Thriller Opening Sequence - The Dark Knight

Conventions of an opening sequence:
- Begins with an establishing shot
- Establishes setting
- Uses mise en scene and editing to establish genre
- Introduces character
- Gives ideas of possible plot lines, also uses cross cutting to show that characters will inevitably meet/ are involved




Conventions of a thriller film:
- Uses some fast cut editing to heighten experience and give audience a feel of adrenaline
- Uses typical mise en scene such as guns, blood, suits
- Creates a sense of mystery and suspense by using masked villains - not knowing who the perpetrators  are adds to fear
- By cross cutting between two masked villains it engages the audience and makes us more determined to watch and find out which of the two the Joker actually is.
- Darker themes, such as weaponry, robbery and some death.
- Uses a score to create suspense and add to excitement

Location

We have decided upon filming on Sadie's road for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is convenient for all of our actors and film crew as they live nearby. It also has mise-en-scene such as the bushes and general aesthetics described in our animatic. This is both cost saving and convenient.


Pictures of Location

Dates/Times for filming

We plan to film the opening sequence this friday (14th), as all our actors and equipment are available to filming that day. We confirmed the date after checking the weather forecast, which showed us that there would be copious amounts of cloud. This is perfect for our genre of film as it is stereotypically atmospheric.


We will shoot at around 7:30 on location, when there will be low lighting, but enough for us to be able to film. This fits in with the script in which the girls are leaving a party at night/early hours of the morning, and also adds to the unnerving feeling projected by the film. The filming will probably last around an hour, due to the number of takes, and different angles we predict to do.

Target Audience for 'Abduction'

Age: 16-30
Gender: Male and Female
Occupation: Part time jobs
Social class: Upper working class/Lower middle class
Interests: Crime, puzzle solving, the news


Person A:


Our ideal audience member would be around the age of 17, as this is the age of the majority of the characters in the film. This will allow them to relate as they will understand the social conventions of this age group. Person A could be either male or female as there are attractions for both genders. For example; generally speaking, males are more likely to enjoy this genre of film, and females will find it easier to relate as the most of the characters are teenage girls. Ideally they would have a part time  job in order to pay for the film and any available merchandise. They are also likely to be of the low mid range of social classes.  Person A would be someone who is interested in subjects with intrigue and mystery, and likes to work things out for themselves. They would love the element of surprise, which would make them the ideal candidate for stereotypical thriller with plot twists.

Storyboard Animatic

This is our storyboard animatic, created using a mixture of final cut pro, soundtrack pro, garage band, and photoshop. We hand drew our shots onto paper and then used a digital camera to take pictures of each individual image and upload them onto the Macs.  After doing so, we proceeded to import the images onto Final Cut Pro and used the tools available to edit the shot length and timings into our desired sequence. We also created the title shot using photoshop and then transferred it across. We then used Soundtrack Pro to find and edit appropriate sound effects, and recorded one of our own using Garage Band. These were then imported into Final Cut Pro to be layered over the existing project. Finally, we used the tools to fine tune both the images and sounds, varying volume throughout, in order to ensure continuity.

Script

Shot of a group of girls (around the age of 16) leaving a house party in early hours of the morning, saying their goodbyes, and splitting off to walk home.

Girl at house door: Thanks for coming, and hope you get home alright

Girl 1: Cheers Sarah, we had a wicked time.

Girl 2 (talking at almost the same time as girl 3) Yeah, cheers baby girl

Girl 3: Thanks, byee

Girl at house door: You're welcome girls. Cyaa

Girl 4: Same time next week?

Girl at house door: Haha, don't push it. See you soon though!

Girl 1,2,3 & 4:  Byeeee. Wave and stumble off, drunkenly laughing and chatting loudly

Girls walk for about a short period of time till the 4 girls start to split off.

(Here the actors will improvise drunken lines and goodbyes to one and other, in hope to look more realistic)
Main charcter is only one in shot, voices of  drunk girls and their heels stumbing on the tarmac fade to silence, where only the main girl and her walking and breathing remain.

Momento Opening scene Analysis

The first three shots have many different features of both a normal film opening and that of the thriller genre. Firstly the film's title 'Momento' is overlaying the first shot, this is typical of many films. The typography chosen gives us clues as to what the genre is; the blue colour is cold and the font is somewhat angular suggesting a darker theme rather than up beat and happy. The lighting is dark and mysterious which, again, is another thriller convention. The first 3 shots show a polaroid picture of what appears to be a dead body, although as the opening plays on it becomes apparent that the film is actually un-developing. This gives a sense of mystery and intrigue, and encourages the veiwer to carry on watching so as to understand what is happening. The sight of a dead body also suggests to us what genre of film it colour be.

The fourth shot shows the photograph going back into the camera, which confirms to us that the sequence is being played in reverse order. We still have not seen the face of the person who is taking the photograph which adds to the whole uncertainty and mystery of the unfolding events.

In the fifth shot we see the face of the photographer, although the identity of the man is still unclear. The audience are unaware of whether he is a crime scene photographer or the killer himself. His expression is somewhat cold and unemotional, suggesting to us that he is either used to seeing dead bodies or perhaps that he feels no remorse for the murder.

Both shots 6 and 7 show elements of mise en scene that are conventional of thriller films. Blood and weapons are common icons in this genre. By showing the bullet is also reveals to us how the man may have been killed. The blood running down the wall suggests there may have been a struggle and also that it was a fairly recent murder, pointing to the photographer as the killer.

The 8^th shot shows a pair of blood stained glasses. This gives us a clue as to what the person killed is like as there are many stereotypes surrounding those wearing glasses.

In the 9^th shot we finally see the dead man for ourselves, rather than through polaroids. Although we see the body, we still do not see the man's face. This is all building up to increase the conventional intrigue of a psychological thriller.

In shot 10 we see the man kneeling down beside the body, perhaps inspecting it. He still shows no sign of emotion or remorse.

In shots 11, 12, 13, and 14 we see the build up to the murder. These shots all happen very quickly to increase adrenaline in the audience. It shows that something bad is about to happen and prepares us for it.

In shot 15 we see the photographer shooting the gun. The murderer is revealed to the audience after a long time of suspense.

In the final shot we see the man being shot. He if facing the camera and we finally see the face of the man who was murdered, again, after a long, suspenseful wait. Keeping these two things a secret right up to the end is conventional of Thriller films, which make you wait for vital information and keep you in anticipation as a way of making you try and figure things out for yourself and carry on watching until the answer is satisfyingly revealed.

Typical mise en scene -

-Props such as blood, guns, and bullets

-A dark, dank, dirty setting.

Use of sound –

-A score is played though almost the entirety of the opening, right up to where the murder happens. This sudden contrast helps to impact and increase the magnitude of the event.

-There is no dialogue from the characters for the majority of the sequence, this adds intrigue as the audience have to try and figure out the situation for themselves, without the clues that conversation or comments would offer. The only dialogue is from the man whilst being shot, again this is adding to the impact of the killing.

-Diagetic sound is used, for example the noise of the polaroid and gun. This helps to give realism to the scene and make the audience feel more involved.

Use of editing –

-Throughout the scene most shots used are close ups/ medium close-ups/ medium shots. By not showing the entire setting, and giving the audience different aspects of the situation individually it helps to maintain suspense. The audience receive bits of information slowly so that they can judge what is happening for themselves, somewhat like a puzzle. This is a common convention of psychological thrillers which like to play with the audiences minds.

- The cuts between shots at the beginning are quite slow, and become increasingly faster up until where the actual murder happens, where the cuts become very fast. This helps to add to the increasing alarm as you see various aspects of mise en scene such a blood and guns. The fast editing towards the end makes the audience feel more frantic and helps to put them on edge. It also gives a build up and shows them something bad is about to happen.