1. Chopper
In this opening scene there is loads of different camera angles and
movement within these shots. And most of these shots follow typical
thriller conventions. To start of with there is footage of a building. It
looks normal in the shade. But the footage has been sped up so we
see the clouds moving fast and the sun lighting up the yard quickly.
This shows that the whole film isn’t all thriller, there might be a bit of
comedy in it etc. The shots then start to get dark. All the shots in this
opening scene have been sped up. After the first shot the next shots
follow it start to get more like a typical thriller conventions. The
shots on all these shots are at a low angle looking at up at buildings
or different parts of the prison. This is a typical convention because it
is being trapped and there is a lot more space in the prison that you
can’t get to but can see; the camera placement is in a very confined
dark space like a typical thriller film. On the third shot it is very dark
and surreal. The lighting on this scene makes this more like this as
the sky looks like it is a fake blue and is lighting up part of the
building in this colour apart from that the rest of this shot which is
black. This makes it very surreal and feels unsafe this follows the
convention to.
After this scene the shots are more like in a prison. The sense of
being trapped is everywhere. The fences are high and have small
gaps in between them. There are barbed wire fences on top of these
fences and walls, showing that there is no escape from this. There is
lights on top of these walls to show that there are always watching
2. you even when you don’t realize. This follows the typical thriller
conventions. On one of the shots there is walls on both sides of the
thin path. The path is gradually getting darker and darker due to the
sun moving and creating a dark shade on the path. This can be
interpreted as there being no hope. This follows the typical thriller
convention. There is also close up shot of the fences with a big
building behind it. In this shot there is an open space in the center
showing you are open and vulnerable. All throughout this opening
scene there is a song playing in the background as non- diegetic
sound. There is no diegetic sound. The song is not a sad song.
However the lyrics are upsetting to the point of view of the camera
shots as the main theme of the song is “don’t trap me in” then it goes
on to say why he likes his freedom. This could be upsetting and ironic
to the people in the prison and people watching this film. In
conclusion this film follows the typical thriller conventions and is a
very powerful opening to what we perceive the film to be about.
