The document provides details on the opening sequences of several thriller films including The Silence of the Lambs, Seven, Pulp Fiction, Inception, and The Dark Knight Rises. It analyzes elements of mise-en-scene, camerawork, sound, and editing used in the openings and how they aim to immerse audiences and foreshadow events. Similar techniques are suggested for use in the opening of the filmmaker's own thriller, such as using lighting, props, and music to set mood and imply danger and chaos to come.

2. Budget - $19,000,00
Opening weekend - $13,766,814 (USA)
Gross - $272,742,992 (worldwide)
Opening Sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sx0
8_OSXlY&safe=active

3. Mise-en-scene
Clothing – Throughout the opening sequence of the silence of the lamb both characters are
shown wearing casual clothing whilst exercising suggesting that these people are individual
people who are like everyone else providing an automatic connection from the audience as
they can relate to the characters.
Props – At the start of the sequence you see the male character wearing an FBI hat suggesting
that he is a dominant character foreshadowing the fate of the female character. This causes the
audience to sympathise for the female character as they start to believe she is in trouble
foreshadowing upcoming events in the film.
Lighting – The lighting is mainly consistent throughout however at the start of the sequence the
lighting is slightly dim being in a forest setting suggesting a gothic setting foreshadowing
something bad is going to happen. However the light brightens as the setting changes to a
house in a street suggesting a more calm and safe environment for the female character.
This could be used in our thriller film similarly to The Silence of the Lamb by using clothing,
props and lighting to allow the audience to connect with the characters and foreshadow
oncoming events.

4. Camerawork / Camera movement
Close ups – throughout the opening sequence there is a use of close ups on characters faces showing their
facial expressions. For example the female character has an expression of normality as if she is happy with
her life however the male character has a facial expression of concern and uncertainty foreshadowing
upcoming events in the film.
Wide angle – there is a wide angle shot in the sequence that show the words ‘Pain, Agony, Love-It, Hurt,
Pride’. This suggests the themes of the film creating a sense of doom for the film.
Sound
Ambient sound – the use of a soundtrack suggests a calm nature as the female character is exercising this
suggests to the audience a contrast between the life of the character at the moment compared to what will
happen later on in the film.
Dialogue – the use of dialogue introduces the characters showing a calm nature from the female character
and also showing worry from the male character expressing the story early.
Editing
Pace – the pace at the start is slow and this is consistent throughout the opening sequence suggesting that
everything is calm at the moment which contrasts with what is going to happen.
For our thriller opening sequence we can use ideas such as the ones above to suggest upcoming events for
our target audience allowing the audience to have an idea of what will happen before the characters do.

5. Budget - $33,000,000
Gross - $316,400,000
Opening sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
k2gsEI34CE&safe=active

6. Mise-en-scene
Props – throughout the opening sequence of seven there are many props such as books,
weapons and images which suggest that the film is going to be full of danger suggesting to
the audience that many characters will be threatened by plans and weapons affecting their
lives.
Lighting – throughout the opening sequence of seven the lighting is very dark. This
suggests that the film is going to have themes of doom, danger and death creating
emotions of hatred, sadness and feelings of pain that which will give a ‘shock’ factor for the
audience.
Camerawork/Camera movement
Close ups – there are many close ups in the opening sequence of seven for example close
ups of writing and images in books that are all black and white creating a gloomy
foreshadow of events suggesting plans and ideas that will affect characters in the film.
Close ups are the main camera angle used.
For our thriller film we could use codes and conventions such as these shown above to
capture the audience’s attention and allow them to create a story before the film has
started.

7. Sound
Ambient – A main soundtrack is used within the opening sequence of seven creating a dreary
sound suggesting to the audience the mood of the film creating ideas of doom, death and
threatening behaviour that might be shown through characters and storylines of the film. This
allows the audience to have a connection with characters causing sympathy towards
characters.
Editing
Fade & Dissolve – the use of fade and dissolve from close up angles of items such as
weapons and books of images and writing fade go into writing that is shown in a gothic font.
This suggests to the audience the themes of the film portraying a film of gothic settings and
genres showing the mystery of a thriller film.
This can be used similarly in our thriller film to show to the audience the main ideas of gloom
and doom that go into a thriller film and how these features relate to the storyline and
characters that the audience connect to.

8. Budget - $8,000,000
Opening weekend - $9,311,882 (USA)
Gross - $213, 929,762 (worldwide)
Opening sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=CKGnUd6D6Pg&safe=active

9. Mis-en-scene
Clothing – the clothing worn by the first two characters in the opening sequence of pulp fiction
are shown in casual clothing suggesting they are everyday people however they are criminal
characters. This suggests that the mise-en-scene is foreshadowing events of crime and
threatening behaviour for the audience to follow.
Props – the use of guns as a prop suggest how the film goes from an innocent café to a
setting of crime through characters that would’ve been seen as everyday people. This
suggests that the use of crime is going to be a consistent theme throughout the film.
Lighting – the lighting is bright as we see two characters talking at the start in an everyday
setting suggesting a calm nature to those already in the café. However when the two
characters are pointing guns the opening sequence is then a black background suggesting
how crime has taken over the calm nature of the café.
This can be used in our opening sequence of a thriller film to suggest how the setting of the
film can turn from calm to chaotic within seconds and create a contrast between characters
and the storyline that the characters are in. This allows the audience to feel a connection not
only with the characters but also with the storyline.

10. Sound
Dialogue – the dialogue is surprising from the type of characters we are shown who seem to be everyday
innocent people however there speech shows the audience otherwise suggesting that they are about to do
something everyday people feel threatened by. This suggests the threatening nature to the rest of the film.
Ambient – the use of a soundtrack after the first scene of pulp fiction suggests the chaotic nature of the film
whilst also suggesting the year of the film providing a setting the target audience can relate to, this is shown by
the type of music used.
Camerawork/ Camera movement
Wide angle shot – we see this shot as the main shot of the opening sequence of the film ‘Pulp Fiction’. This
can suggest how quickly the change of emotions and the contrast between good and bad can create tension
within a thriller film. This is also something the audience can sympathise or relate to.
Editing
Pace – the pace is quite slow to start with during the first scene of the opening sequence of the thriller film
‘Pulp Fiction’. This can suggest that the film is making the audience believe that everything is normal and
nothing major is going to happen yet this soon changes by the change of pace when the opening credits come
on and increase the speed creating the chaotic nature the film is based on.
This can be used similarly in our thriller opening sequence to enable the audience to have a sense of
uncertainty and confusion as the film suddenly changes from good to bad and how this affects the characters.

11. Budget - $160,000,000
Opening weekend - $62,785,337 (USA)
Gross - $825,532,764
Opening sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=rpx4XZ7P3PM

12. Mise-en-scene
Props – there is only one prop shown in the opening sequence of ‘Inception’ which is the
spinning top shown at the start. This suggests that this prop is an important feature to the film
and is something relevant to a main character within the film. This makes the audience
remember this prop right from the beginning and see it as essential.
Lighting – throughout the opening scene the lighting is dark using black and red colours
portraying gothic elements of the thriller film. This suggests a feeling of uncertainty that the
audience can already relate to allowing the audience to have an sudden connection to the film
before they know the story line.
Camerawork/Camera movement
Wide angle shot – there is not much use of camerawork or camera movement in this opening
sequence however the opening sequence does move straight into a wide angle shot of waves
suggesting the setting of the film and how this could relate to the storyline allowing the audience
to ask questions before they know what has happened.
This could be used similarly in our opening sequence to a thriller film to allow the audience to ask questions
about the film before it has started and to allow the audience to notice main features of the film such as props
which is essential to the plot.

13. Sound
Ambient – the only sound we hear within the opening sequence of ‘Inception’ is a soundtrack.
The soundtrack is seen as very jumpy with a sense of uncertainty which allows the audience to
believe that the film is very chaotic and has a ‘shock’ factor leaving the audience at the edge of
their seats. However this contrasts to the first scene of a wave which is seen to be calm under
usual circumstances.
Editing
Swipe effects – the use of swipe effects are shown mainly in the opening sequence of
‘Inception’. This is shown when one title is swiped away and replaced with another. This could
suggest the connection the effect has to the jumpy soundtrack and how this could relate to the
theme of the storyline.
Pace – the pace of the opening sequence is very quick again shown the chaotic nature to the
film suggesting the characters are constantly on edge and panicked.
This could be used similarly in our thriller film to show the emotions of the characters through
the use of editing and sound suggesting the overall theme of the film.

14. Budget - $250,000,000
Opening weekend - $160,887,295 (USA)
Gross - $1,081,041,287 (worldwide)
Opening sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ZDpjSr9VhG0&safe=active

15. Mise-en-scene
Props – similarly to the opening sequence of ‘seven’ props such as letters, writing and images
are shown in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. This suggests to the audience that the film will be
showing scenes of violence and plans that would disrupt a life of one of the characters in the
film.
Lighting – the lighting of the opening sequence is very dark showing colours of black and
white. This would suggest to the audience that the film is going to be very gloomy and negative
with themes of violence and disruption.
Camerawork/Camera movement
Close ups – the main use of camera angles throughout the opening sequence would be close
ups (which is also similar to the film ‘seven’). This suggests that the main important features of
the film are being shown in the opening sequence creating a chaotic and nervous start to the
film that the audience can automatically sympathise with.
This can be used similarly in our thriller opening sequence to suggest a disturbing nature to the
audience to foreshadow oncoming events that will affect the characters allowing the audience
to connect and sympathise with the characters and their stories.

16. Sound
Ambient – the only sound we hear is the ambient sound of a soundtrack. This suggests that the
film is not giving much away to the audience apart from the fact that the film is going to be full
of suspense and tension between characters and their storylines allowing the audience to have
a state of wonder about what is going to happen. This provides the film with a dreary and
gloomy theme.
Editing
Pace – the pace of the opening sequence is very quick suggesting the film is going to be
consistently jumpy throughout in which the audience would then understand the chaotic nature
of the film.
Cross cutting – the opening sequence uses cross cutting going from one image to the other of
notes and pictures of people suggested as important characters for the audience. This
suggests that what the audience is seeing links somehow suggesting a sense of doom for that
character if those plans are indeed for them.
This can be used similarly in our thriller film by allowing the audience to think of scenarios
themselves with the images that they have already seen within the opening sequence.