In the opening 2 minutes of their film, the filmmaker uses conventions like titles but also challenges conventions by using low lighting throughout to set a sad tone. Two main characters are introduced to give the audience an idea of their personalities and how they may interact later in the film, while also maintaining some mystery by not explaining how one character's parents died or why an old man is watching her. The filmmaker aims to draw the audience in with questions rather than an equilibrium at the start.

1. LouisPrice
In what ways does your media product use, develop and challenge the forms and
conventions of opening sequences?
Opening2 minutes
My filmistypical insome waystoan openingsequence andvariesinotherways.Suchas use of the
titlesasI usedthemin a similarwaytomostfilmswhere theyare at the start of the film.These titles
include:director,casting,productiondesigneretc.thisisalsogoodbecause the style of the titlesis
importantas itwouldhelpreflectthe film, forexample if itisa thrillerfilmyoucouldhave avery
disruptive andcreepytextandif itisa child’sfilmitcouldhave textinbubble writingtoreflectitis
for a child’sfilm.Soinourproductionwe usedwhite textwithacreepylooktoempathise the scene
and make itstand out tothe audience andsoit didn’tblendintothe surroundings.
Withthe music, we useda steadytransitionfromone piece of musictothe nextthiswouldshow itis
a nice scene inwaysbut not inothers, we chose to transitionthe musicbecause thiswayitwould
not jumpfrompeaceful musictothe unsteadyandintense music.ThisIhope woulddraw the
audience inmore and will notdistance themfromthe production. Thiswouldhopefullymake a
biggerimpacton the audience andgetthemto wantto know more about the characters.
The lightingisnottypical of some openingsequences,astheymighthave brightlightstodraw the
audience intothe production,butwith ours, we have low lightthroughoutthe whole openingthisis
usedto reflectthe scene andwhatisgoingon. Thisshowsthat itis meantto be a sad scene andit
helpsaddmysterywhenmycharactercomesinto playwiththe production.
Justlike anyfilmin ours, the maincharacters are introducedtothe audience inthe first2 minutes
thiswill helpthe audience todevelopabrief ideaasto how the filmmaywork.Thisis goodfor our
productionasit shows2 differentpersonalitiesandshowshow theymightcrosspathslaterinthe
filmtothe audience.Thisalsogives anideaof how the characters are and how theymightturnout
laterinthe film.
In some cases,brightlightisusedtodraw the audience inandmake themtake notice of the film.
We have useda differenttechnique inthatlow lightisusedasitis meantto be a sad scene at the
start of the film.The lowlighthelpstoshow tothe audience whatthe scene isaboutor how it may
workand setsthe tone for the film.Throughoutthe 2 minutes,verylow lightisusedonmy
character, as I am verysuspiciousanditmakesthe scene seemmore intimidatingorintense andthis
wouldhelpshowmycharacterwell.Inone shotof the female characteryouhave the sunin the
shot,thisshot isusedto showthat withthe sadeventstoldinthe scene she isstill reallyhappyand
tryingto make the bestout of the situationandthisshowsthe audience she isstillaninnocent
person.
In the openingof a filmalot shouldnotbe toldinorder to getthe audience straightawaywitha bit
of mystery,thisisusedinourfilmandmakesthe audience wanttoknow more as theydon’tknow
howVanessa’sparentshave died. Aswell asthisthe audience will notknow why Iam there
watchingherand they will notunderstandthe connectionbetweenthe 2characters. Thisplaysinto
the fact that most opening sequencesusuallystartwithanequilibriumwhere everythingisnormal
and there are no suspicion’sinthe 2minute opening. However, withourfilmwe justhave the
disequilibrium, asnothingisnormal asa teenage girl haslostherparentsverysoonand there isan
oldman watchingher.

2. LouisPrice
In our opening2minuteswe have usedtexttoestablishthe genre.We usedwhite texttohitthe
audience andmake itstandout and makesitblendintothe scene andworkwell.The titlessuchas
directorand whoisacting don’tstandout as much because the mainfocusisthe movingimage and
not the text,butthe textis crucial at the endas it tellsyouthe name of the filmandthe fact it
standsout betterwiththe blackback background.Thisworkswell asthe blackbackgroundcan show
darknesssoit mayleadthe audience tothinksomethingbadmayhappentoVanessasothe dark
backgroundcan leave themwantingtoknow more
Conventionsofthrillerfilms
In a thrillerfilmmanycamerashotsare to be usedthishelpsbreakupthe scene thiscan add tension
if there are fastchangesof camerashotsand fast movement.The scene wouldbe more intense with
many2 secondshotsr many panningshotscan be usedat a fast rate to addtension,thiswould
make the scene more intense anddrawthe audience inmore tothe scene.
Intense musicisa commonthinginthrillerfilmsthishelpsaddsuspense tothe scene andthe tone
and general soundof the musichelpsshow itisa thrillerfilmthatthe audience iswatching.This
wouldbe shownwithheavymusicthatisveryfast pacedand veryintense,possiblywithlotsof
drumsand eerie pianomusictomake the scene more unsettlinganddraw the audience in.
In all filmseventhrillerfilmsthe audience isalwaysintroducedtothe maincharacter andthisalways
occurs inthe first2 minutes.Thisisimportantbecause the characterscan affectthe moodof the
filmandthe audience aswell asthe character traits.For example youcouldhave amaincharacter as
an oldman whosufferswithPTSD andthis couldcreate an unsettlingmood,oryoucouldhave a
youngboywho isin a gang andhe islookeddownuponbythe audience forhisbadchoices.
In a thrillerfilmthere are differentmoodstothe film, equilibrium, disequilibriumandresolution, ina
thrillerfilmall of these canbe shownforexample the equilibriumatthe startof the filmcouldbe
the herowithhisfamilyandeverythingisnormal,the disequilibriumcouldbe the factthatone of his
familymembershasdied,andthe resolutioncouldbe himgettingjustice forthe personif theywere
killed.
Lightingisanotherkeyaspectas there couldbe brightlightstoshow whothe heroisor toestablish
a happyconnectionbetweentocharacters.Or insome casesdull or no lighttoshow a character is
evil orto clearlyshowa sad scene.The lightingcanalsobe usedtoestablishacharacters mood,for
example redlightcanbe usedtoshowa personisangry or passionate,andwhite lightcanbe used
to showsomeone isisolatedornotseenas important.