This document provides information about the 2002 Steven Spielberg film Minority Report starring Tom Cruise. It summarizes the plot, which is set in a future where a special police unit called "Precrime" uses psychics to predict crimes before they occur. However, the psychics predict that the head of Precrime, John Anderton, will commit a murder, though he does not know the victim. The document also lists director and writers and provides analysis of various film techniques used in the opening scene, including camera work, editing, sound, and conventions of the thriller genre.

1. MINORITY REPORT
A Steven Spielberg Film
Starring: Tom Cruise

2. Information about the film
Director – Steven Spielberg
Writers – Phillip K. Dick
When the film was released – 2002
Plot summary:
• law enforcing squad "Precrime". They use three gifted humans (called
"Pre-Cogs") with special powers to see into the future and predict
crimes beforehand. John Anderton heads Precrime and believes the
system's flawlessness steadfastly. However one day the Pre-Cogs
predict that Anderton will commit a murder himself in the next 36 hours.
Worse, Anderton doesn't even know the victim.

3. Awards won & nominations

4. Mise-en-scene
• Use of props – fake blood, scissors, cut-out face = show
violence
• Setting – House, bedroom, bathroom, bath, evening,
relaxed (unwinding from day)
• Costume & Makeup – pajamas (comfortable clothes)
shows vulnerability. Killer has suit (black), dark colors,
looks like hitman
• Figure expression – man is shocked, assassin is
emotionless, couple is frightened, scared,
• Body language – man dies protecting woman
• Lighting – dark in bedroom

5. Camera angles, shots and movement (Anna)
Aerial shot- on the scene where the couple is on bed. This shows them being
dead as their facial features are not so visible.
Extreme close up- this is on the eye of a girl submerged in water this suggests
her fear as her pupils are diluted they widen because they see something which
scares them. Eyes wide open she sees something, her face is expressionless.
Close up- on the item of scissors cutting though an eye this could link to the pain
that they might encounter
Hand held camera- creates effect of realism as its happening in real time so it
adds pace to the film as we are witnessing the murder from a persons
perspective
Tracking shots- camera follows the ball when it rolls down the equipment this
creates focus to the object which may have significance in the later plot
Mid shot- of when the killer is stabbing the man to show the lack of escape and
how the man is trapped
High angle shot & tilt- when the killer is walking up the stairs he is seen as small
but gradually gets bigger the more steps he takes
POV/First person- when the killer attacks the man we see it from a perspective
of the woman who is sitting on the bed shaking and screaming.

6. Editing (Vince)
- When the distributors are shown, a grey tint and a ripple effect is used to create
a dark, eerie atmosphere  conforms to stereotypes of thrillers.
- Font of opening credits, all upper case, shows edginess. The color is light blue,
contrasts to dark background.
- On credits, a ripple effect is used in the font and the credits fade in and out, this
creates an ambiguous.
- Pacing of film is fast forwarded and back into present time as well as slowed
down, use of speed ramping gives a chaotic feel which gives the audience the
feeling of experiencing the event.
- Use of transitions (fades, blurs etc.) and scenes used which are not in
chronological order making it harder o distinguish what is happening
- The blood is more noticeable as it’s the main color we see compared greyscale
effect that is used throughout the scene. The use of red color is quite eye
catching and can suggest danger which again conforms to the stereotype of
thrillers.

7. Sound
- The opening scene soundtrack is more monotone and
eerie the sound is a loud drum which matches the
background as it creates an atmosphere of ambiguity.
- The scissors are enhanced which create the effect of pain
- The dialogue used by the main person saying ‘murder’
can foreshadow what could happen to them
- Murderer says I want to cry this could symbolize his
actions that could be done without his will.
- Sound of the couple screaming is muffled and quiet
showing the severity of the situation

8. What conventions of the thriller are present? keiley
• Thriller

9. How effective is the opening? (Anderson)
• Overall the film opening is really effective not only because of the
action pace and other amazing things but because of the range of
feeling it gets across to make an audience feel as if they are in a
world of no free choice. This is mainly as the opening is good at
keeping us in the dark as we don’t know exactly the reasons for why
the murder in the beginning happened and who the characters are.
The use of all, mise en scene, camera shot and angles, sound and
editing is also used very effectively and lets the audience know
straight away that’s we are about to watch a thriller however it could
be also be quite misleading and be seen as a horror as well at the
beginning with the use of dark colors and murder which could confuse
a audience. Despite this, the use of a montage helps keep the
audiences attention on edge as many shots and events take place.
Not only this the soundtrack keeps an audience on their feet through
the use of suspense and the use of showing the distributors in the
very beginning helps an audience expect what kind of quality of film
they are about to see.