This document outlines a proposal for a thriller film opening. It discusses inspirations drawn from other films and trailers. Ideas for the plot involve someone escaping from a mental institution to get revenge, or a girl running away from family problems. Several potential film titles are suggested. The opening scene would be shot in various London locations like parks and forests. Slow, tense music would build tension. Various camera techniques like close-ups, long shots, and filters would be used to set a gloomy, isolated tone. Much editing is planned, including a voiceover and montage.

1. By Shanon Burnett
PROPOSAL

2. INSPIRATION
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1nsgU0meaw
• I am inspired by the narrative voiceover in the trailer of Top Boy. I really liked the way its shot,
with loads of montages and extreme close ups. Also, the iconography of the genre which I will
then alternate to make it unique and to unit to our thriller.
• I am also inspired by Halloween 1978. The idea that the murderer has mental health issues is
something I want to try and incorporate into my opening.

3. IDEAS
• So far, I thought an idea for what the film could be is someone who escapes from a mental
institute so that they get revenge on someone. The reason to the audience is unknown to
keep suspense and so they can discover the enigma.
• I thought I could start with a narrative (the escaper) explaining their story, why they are doing
what they’re doing and why they think they should do it.
• Another possible idea could be that the girl is having family problems, and is running away
from home.

4. NAMES
• I am still uncertain of a name, however here are a few ideas.
Film Names
Mad House
Who?
There’s Always One
Wrong
Headed
It’s Up To Me
My List
Countdown
The Last One

5. LOCATION
• For my film opening, we will be using a lot of different locations, the opening of the film is set
in a park/woods which will either be filmed in Crystal Palace, Blackheath etc.
• For the montage there will be a series of shots filmed in a lot of different areas such as a
forest, house both interior and exterior, a quite road, and at Maudsley hospital.

6. SOUND
• For the opening of my film, I’ve have decided to use slow soft orchestral music which slowly
speeds up gets louder. I have decided to use this because it will gain tension between the
viewers, and also sets the tone of the film.
• Here is a piece of music we are thinking of using for the opening;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdd4wkWgvfs – adele- hometown instrumental
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeEDQMLtyGY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZemAoRzmobw – One missed call music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hio1fHy_3HM&list=RD02ZemAoRzmobw – dead silence music
There will also be a lot of enhanced diagetic sound which will exaggerate scene and make the viewers
tense.

7. LOCATION
DARK
ALLEYWAY’S
BLACKHEATH
PARK
CRYSTAL PALACE PARK
W
O
O
L
W
I
C
H

8. LIGHTING
• In the thriller opening I am using, there will be a lot of low key lighting during the
narrative part of the opening, but as the opening continues into the montage it will
contain a lot of fairly high key lighting of the main characters and the setting.

9. CAMERA ANGLES
• I will be using a range of camera angles which will firstly establish the setting of where the film
might be set, also I will be using a lot of close ups and extreme close ups to show the emotion
of the characters face, I will also be taking a lot of long shots and wide shots to show that the
character is vulnerable and isolated.

10. EDITING
• There will be a huge amount of editing done in this opening scene, I plan to use a voiceover at
the beginning of the opening, to tell a story as the starts straight into an action scene, also I
will be including a montage of different scenes and locations what will appear into a film.
• There is also going to be a filter on the camera which will make it seem melancholy and
gloomy, which is also a typical convention for a thriller film.

11. CAMERA ANGLES
• We will be using a range of camera angles which will to firstly
establish the setting and also give viewers an idea of who is
who.
ESTABLISHING
SHOTS
At the beginning, I plan to use
many establishing shots to set
the scene and let the audience
get a sense of where they are.
CLOSE UP’S
In the trailer for Top Boy, there was a series of close ups on
what is probably the main characters. I liked this idea and
thought I could in cooperate
it into my opening.
OVER THE
SHOLDER
I want to use this shot to give
put the audience in the shoes
Mise-En-Scene
I also though it
would be good to
do a few shots of
items that are
typically found in
a thriller e.g.
Blood, knifes...
FOLLOWING SHOTS
I want to use following shots when the
‘victim’ is running through different
places, to emphasise how far she ran
for.
Extreme Close-
Up
To show emotion
of the character.