The document analyzes the opening scene of a thriller film through its use of camera work, editing, and mise-en-scene. It describes five shots that establish a happy family before their home is broken into. The shots introduce a villain who attacks the father with a baseball bat while fast-paced music plays. A close-up shows the villain sliding a knife across the father's chest as he cries in pain. Later shots show the father's distress as he watches the villain threaten his daughter, unable to help due to his injuries. Conventions of the thriller genre discussed include featuring criminals, depicting the hero's vulnerability overcome through the plot, including tension-building elements, and keeping audiences engaged.

1. Drama, Crime & Thriller
Analysing the use of Camera, Editing and Mise-en scene used in
the opening scene of this thriller.
By: Ladan Mursal

2. Shot One:
Naturalistic lighting
Over shoulder shot to
show the conversation
going on between the
father and daughter.
The daughter says “necklace
for mum” in a innocent and
naive tone showing that she
is happy but unaware of what
will happen next.
The diegetic low-tempo
music that plays in the
background creates the
calm, homely
atmosphere the family
are in.
This first scene sets the story line of a happy family minding their own business and enjoying life. In
usual thriller movies it is expected for this „perfect‟ family to be broken or destroyed some how. However
the loud knock on the door might be a trigger point suggest that the destruction will start at that point of
the clip. There seems to be an emphasis on the knocking as I gets lowed and more aggressive building
up the tension and suspense making the audience wonder what will happen next.

3. Shot Two:
The fast pace editing
creates a sense of
action, gripping the
audience.
This „bad‟ character has the upper hand
because he is better equipped with the
baseball bat making the victim and
underdog who is unable to fight back
because he is being defeated.
The guy is wearing black
coloured clothes with an evil
looking grin highlighting that
he is a villain set out to
destroy the happy family.
As soon as he comes into
the scene the music
instantly goes up shocking
the audience.
At this point loud fast
moving music begins to play
creating suspense and
moving the action that is
taking place.
The low angled shot
helps imply that the
character is powerful.

4. Shot Three:
Close up showing the guy slide
the knife across the victims shit,
this gives the audience a full
insight to the action taking lace.
This action makes the audience
shocked and scared sympathising
for the victim going through pain.
The non diagetic music being played in
the background moves the action along,
making it more horrific and thriller like.
The character is an underdog
because he is helpless and unable
to fight back. This is a usual
convention of a thriller where the
main character starts off as an
underdog but throughout the film
he gains the upper hand.
We also hear the victim breath
heavily and letting out hurtful
cries, this emphasises on the pain
he is experiencing.

5. Shot Four:
The close up exaggerates
the characters
helplessness by showing
his facial expressions.
The tape on his mouth makes
even more helpless because he
is attempting to shout for help
but he can‟t.
The sweat running down his
face and the fear in his eyes
emphasise on how afraid he
is, not for himself but for his
family. He is helpless and
unable to save his family.
We see him looking at his daughter as the guy
walks over to her, this point of view shot draws
the audience in making them more scared
about what will happen to the little girl.

6. Shot Five:
Wide-shot shows the
damage the guy caused
and the amount of pain the
character is going through
watching what is
happening to his daughter.
Almost as if he is trapped because
he is tied up and to far away to be
able to save his daughter.
The blood stain on the
characters shit and on
the floor shows that he is
badly hurt and is very
weak with the amount of
blood loss.
A small section of the woman‟s
dead body is shown which
emphasises on the damage
that has already been caused.

7. Evaluation:
Product research allowed me to look into the main themes and concepts
that occur in already excising thriller movies. This is useful because it
allows me to understand of what conventions I have to follow in order to
create a successful opening scene of my own thriller.
Some conventions are:
• There is a criminal/psychotic character
• The main character beings as an underdog
• Innocent people that get dragged into danger
• Include tension building music, fast pace editing, low lighting and
weapons
• Thrillers create anticipation, uncertainty, excitement, nerve wrecking
tension and suspense
• Includes themes of crime and death
• The villain comes better equipped (with weapons)
• Keeps audience at „the edge of their seats‟ as the plot builds up.