10 Thriller Opening

1. 10 ThrillerOpenings-Sequence Grid
Film Thriller
codes and
conventions
Opening codes
and
conventions
What did you enjoy? What would
you improve?
How could this
influence your thriller
opening?
Watchmen Low-key
lighting/
Filtered
picture.
Low-key
lighting,
ordinary
location,fight
scene.Blood
and weapons
such as a gun
and a knife.
I enjoyedthe whole
fightscene,andhow
we neverknew who
the man whoattacked
himwas.The whole
scene wasin low-key
lightingwithafilteron
it soit lookedblack
and white,andthe
onlythingwithcolour
was the yellow smiley
face badge.
Quite slowed
pacedat the
start which
makesthe
vieweralittle
bored.
I lovedthe yellow in
stark contrastto the
filteredsurroundings.It
definitelystoodout,and
I thinkthat if I useditin
my opening,itwould
emphasise anobject,
therefore addingtothe
theme/plotasa whole.
Spectre Low-key
lighting.
Score film
music
Low-key
lighting,score
music.
I enjoyedthe goldand
blackshotsof the man
withthe women
aroundhim.
Possiblyhave
a more
insightful
glance intothe
storyline.
I likedhowitstarted
quite slow andhad lots
of close ups.Iwouldlike
to use lotsof close ups
inmy thrilleropening.
From Russiawith
love.
Mystery,
low-key
lighting,
clear
portrayal of
the heroand
villain.
Filmscore
music.There
was a
death/murder.
The suspense andthe
tensionthatwas
created.The viewer
feelslike theymust
holdtheirbreath,in
orderto not be
detectedthemselves!
It was slightly
confusing,and
I struggledto
know whowas
followingwho,
howeverno
drastic
improvements
to be made.
I likedthe suspensethat
was created from
someone being
followed.Iwouldlike to
maybe domy thriller
aroundthe theme of
someone being
followed.
Kill Bill Black and
white
Black andwhite
flashback
I enjoyedtryingto
guesswhathad
happenedtothe
woman,andwho the
mysterious manwas.
Why wasa womanin
a weddingdress
coveredinblood?
Veryminimal
music
therefore add
some music.
We shouldbe
able to see a
little more of
the villain.
Black andwhite effect.
Non-diegeticsoundsfor
example,breathing.Not
revealingthe villain’s
identity.
Face Off Flashbacks,
thrillerfont,low-
keylighting,
ordinary
scenario.
Flashbackfilter,
fontthat is
stereotypically
associatedwith
somethingfrom
the thriller
genre.
The music wasreally
effectiveasit
complimentedwhat
we saw onscreen.
The relationshipand
special bond
betweenthe father
and sonwas alsoa
nice touchdone my
JohnWoo.
Nothave the
fatherand son
relationship
shotson for
such a long
amountof
time.
I like thatit isan
ordinaryscenario,
where extraordinary
eventstake place.

2. 10 ThrillerOpenings-Sequence Grid
The 39 steps Setin an ordinary
scenario/location.
Highand lowkey
lighting.
Notrevealing
whohad the
gun,by not
showinganyof
the face. There
was alsoa fight
scene whichin
1935, would
have beenvery
excitingto
watch as there
were lotsof
people
involved.
I enjoyedthe many
shot-reverse-shots
techniques. The
long-windedspeech
addeda little
suspense.Ithad
several comical
interludes.
I would
improve this
openingby
makingitin
colour.
Althoughitwas
producedin
1935, and
colourwas not
available,itis
still an
improvement.
Also,itisquite
longwinded
and dragged
out.
Usingthe mystery
aspectnot reveal too
much information
regardingwhothe
villainmaybe.
The Maltese
Falcon
Black andwhite,
filmscore music.
Setin an
ordinarycity.
Mysterious.
How we were told
aboutthe plotand
whatwas happening
veryclearly,and
rightfrom the very
start.
The few shots
before the
womanenters
are a little
long-winded
and boring.
Also,thiscould
do withbeing
incolour also.
It wouldbe goodif the
plotline waspartially
explainedorhinted
fromthe offset.
Bonnie and
Clyde
Mirrors, low-key
lighting.
Setin a housing
estate whichis
an ordinary
suburb.
The ‘hilarious’
humour.
The sexual
tensionwasa
little too
awkwardfor
my liking.
A conversationis
somethingIthinkis
veryimportant,even
if it isjusta few
words.
Gone girl Dialogue,and Voice over
before anysort
of picture.
Juxtaposition,
and lotsof
cutawayshots.
The cutaways were
reallynice,they
were framed
properly,were in
goodquality,andthe
juxtapositionwas
veryhelpful in
hintingatwhat may
happenandwhere
theymay be.
It was a very
short opening,
and didn’t
leave me
feelingthat
intrigued.I
haven’treally
got any
questions,
whichis
certainly
somethingthat
youwishfor
youaudience
to have.
I will ensure thatmy
openingisa suitable
length.Ialsothink
that juxtaposing
cutawaysisa great
wayof building
suspicion,andmaking
an openingalittle bit
different.
The Dark Knight
Rises
Titles, low-key
lighting,picture
cut outs.
Low key
lighting,
I thoughtthat the
fastcamera
movementsatthe
start were very
interestingand
makesthe audience
The music was
veryrepetitive
and quite
boring.Ithad
little substance
and
I do like the aspectof
cuttingout the faces
and there beinga
psychotic/obsessive
personbeinginvolved.
I believethatitwould

3. 10 ThrillerOpenings-Sequence Grid
intriguedastowhat
ishappening.
ornamentation. be a reallyinteresting
conceptto play
aroundwith.