The opening sequence of the thriller Edge of Darkness uses dark tones, isolated houses in the mountains, and quiet ambient music to set a mysterious tone. Fragmented footage is shown, including a childhood video of a little girl playing at the beach. Medium shots introduce floating dead bodies in the water and the girl running on the beach. The sequence cuts between shots of the girl and the protagonist waiting at a train station, establishing the setting and characters through cinematography, sound design, and editing techniques.

1. Analysing the opening sequence
Edge of Darkness (2010)

2. Narrative structure
• The narrative structure in this film is linear
and flows continuously from the
beginning, middle and end.
• However, some parts are fragmented as past
footage and videos are shown in the film, such
as the opening sequence, which begins with a
childhood video of a little girl and her daddy
at the beach.

3. Codes and conventions
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The codes and conventions used in the opening
sequence of the thriller, Edge of Darkness.
Darker tones of blue and grey shown in the weather
shot. Shimmer of light reflecting from a full moon in
the sky
Isolated houses are seen in the far distance located
in the mountains-mystery created with houses
Deep based quiet music playing
Old footage showing little girl at a beach

4. Cinematography
• Establishing shot revealing the location and weather
in the scene.
• Focus in the frame is on floating dead bodies as they
appear on the top of the water in a medium shot.
• Medium shot of girl running on the beach, following
a zoom-out of a long shot
• Pan shot as she runs into the sea
• Medium shot of protagonist waiting at station

5. Sound
• Deep based quiet music playing
• Softly creating tension
• Sound of small water waves and bubbles as dead bodies reach the
surface and float
• Ambient sound of waves in the sea
• Little girl’s diegetic laughter and innocent scream from cold water
• Diegetic dialogue from girl ‘ Come on Daddy!’
• Diegetic dialogue of father as he videos her, ‘Yeah its cold huh?’
• Sound of sand falling as she builds castle
• Ambient footstep noises at train platform
• Suttle sound of diegetic voice announcing train information

6. Editing
• Credits of film title are shown at the beginning
of film with fade in and out
• Fuzzy recording screen filtered for video affect
• Transition has fuzzy filter between shots
• Cuts to close up and medium shots of little girl
• Eye-line match revealing arrival time for flights
• Shot reverse shot as protagonist and daughter
meet