Thriller Openings

Shallow Grave

Camera Shots/ Angles

The opening of the film 'Shallow Grave' starts with the opening credits played over establishing shots of the area.

At one part of the opening sequence the camera starts using a strobe effect as it goes across a road. This technique is used commonly throughout thrillers, as creates a dramatic atmosphere and makes the film feel a lot more dangerous and out of control, almost as if a character is stumbling into jeopardy.

Sound

The opening sequence is narrated by Christopher Eccleston, this isn't particularly commonly used in thrillers, however it gives the audience a sign that he may be one of the main characters in the movie, and an insight in to his psychology. Thrillers often tend to revolve around the psychology of a character, usually the villain.

The fast paced disco style music played in the intro of this film is also conventional of a thriller film, as most thrillers tend to have fast paced music and editing. The fast music builds up the pace and atmosphere of the movie. Thrillers don't often tend to have disco music however, this may show what kind of characters the movie is going to be about, maybe they are quite laid back and listen to this style music.

Editing

The opening credits are in red block capitals, this makes them quite bold and stand out over the behind shots of the street and woods. The colour red is quite conventional of the thriller genre as well as it creates a link to blood, by using this the film opening is foreshadowing doom later on in the film.

Although the editing is not particularly quick like thrillers tend to be, the fact the shots are all tracking shots moving through the scenery rather fast still keeps a quick pace for the movie. Tracking shot are also used in thrillers as it can put you in the point of view of a character or maybe even he villain, to make you feel like someone is being followed.

Plot

Most thrillers tend to be set in casual 'every day' locations, so when other locations are used throughout the film which are abnormal or scary, it creates a juxtaposition. This is used in the opening sequence for 'Shallow Grave' as the camera keeps cutting in between shots of the streets and shots of the forest. This creates a contrast, and lets the audience know that a forest will maybe be an important location later on throughout the movie.

Collateral

Sound

In the opening sequence for 'Collateral' the only sound is the sound of footsteps, these start before the audience see the first shot of the film, so there is a sound bridge from the Dreamworks into the first shot. This is quite controversial of a thriller, as they often tend to have fast paced music, or a low score building up tension, which both get the audience sucked straight into the film. This however does add the mysterious element of the movie, as it is a mystery thriller, and builds up tension in a different way; it gets the audience thinking.

After the first few shots however, the music does build up and picks up a faster pace, this gets the audience hooked in, and makes everything going on on screen seem a lot more important, this builds up the tension in the audience and keeps them guessing what is going on.

Camera Shots/ Angles

The amount of screen time used on Tom Cruise's character in the first few shots, who is not named at this point, portrays his importance in the movie. It makes it very clear to the audience that he is a vital figure in the movie, so if they see him again in the movie, they will know who he is.

The use of close up shots on Tom Cruise makes his surrounding become more ambiguous, and also shows his importance in the movie as well.

When Jamie Foxx's character is driving his taxi out of the garage, there is a medium behind shot of him, taken from the back of the car. However the whole shot is very dark due to the amount of shadows, and the silhouette of Jamie Foxx. The use of shadows is convention of a thriller, especially a mysterious one, as it creates an ambiguous, mysterious, dark and gloomy mood.

As the taxi is driving around, there are a series of high angled bird's eye view shots taken of the roads it is travelling along, this is very stereotypical, as it makes Jamie Foxx look a lot more vulnerable, as he becomes engulfed in his surroundings. This makes it clear that he is more likely going to be the victim in the movie.

Plot

Tom cruise plays a mysterious character in the opening sequence, and makes it so the audience don't know weather he is good or bad tostart of with. However his actions and appearance cause a fair amount of suspicion, and if he was a villain later on the movie, he would be a very typical villain, as he is a man,who are stereotypically more powerful and threatening. His appearance is villain like and suspicious as he is wearing a suit, this shows he is sophisticated, and serious, and his glasses hide is identity and thoughts, all connotations of a typical thriller villain.

Editing

The editing in this sequence is very fast paced, this is very typical of thrillers, as it quickens the pace, and keeps the audience watching on the edge of their seats, as they want to know what is going on.