5 Thriller openings - Brendan Oosterbaan

Inception

Camera-work: Extreme close ups of his face to show emotion and have the audience guess what he has gone through. Extreme close up and use of shallow depth of field on the spinner to show significance and to direct the audience’s attention. Identity of Chinese man hidden until he speaks, creating mystery.

 Editing: Fast cuts between his face and the children playing showing that only he can see them. Children seem hazy which may suggest flashback/dream/unreal.

 Mise en scene: Food doesn't look appetizing and shows he is eating desperately, gun of significance because it is his only possession besides the spinner, emphasises importance of the spinner. Lighting is dark in the room to suggest mystery over the man’s identity.

 Sound: Enhanced Foley's used with sound of the waves – diejetic sound. Kids laughing with contrapuntal music playing over it.

Shutter Island

  Camera-work: Close-ups of his face to show his sickness and emotion. A lot of 2 shots to show they're closeness and understanding of each other. Shallow depth of field used on the chains to direct audiences attention to them. 

    Editing: Slow cuts from his face in the mirror then him looking out to sea to have the audience believe everything is fine. Low white balance in the flashback to show warm colours and how this was a happy time for him. 

     Mise en scene: Chains are a typical sign of dark and bad places such as a prison so in this extract they are very ominous. We are given a blank screen with the sound of water first which has the audience wondering what going to come out of the mist. 

Sound: There is use of enhanced Foley's with the water which gives the water significance and directs the audience to it. The music is very contrapuntal to the speech he says and enhances what he says, it is quite comical. The chains clanking is also an enhanced Foley which foreshadows the events to come. The soundtrack used sounds a lot like a fog horn to reinforce the fact that they are on a boat. The music changes to a more happy tone with the flashback which makes it parallel sound. 

V for Vendetta

      Camera-work: A slow zoom from the TV to emphasise what is being said. Point of view shot when he puts on the mask to show how he is concealing his identity which keeps the audience in the dark about his appearance. Shallow depth of field shot used on the clock and the note to direct the audiences attention to them. Also a close up of him putting on his knives and cape which again emphasises them.

         Editing: Parallel editing between him and her to show their likeness and how there paths will cross. There are fast cuts between the two - cross-cutting - to show how there meeting is drawing nearer. 

Mise en scene: Same lighting on both settings to emphasise their similarity. Both 'getting ready to go out' emphasized by her make-up and his clothes, mask and weapons. Very contrasting props. 

Sound: The TV is always on in the background and is diverting the audience towards it as it is the loudest sound, with soundtrack, music, and Foley's with it. The Foley's are enhanced while the TV is on and off. It is enhanced more when it is off as there are no more distractions. 

Reservoir Dogs

Camera-work: Pan to see all characters which establishes the audience. Zoom up of each face again to introduce characters. 

Editing: Slow cuts so not to confuse the audience. Easy to follow, audience's attention directed on the speech.

Mise en scene: Coffee and cigars emphasized to show they are relaxed, perhaps lulling the audience into a false sense of security. Props and lighting suggest it is breakfast time but they are all wearing suits, contrasts. They are also talking about very contrasting things to what a stereotypical suit wearer might talk about. 

Sound: Voice-over credits to introduce us.Each character speaks so we get a sense of who's who and what their character is like. Lots of speech to emphasise this. The speech is comical which is contrasting to the events that will follow. 

Angels and demons

Camera-work: Extreme close-up with shallow depth of field on the ring to direct attention form the audience. Close-ups of all the tools he is going to use which will show the audience exactly what is going to happen to the ring. Tilt to show masses of people which would give the audience an idea of the scale of the disaster. 

Editing: Fast cuts to show all the tools would suggest to the audience that the breaking of the ring is a lengthy process with lots of tools. Slow motion is used to emphasise the movements of breaking the ring. 

Mise en scene: Tools are very significant to the breaking of the ring as they are well lit up. The clothes chosen are very religious to set the scene of where it is set. 

Sound: Voice-over throughout to introduce the audience to the film and to fill in what is happening. Enhanced Foley's of the breaking ring to direct the audiences attention. Parallel soundtrack to the setting which is very religious. When the TV crews are shown, the voice-over changes to a more fuzzy tone to suggest that it is a television recording.