle crash noise helps create a sense of innocence, like a child falling off there bike, which makes us feel sympathetic towards the cyclist. There are also drums, which fore-shadow the violence because it is an indication that something bad is going to happen. The thunder gets louder at the end which is a climax to the end of the opening scene, and there is slight, quiet music which is mysterious and intriguing.
EDITING:
It has slow editing at first but then it speeds up which sets the pace but creates suspense.
GRAPHICS:
The classy logo at the beginning, e.g. universal, working title, etc. makes it look professional. The credits is small block text which is the point, and slightly hidden because it is in the edge of the screen so you can see what is happening behind it without it obstructing details. It is blue text for the first line of credits which is a cold colour, but could also resemble being ruthless, or the police or even calmness. The second line of credits is white with a tint of red. Red, blue and white could show patroitism for their country (USA) and american pride. It could also resemble the police because it is there signature colours. Black and white title at the end could connot good and evil, and there is a flash of red, blue and white going into the title screen, which could also connote american pride.
'Pathology' Opening scene:
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE:
There is natural talking throughout the clip which shows that it is a very realistic film. It is a short clip of people messing around with dead bodies, and re-enacting a real life scenerio and then everybody laughing who are playing with them. This connotes that they are very immature and the fact they are playing with dead bodies suggests that they are not very respective and that they do not care about the dead. It also makes the audience think about why they have dead bodies to begin with and they want to watch more to find out.
THRILLER CODES AND CONVENTIONS:
We ask a lot of questions such as "why are they playing with dead bodies?" "who are the people being shown and what are they doing?" "Who is holding the camera?" and these all lead to us make assumptions before the film has begun.
CAMERA WORK:
It is filmed as if it is hand-held by the character themselves. We do not get to see the character behind the character in the opening scene, but we automatically assume they are highly involved in what happens during the film for he is anonymous. The camera is zoomed on the womans lips when the second short clip begins which is similar to the first clip of the dead woman, which could connote they she is going to end up like that woman during the film. It then pans out to reveal her face and the man who she is with and this shows she is significant because it allows the audience to take in every feature of her, so that they remember her later in the film. There is a crane shot of the city, which shows us the location and this shows that it is a busy environment and then there is a pan shot of an ambulance which turns to the left, and then a man steps in front of the camera looking above it, as if he has power. This shows us that he is the main character.
EDITING:
There is no editing, it is just one long shot as if recorded like a home video. This means that we get to see everything from the camera holders point of view, rather than what everyone else is seeing, which obscures information. This creates tension and leaves the audience wanting to know more.
MISE EN SCENE:
There are many people wearing lab coats which immediately suggests that they are scientists or doctors. After the title screens, there is a short clip of a woman and a man, and this tells the audience that they are going to be significant to the storyline. The make up on the dead bodies are very realistic to help us grasp that they are dead before we have seen their faces fully. You do not get to see much of their surroundings and this creates tension because
SOUND:
The music is eerie during the opening titles after the short clip, and this creates tension because it appears to be long notes and grabs our attention by making it sound evil and scary and also lets us know that what we are about to see is going to be a thriller and not pleasant. The voices are diegetic because this helps the audience connect more with who they are watching and familiarise themselves with their voices. "Go be with your dead people, doctor" shows the audience who the man is already, and we immediately make the assumption he is associating or will be associating with the people in the first short clip. It also explains why the people were playing with dead bodies.
GRAPHICS:
There is an opening title scene after the short clip which says, "I swear by Apollo, Asclepius, Hygicia, and Panacca... And I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses... I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgement and never do harm to anyone... - THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH" which tells the audience that the film is about doctors because the quote states that they will prescribe the right medicines to the best of their ability to save patients lives. This also tells the audience what is going to happen in this film, for now they know that the doctors are going to break this oath and this creates suspense as to how they are going to do it. The title screen is also a black background and white text which could connote good and bad for white is the colour of chivalry and black is the colour of death. The text then fades out once they have given enough time to read it which gives an eerie feeling because the screen goes all black, which could connote that evil has taken over. It has "Stereo" in the corner of the camera when they turn it on to show that it is a home video. The credits are a strange and unfamiliar text which is black over the shots of the city. They change in size and then fade one by one which creates an eerie and creepy feel for it could connote that things are coming and going but the evil is still there.
'Law Abiding Citizen' Opening Scene
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE:
The clip starts on a high note for the man is playing with his daughter, but when there is a knock at the door, the man is attacked followed by his wife and then his daughter arrives on the scene and the attackers take the child. This ahows the audience the main characters and the relationship between them which helps the audience connect more with them and therefore want to watch more. It also shows what the film is going to be about for his daughter has been taken and he will now want to retrieve her.
THRILLER CODES AND CONVENTIONS:
This makes the audience want to watch it for they want to know why they have been attacked and why they have taken his daughter. It makes us ask questions such as "Who are the mysterious attacking man?" "Why did they attack?" "where have they taken the little girl?" etc.
CAMERA WORK:
It starts with a pan across a table to reveal a necklace and hands messing with the necklace. This shows the audience vital information as explained in "Mise en scene". There is then a slow pan across a man working with smouldering tools which shows the contrast between child's play and adult's play. When the man is talking, the camera shakes a little and therefore is not steady. This could have been done handheld or with a steadicam to show the realism in his words. There is a two shot between the little girl and her father which shows he has more power for he is looking down as her and she is looking up. This could also connote that she looks up to him as a role model. There is an unsteady shot to show him walking to the door which shows his uncertainty and then a shot infront of him when he opens the door to leave the knocker's identity hidden and therefore we know something bad is going to happen. The camera also seems to come towards him slightly when he opens and then a baseball bat is thrown towards his head and therefore as an audience member, we know something bad is going to happen to the family but we are not given the reason why so we want to watch more. There is then a shot of the attackers and both of them walking in through the door with the baseball bat in hand. The camera follows the baseball bat to show the pain they are inflicted on the man. There is a close up of the mans hands being tied up very securely which connotes to the audience that he is in big trouble. There is a shot of the mans head looking across the floor with the background blurred out, which shows a small figure appears in the doorway. The audience immediately know this is his daughter and know something is going to happen to her. There is a shot of the man on the floor, incapable of moving to help his daughter, and then a figure picks up the girl, and takes her away showing that he is causing her no harm. There is then a shot from the floor straight across to show him struggling and his wife not moving, which shows that she could be dead. The scene suddenly cuts to reveal the title screen which shows that we know that this is not the end.
EDITING:
There are long takes to begin with so that we grasp certain information such as "Heather" and also the contrast between the childs work and the mans work. Furthermore, slow cuts also shows that there is no urgency. The editing speeds up when the attackers are introduced and this shows chaos and their rush to get it over and done with. It also shows little cuts of careful planning that the attacker haves done, such as the cable tie and the duct tape, and also the way their stab the woman and the man - precise and careful and then they rub the blood off on the victims so there is no trace of the victims on themselves. There is a fade to black after the man has been stabbed which shows the passing off time or that he could have died, but the picture fades back in to show the attacker stabbing his wife. It then fades to black again once she has been stabbed which could connote that they are both going to die for black is the colour of death.
MISE EN SCENE:
It shows beads of different letters and colours in a pink box and the audience automatically think of a little girl and this allows the audience to know a character before they've been introduced. It then shows a bracelet with the name "Heather" on and we automatically know the characters name before we've been introduced. It also shows the audience that she is important in the film because she has been given an identity. The attacker turns off the light and this shows that they don't want to be seen, and do not know that he is home with his family. The attacker is quick to catch the woman when she finds out what is happening and does not hesitate to shut her up. This shows that they want to remain hidden and do not want to be exposed. The make up is very realistic for the attackers look like thugs, and the family looks like a homely family rather than people who would associate with thugs. The thugs take items whilst they are there which shows that it may not be for a certain reason that they are attacking this family, it could just be them wanting money - such as they are being paid to do it. Because the man are not wearing masks, this could mean that they mean to kill the family, rather than just mug them. Bags on their feet shows that they want to leave no trace of themselves in that home and therefore shows they have carefully planned this event.
SOUND:
There is silence throughout the first two credits and this creates tension because we want to know whats going to happen but it's giving no signifiers to do so. Radio music is when introduced which is pop music and this introduces a friendly environment and therefore surprises the audience for they believed they were going to see a scary film and have been introduced to something different - taking the audience out of their comfort zone. The voices are diegetic allowing the audience to connect with the characters and learn that they are doing no harm due to the tone in their voices. It also shows the childs innocence and her fathers feelings towards her due to her being called "baby" because she is his little girl. "A necklace for mum" shows that she has a special connection between herself and her mother and then the father shows his bracelet which she made which also connotes that she has a special connection between herself and her father and therefore connoting they are a tight family and love each other very much which is easy to relate to for the audience. There are diegetic knocking noises on the door which sound urgent which shows that something bad is about to happen. He whispers to the little girl to show that he doesn't want his wife to hear her and showing they have a special connection between them. "mm smells good, can I get a take out?" shows that he is about to leave the house anyway. There is diegetic sound of crashes and bangs as the woman and man are being beaten and thrown around which helps the audience connect more with what is happening. "You can't fight fate" could connote that they believe this is what is meant to happen, or that it is karma for something the man has done in the past.
There is a slight echo on their voices when they are being attacked which makes it sound like it is a flashback and therefore gives the audience chance to adapt that the film may be set in the future, rather than straight after the attack. There is also a low drone in the background which causes tension because it creates an eerie feeling to the clip and connotes they are in danger. "Stop, lets go!" shows that one of the attackers thinks the other has gone too far and doesn't want to be involved anymore. He replies with "Fuck off" which shows that he has the power and he decides when they go. The music builds and builds and then suddenly drops into a low drone when the child is introduced which shows a moment of innocence and indecision. When the text "LAW ABIDING CITIZEN", action music is introduced and this shows the audience that the battle has begun.
GRAPHICS:
It begins with title screens to introduce the production companies, and they are done on a black background with white unfamiliar text which could connote good and bad for good is the colour of chivalry and black is the colour of death and evil. The end title screen is a black background with white block capitals which shows the difference between good and evil and now that we know who the good and the evil is, it becomes more significant because we know the good and evil are still there and still fighting.
'Saw VI' Opening Scene
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE:
The storyline for this opening scene is that two people have been put into a situation where they have to get rid of more flesh from their body than the other person otherwise they die. This becomes a battle for them and as the time runs out, the woman is the smarter one and survives although we are told why they are there - because they recklessly loan people money knowing about their limitations.
THRILLER CODES AND CONVENTIONS:
It leaves the audience asking questions such as "why is this person on the television doing this game with these two people exactly?" "Who is the person on the screen?" "Why do they have to extract their flesh?" etc
CAMERA WORK:
The camera focuses on a person's hand which is not moving and has an insect on it. This suggests that he is in a dirty place, or could even be dead and therefore leaves the audience asking questions and watching on to see who it is. Later, this hand is shown to move as the woman wakes up and finds herself shackled up. There is a shot from behind the woman sat in the chair which looks as if she is the prey and the person with the camera is someone behind her - the predator. This lets the audience know that she is a victim. When the woman wakes up, there are many shots which are pans around her from different distances. Also, there is a quick close up on the back of her neck when she pulls the chord and releasing the switch which shows it's significance. Now the audience know something is about to happen. The camera then circles the man very quickly and it jiggers slightly which creates chaos. This is so that the audience watches him and nothing else, such as his surroundings which get blurred out by the speed of the camera.
EDITING:
There is an out of focus shot, which focuses after a few seconds which creates the illusion that someone has just woken up, and their eye sight hasn't quite adjusted to the light yet. The editing quickens as the chaos begins, such as when she realises what her situation is and she panics, and therefore the editing quickens alongside it to create tension and obscure details.
MISE EN SCENE:
Camera focuses on something electronic which looks as if it could be dangerous and is industrial looking, and this gives us an idea of where the character is. It is also a dark environment with the background obscured so that we do not know where they are, or what is in the room. This creates tension because it puts the audience in the unknown and it makes them feel uncomfortable but wanting to know more about it. The actress moves her hand automatically to her head which shows that she is already in pain and therefore lets the audience know that she is in trouble as expressed on her face when she realises her situation. The make up is very realistic as to the colour and position of the blood and the way it is annotated. Also, the colour of their faces and the sweat makes it more realistic and believable and therefore makes the audience connect more and feel what the characters are feeling. The cage like rooms suggest that they can't escape and therefore creates tension because we want them to get out.
SOUND:
There are high pitched sounds and notes alongside tenor notes which create an eerier minor feeling to the titles. This is because it is not something the audience would want to hear, and therefore creates tension and connotes that they are going to see something they don't want to see. There is a building distorted drone when she trips the switch and the other man is about to wake up which creates suspense because now the audience want to know exactly what is happening due to the details being obscured. Then this drone turns into a low drone, going down in semi-tones which creates a minor and creepy feeling. "Eddie!" suggests that they both know each other which automatically makes the audience believe that they are going to be competing against each other for something and therefore creates suspense as to what they have to do. "This is all your fault" and "I'm not dying for you, bitch" suggests that the man does not like the woman very much and therefore wants to get rid of her rather than risking his own life.
GRAPHICS:
At the very beginning, there is a title screen to advertise the production companies, and this is done with a dark background and overlapping white text which creates an eerie feeling because it is chaotic and hard to keep track off, almost confusing the audience. The background is a picture which may have some significance to the film at hand, or from previous films of the series. The overlaying text then has a bit of red attached within it which could connote danger, blood or violence.
Se7en: Thriller Theories
Setting:
It is set in a big city which is not named, unlike most films which make a scene of where it is set. It is also urban decay, such as the slums of a big city. The setting is always important during a thriller because it could signify what kind of thriller it is, such as se7en is set in Manhattan, which shows it will be a crime thriller, because a lot of crime happens in Manhattan.
Style:
It is eerie and dark which is an example of film noir, which is when it is very difficult to see every single detail, making it dark and mysterious. The dim-lighted surroundings make it scary but also gloomy and miserable, which also signifies there might not be a happy ending to the story.
Characters:
Mills and somerset are the detectives but they completely different people, such as:
The killer is also very similar to Somerset, clever and mysterious. He feels like hes fixing a problem, like God would. He feels like he has a mission, like a preacher.
Narrative:
The story has twists and thrills, but it is a simple and linear structure. It was a good concept - based on the seven deadly sins, rather than based on a certain character or place, which makes it different to most thrillers.
Graphics (Titles and Music):
It involves a mystery character which is doing various actions in different cut scenes, such as cutting off his finger prints - which immediately indicates that he doesn't want to be caught of a crime and could also signify that the killer is a perfectionist and everything has to be done correctly. They use black and white for the title screens which shows contrast which could resemble mills and Somerset being opposite characters, but could also connote good and evil. "Eyes are the windows to the soul" comes to mind because he puts a black marker over the victims eyes, which also dehumanises the person. This could show that his identity has nothing to do with the storyline.
There are red flickers in the title which could connote blood, or danger, but also adds contrast to the black and white. The font is child-like handwriting which looks distorted, creating a sense of unease and discomfort. There are screams in the music, but they are distorted which makes the audience feel uncomfortable and uneasy. At the end of the title screen, there are lyrics which say "You bring me closer to god" and he also cuts "god" out of the dollar where it says "In God we trust", which could resemble that he thinks this has nothing to do with God, and doesn't him to be involved.
The motif of a metronome connotes that time is passing and it causes suspense. There is also a scary and trippy remix of 'Nine Inch nails - Closer', which creates a strange and unfamiliar feeling. Overlapping images and clips in the titles creates a professional look and shows what the killer is doing before all the murders he commits.
How successful for you think Se7en is as a Thriller?
I think it is very successful because it has all the fundamental needs for a thriller, such as opposite characters (contrast), mystery, an eerie feeling and twists. The narrative is based on a concept rather than a character or place, which makes it more interesting to watch.
