Deconstruction of opening sequences

Silencer

This is the opening sequence and titles to an AS level media studies thriller called 'Silencer'. As the clip begins, the viewer is greeted with an establishing shot of an old expensive car driving down a country lane and there is a subtle pan as the car turns the corner. Initially, this is used to show where the event is happening which allows the audience to interpret what will happen next. Throughout this shot, we can hear non - diegetic music which helps build tension and a suspenseful atmosphere. As the car drives we see a slow-motion as it goes through a puddle, this use of pathetic fallacy is used by the director to hint at the mood for the rest of the scene. At this point, the music has increased in pace and volume which highlights that the main action is about to occur. This is also done to try and increase suspense in the build up. As they approach, an extreme close up is used as an insert to make the criminal aware of the presence of the police. The snapping sound of the twig is used to show that the mix of diegetic & non diegetic helps create tension as it brings a sense of verisimilitude to the scene. Afterwards, a wide pan is used to reveal the surroundings however it skips out the criminal which I think could be done to show that she blends in with the surroundings making it hard to spot her. During the pursuit of her tracking shots are used to emphasise how uneven and difficult the terrain is as the camera is shaking showing they are off balance. The birds eye shot from the tree shows the viewer the distance between the criminal and the police extending the idea that they are going to catch her. This is done in order to further accelerate the action and suspense. In this sequence, the cuts are neither fast or slow as they are placed at different intervals for a normal time. This is unusual as a thriller will contain fast paced editing to build tension. The use of the white gate and the abandoned building contributes to the use of conventional locations for a thriller. The shot as he points the gun to her is used to show that from her perspective they are going to kill her so she feels forced to do as they ask. Costume is used interestingly within this scene as the use of suits suggests that the men may be working as special agents and not just ordinary police officers. This gives the further impression that the women was a multiple crime offender and that's why she was killed on spot. The director does this as it leaves viewers wondering why she was killed and therefore making the opening sequence memorable. This is how a combination of the micro elements is used effectively in order to create a suspenseful scene.

Roulette

Roulette is an opening sequence for an AS level media thriller about a group of people who keep teenagers hostage and force them to do tasks. The first thing we see is a close up shot of the girl which establishes her age and shows the blood on her face which is the first signifier that she is there by force. This is done by the director to introduce the idea that she is not in control of the situation. Furthermore, throughout the shot the camera is clearly moving as her head moves which highlights the idea that she is unconscious or dizzy. In terms of sound, the scene starts with diegetic sound as they are clearly in a vehicle therefore there will be some ambient sound. Doing this further helps to reveal the location giving the audience a better understanding of whats happening. Then, we hear speech from the asian woman and initially it is not understandable which is interesting as it reinforces the ideology of the mystery of the situation. Once the man gets up to address the teenagers, there is a mid-shot looking up on him which further highlights that he has the power over the others. Accent is used very effectively here as he speaks in a traditional English accent which is stereotypically used for villains across many famous films. This therefore reflects that he is the antagonist within this thriller. Throughout his speech inserts are used to reveal the props within this scene which puts emphasis on how important the phones and the backpacks will turn out to be in the rest of the thriller. Furthermore, the editing is quite slow paced which is unconventional for a thriller as the opening will be very faced pace. This could be due to the director wanting to go against conventions in order to create something different to a regular western thriller. Mise-en scene is used effectively within this scene to communicate the ideology that the teenagers are trapped. All 3 of the children are wearing brightly coloured shirts or jumpers which connotes their age and that they stand out amongst the other people inside of the van. The use of newspaper covering the windows implies that the group is hiding what is happening inside as the police may already be aware of the presence of this extreme organisation. Once the children have left the bus we have the same mid-shot of the antagonist and the asian women in which she asks "which one are you going to kill" to which he replies "all of them". This creates the idea that the woman is new to the group and doesn't know how they work which is a similar point of view to which the audience see the scene from. Personally, I think this character is used in order to help reveal more about what is going on as her question highlights the intentions of the Englishman. Moreover, her exaggerated giggle at the end emphasises that her question was genuine and therefore ends on the sinister idea that all of the children are going to die. Overall, the thing I found most unusual about this scene was the text used for the credits. The font was regular and it was in white which suggests purity which is the binary opposite of what happens in the scene.

Pulp Fiction

'Pulp fiction' is a thriller directed by Tarantino which was produced 1994. The scene starts with a definition of the word 'Pulp' which is context given by the director in order for the audience to understand the film. Furthermore, the lack of sound during this allows the reader to concentrate more on the definition emphasising the importance that this word has within the movie. A medium shot is used to introduce the protagonists and it also establishes that they are in a restaurant. Straight away diegetic sound is used to further highlight their location as you can hear ambient noise of people talking and crockery rattling. Initially, the difference in body language and posture between the characters can be seen. The man is slouching back and smoking which implies his laid back nature which is reflected throughout his speech in the scene. On the other hand, the women is sitting up straight and paying closer attention to what she is saying. This contrast between characters suggests that he is much more relaxed with his approach to robberies whereas it would seem that she is new to the scene. Throughout their dialogue it is audible that he speaks very quickly which accelerated the speech until they rob the place at the end. An extreme close up is used to reveal the waitress as she talks to them. This shot reveals the waitress to be pale and unhealthy due to the bags under her eyes and makeup used to make her pale. Within this shot, the focus is on her face and the background is blurred which suggests that the waitress may have a larger role in the plot. Pumpkin has a prominent English accent which highlights the ideology of a stereotypical English villain or criminal. On the phrase "this place" there is a transition from mid shots to close up's as they start to talk about robbing the restaurant. The director does this in order to create the effect of foreshadowing that something is due to happen in the restaurant. Within these close ups we see him talking and her showing a strong intrest to what he is saying. They seem like a regular couple however the criminal nature of their conversation contrasts with the calm atmosphere around them. This is conventional for a Tarantino film as he is known for implementing unexpected violence like within this scene. The couple are wearing regular daytime clothing which makes them fit in further with the rest of the people in the restaurant. The lighting during the planning of the robbery is bright daylight which is interesting as robberies will normally be committed in the darkness to avoid facial exposure. This implies to the audience that the couple are either serial robbers or it is their first time. Furthermore, during this final part of the conversation the speed of cuts becomes much quicker compared to the start of the scene further foreshadowing that there is action inbound. Just as they stand up an insert of the gun is used to reveal the weapon in order to perform the robbery. This signifiers the beginning of the action. Honey bunny starts screaming which is a binary opposition to how she previously acts. I found this opening scene to be very intresting as the delay of action until the end of the scene is unconventional but still enjoyable.