The opening sequence of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo sets the dark, disturbing tone of the thriller/horror film through flashing shots of black ink covering people's faces and the use of unsettling music. It introduces themes of death and violence without revealing character identities in order to build suspense. The fast-paced editing, intense music, and concealed characters are effective techniques that the document's author wants to apply to their own opening sequence.

1. The girl with the
dragon tattoo
Directed By David Fincher

2. Overview
• The opening sequence of ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ gives the audience
an insight into the film’s darker sadistic side and links to the title through the black
oozing ink that covers the screen.
• Immediately the editor Kirk Baxter and director David Fincher set the tone and
atmosphere of the film as disturbing and action packed, through their choice of
shots and mise en scene.
• Due to the horror/thriller genre, it is clearly based at an audience of young adults.
• The Girl With The Dragon tattoo is a well-known thriller with horror elements
and after watching the opening sequence, I feel I want to direct my own similarly
to this.
• It is very similar to David Fincher’s other opening sequence ‘se7en’, which also
has elements which are effective at grasping the audience. I feel he is the most
influential director that has inspired me to plan my own opening sequence.

3. Genre
 The introduction of the running black ink in flashing shots
immediately enforces the horror genre, due to the
connotations of death. This is one of the main themes in the
film and the audience is made aware of this, achieving the
aims of an opening sequence.
 The black ink that runs out of the eyes and mouth of the
person in the opening sequence, also reinforces the horror
genre because of how unusual and uncomfortable it makes
the audience feel.
 We also the dragon immerging from the person and the ink,
again linking with the title and making the audience wonder
what relevance a dragon has with the film – narrative enigma.
 Because of these horror elements, it Is likely to be aimed at a
target audience of young adults.
 The editing uses jump cuts and sudden movement which
shocks the audience, putting them on edge, and enforcing the
thriller genre.

4. Institutions
 It was presented by columbia pictures and metro-goldwyn-mayer
pictures.
 Produced by Scott Rudin and Yellow Bird.

5. Narrative Enigma
• The opening sequence clearly links to the genre of the film
through the shots of sinister, oozing ink. This allows narrative
enigma because the audience is aware of the title linking to ink
but not who the girl is.
• This creates a more chilling atmosphere for the audience and
creating the desired effect for a horror/thriller, as they are left to
wonder what connection the is.
• In the beginning of the title sequence the screen is covered in
black ink, which then suffocates several people, connoting death
and violence.
• There are also electronic cables suggesting that the film is
somehow related to technology.
• We also see creatures such as dragons and wasps emerging from
the ink and at one point the eye of a girl. All of this mise en
scene hints to the nature of the film but leaves the audience
wondering what the connection is.

6. Themes and Typography
• The opening sequence explores the theme of
horror through the mise en scene all being
black. It is clear that there will not be very
much purity in the film or happy endings.
• The credits are highlighted in white writing
which does reflect the purity of characters
and makes them stand out against the black
background.
• The white writing has a simplistic bold style,
again making it stand out but making the
key focus of the audience mainly on the
mise en scene.
• The colours chosen in the opening sequence
are dark and dimly lit, creating the mood
and atmosphere fit for a thriller/horror.

7. Music by
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
 The non-diegetic ‘Immigrant Song’ by Led Zepplin grabs the audience
attention straight away as soon as the sequence opens. This sound is
continuous and very loud which fits with the thriller genre with a touch of
rock music which helps support the image of tattoos.
 The sound track is very mysterious and urges the audience to keep watching
further and the music intensifies itself into a crescendo, making it very fast
pace and racy, again linking with the thriller genre.
 Whilst the soundtrack is playing the mise en scene move according to the
pace of the song, this keeps the audience interested in the film as their
mind is always wondering what is to happen next.

8. Editing
 The beginning of the title sequence opens with flash shots of running ink that change
according to the beats of the music, immediately engaging the audience.
 The use of the black ink covering lots of props and iconography such as a match, a
skull and a wasp all connote a violent atmosphere, warning the audience of the events
in the film.
 All of these elements being on screen constantly makes the audience feel on edge and
in suspense as though they cannot get away from the connotations of death. This fits
with the horror genre well and adds excitement for the audience.
 Special effects have been used, especially on the ink covering the faces of the people, as
this would be unable to happen naturally. This creates a very surreal environment, again
fitting with the unusual sequence that is famously directed by David Fincher.
 As the pace of the music quickens, so does the speed of the frames, and there are more
jump cuts, especially as the fire is introduced. This creates suspense and tension for the
reader, creating the horror/thriller genre and builds the crescendo of music, to reach
the sequence climax.

10. Camera Work
 There are many extreme close-ups used with
tracking shots when shooting the ink as it
covers the faces of the people. This limits
what the audience is seeing, putting them on
edge and intensifying the thriller genre.
 There are many high angles shots to show
the people submerged in blackness, making
them appear helpless and insignificant.
 The camera is never still, it is constantly
moving in a tracking shot or a tilt/pan. This
adds to the thriller as it creates the fast paced
feeling which makes the audience excited.

11. Characters
 In all of the other sequences I have looked at (except the Purge), there has been
minimal coverage on characters in the opening sequence, which is effective at
adding suspense.
 Although we do see people in this opening sequence, there features are
unrecognizable, due to them being covered in oozing black ink.
 This conceals their identity from the audience and, much like the other sequences,
creates suspense and tension as the audience is limited to what they are told.
• From my research I have found that
most horror/thriller sequences
conceal the identity of the characters
from the audience, so this is
something I will plan to do in my
own opening sequence.

12. Credits
 The titles flash into screen in time with the beat of the music, again intriguing
the audience as the whole sequence appears to fit together.
 The speed at which the titles appear on the screen increases as it progresses
which makes the music crescendo appear more intense to the audience and
more exciting, creating the thriller genre.
 The white bold writing makes them stand out against the dark background,
which is effective at getting them noticed by the audience.
 I believe watching and analysing this opening sequence has helped me
understand what I need to include in mine because I now have a better
knowledge of what credits to include to make mine more authentic and
believable.

13. Final Piece
 This title sequence is effective at using a range of camera shots and
movement similar to those I plan to use in my final piece.
 The way in which the characters identities are concealed from the audience,
creates tension, which is something I would like to have in my opening
sequence.
 The mise en scene and colours used in this opening sequence are all
associated with death and destruction, creating the mood for the rest of the
film. This is useful at setting the scene and this is what I will do in my own
sequence.
 The soundtrack used in this sequence is also effective at creating tension and
adding suspense, due to the crescendo. To achieve the thriller genre in my
own sequence I will build the instruments to form a crescendo similarly to
this.