This document analyzes the opening scene of the film "Gone Girl" to identify elements that establish it as a thriller genre. Several clues are presented that set the tense, mysterious tone through unsettling music, dim lighting, quick camera cuts, and a narrative that hints at danger without fully explaining the situation. Flashbacks, doors opening without explanation, and signs of a struggle are identified as conventions used to build suspense and leave the audience wondering what happened. The analysis concludes the opening sequence successfully leaves clues without revealing the full plot to engage audiences in a thriller.

1. Gone Girl
LAURYN ROBERTSON

2. How do I know this film is a thriller?
• I know this film is a thriller because in the opening of the film and also
throughout the film the storyline and quick cuts also the music in and
throughout creates tension which keeps the audience engaged in the film it also
allows them to question what is going to happen next
Clues throughout the opening scene that the genre is thriller:
• The opening music is very low toned and deep also spooky sounding which
adds anciptation to the audience in this thriller.

3. The opening music continues on to the first opening mid
shot which is also a point of view shot of the husband
looking down at his wife and whilst in the shot there is a
narrative of the husband talking about cracking his wife
skull which contrasts as he is also showing her affection by
stroking head but is diegetic sound as we hear him saying
this but she cannot this also creates suspension the
audience to wonder why he is saying this?
In this long shot the lighting is very dim and
dark this portrays the town to look
abandoned as there is no traffic and it looks
gloomy and scary which conveys in most
thriller films when setting the location and
mood of the film.

4. In this mid shot the camera angles keeping
quickly changing from a side , front and
back view this is also in a mid shot to show
the location and surroundings in the film
the quick cuts adds suspension
In this long shot it shows text saying ‘
The Morning Of’ which adds suspense
and the audience question to the
morning of what? This is a code and
convention of thriller genre films.

5. The use of a flashback tells us that
this this a thriller as flashbacks are a
code and convention of thriller films
it also conveys what happened
before the climax
In this midshot/point of view shot it
shows the door is mysteriously opened
and then creates suspense as the
audience think how , why and what is
going to happen next

6. This midshot shows his emotions from a
low angle shot to show that he may be
the suspect and thinks he has more
control of the situation also we are able
to see his emotions about his wifes
disappearance and to see if he is being
genuine and allows the audience to
analyse the situation
The prop and use of the smashed glass
table and toppled over stool adds
suspious and suspense to wonder what
had happened as his wife is no where to
be seen.

7. Evaluation
From analysing a thriller opening sequence I was able to find out what
consist of a thriller opening sequence and the structure of an opening
sequence which is to not reveal the whole plot but leave clues that will
make the audience want to watch for longer as the an opening
sequence is crucial in any film as it determines the mood and how
good the film may be. Doing this I will incorporate in my opening
sequence the structure and the how my opening sequence should be
like.