Researching Openings to Thriller/Horror Movies

I have researched openings that are the similar genre to our opening which is Thriller/Horror movies I wanted to see where they had placed there credits, how long the credits lasted, colours of the font and if the writing was it capitals.

The Game

In the beginning the production company is named which is POLYGRAM underneath it says FILMED ENTERTAINMENT and underneath PRESENTS. This shot lasts for four seconds in white writing as the background is a puzzle so the writing stands out. The Presents is smaller than the production company showing that importance of the company. The next shot is writing A PRODUCTION FILMS underneath PRODUCTION 'A' and Production is smaller than the production company showing once again the significance of the company, the pause of the writing is for four seconds again. The next shot is of the Title THE GAME which is paused for four seconds. The background is unraveling the writing in each shot. All of the writing is in capitals and is shown for four seconds this may be because of the two production companies that helped make the movie have equal rights. The actors and the director is shown at the end of the movie. I really liked this opening as I liked the puzzle and that it relates to the title 'The Game' and I liked that everything was in Capitals which makes the writing stand out. However, I feel that the opening did not give me any ideas as it was very contemporary.

The Shining

Warner Bros. Pictures is shown in the opening before the movie begins. In the openings there are many wide shots showing a car driving which gives the idea of a peaceful journey, there is writing superimposed in 1 minute and 20 seconds in to the opening of A STANLEY KIBRICK FILM going from the bottom of the shot moving to the top of the screen the directors name is shown for eight seconds. However, near when Kibricks name is leaving the shot JACK NICHOLSON name appears at the bottom going to the top, the name is on the screen for eight secongs. Even though on the seventh second another name appears SHELLEY DUVALL name appears. The people named is the directors and the main actors in the movie. Next the title of the movie appears still moving to the top of the screen in slightly bigger font. The next names says FEATURING DANNY LLOYD the next six names are different actors. After the actors the EXECUTIVE PRODUCER underneath JAN HARLAN is shown, BASED UPON THE NOVEL BY STEPHEN KING and then the production company THE PRODUCER CIRCLE COMPANY. After the different names SCREEN PLAY BY STANLEY KIBRICK is shown again showing his importance in the film. Each name has the same length of time of the screen. The font is in blue which represents tranquility and calmness which contrasts with the film and all of the writing is in Capitals. I did not like this opening as I thought it was very long however I did like the opening shots of the journey showing the setting.

No Country for Old Men

In the beginning PARAMOUNT VINTAGE underneath AND underneath MIRAMAX FILMS and underneath PRESENT the shot is black screen with white writing in Capitals for four seconds. The next shot has the title of the movie in Capitals on a black screen in white writing for four seconds. I really liked the simplicity of the opening and I think that we could try and use an opening like this as it is not too modern and it seems traditional.

Researching Credits to Opening of Films

In class today we watched seven different openings to films such as Babel, Derailed, The Bourne Identity, In Bruges, The Life of David Gale, The Mexican and Angels and Demons. We was looking at the where the credits appeared, if the production companies and the films associations appeared before the title of the film. Also, to give us an idea as to where our credits should appear as when editing our film our credits appear at the end which makes the opening seem more like a trailer.

Babel

In the opening of Babel it first appears with two of the production companies such as Paramount Pictures and in another shot saying presents showing that the next shot will be the title. The screen is then black with white writing which makes the title stand out the title is paused for an average of four to eight seconds. The production companies appears on the centre of the shot, presents appears on the left and then the title appears on the right of the screen. When the title appears there is a sound bridge of some one walking. I really liked the opening to Babel as placing the writing around the shots keeps the audience waiting and the sound bridge with the title makes the audience impatient as to show where the setting is. I think in our opening we could use this type of opening as we could also have the sound bridge as our music as the church bells and horse trotting in the beginning.

Derailed

The opening sections shows Miramax Films the technical name of the production companies, the next shot has A film by Mikael Hafstrom who is the director of the film. In the next shot the names of the 'main' actors appear on the screen, first Clive Owen name appears as he plays the main
character the music finally kicks in during his name. Then in the next shot Jennifer Aniston name appear on the opposite side of the screen. The title of the film then appears on the screen. In the next shot then has the name of three actors underneath each other on the bottom right side Georgina Chapman, Denis O'Hare, Tom Conti this shows that the three actors do not as significant characters. I really liked how the opening did not just say directed by Mikael Hafstrom and Starring Clive Owen etc. By the way the names are structured shows that they are important.

The Bourne Identity

The production company appears before the film has started Universal Pictures, the next shot has a sound bridge of wind and rain as superimpose writing is used showing the location over top of the shots and the opening continues. The title of the film then appears however, it does not say the actors or the director in the opening of the film. I do not like the opening and I do not feel like we could use this opening as an inspiration to our credits as in the opening of the Bourne Identity there is a lot of action and the title in the middle of the opening slows the pace of the opening and it leaves the audience wanting to watch more, but our opening is slow pace as the sudden titles may leave the audience bored and loose their attention.

In Bruges

The production company appears in the beginning of the opening on a black screen Focus Features on the bottom left hand side of the screen and then the company appears in the next shot. The next three shots each show different associations in between each association is a short clip of the movie showing the setting. The shots has a sound bridge of a piano playing and over the top of the piano is a voice over as the shot is a black screen with the Title which can represent a person being unconscious and as it is a black screen it makes the audience focus on what the characters are saying. I really liked this opening as the title is at the end of the opening in which we originally wanted to do. However, in our opening we are telling a story establishing the rest of the film but In Bruges shots are close ups of monumental objects establishing the setting.

The Life of David Gale

Straight in to the opening is a black screen showing the title of the movie. The title of the movie is paused for an average of five to ten seconds. I think that the opening suits this film as the film seems like a documentary by the title and that is what documentaries usually have. I do not think we could use this technique in our opening as it is too contemporary.







The Mexican

This film is a Dreamworks production which appears in the beginning of the film. The opening starts with association on two separate shots on the bottom left corner in white font. Then the title appears in red which could represent death, love or passion. I did not like the opening as I did not think it was that effective and as the production company was Dreamworks I thought that the film was happy but there was a car crash. The opening did not show the genre of the film which our film does. Also, the credits were very contemporary as the setting of traffic lights was shown and the actors names and director is shown later in the movie.


Angels and Demons

The production company is shown in the beginning Imagine Entertainment and in the next shot another production company is named Skylark Productions. In three separate shots three production companies are named and in between the superimpose shots are pan shots of objects which may be to do with the film. The next shot is of the title of the movie in front of a clip in the movie. I found the opening boring however, it did relate to our opening as we originally had superimpose of our names in front of our clips. However, watching this opening I discovered that with the title and names in front of clips it is very distracting.

All the credits lasted for an average of 4-10 secs all gave time to see the titles. My general observation was that most of the titles appeared on black screens and that sound bridges were used mainly when the screen was black. Most of the films were by Universal Productions which could show the similarity of the openings.

My Bloody Valentine Opening

The opening to My Bloody Valentine contains newspaper articles which reminds me of my groups film opening as we also used newspaper articles relating to the murder and Jack the Ripper. However, in My Bloody Valentine opening the newspaper articles are shown differently as the newspaper articles use editing element such as superimpose.
This is the opening to My Bloody Valentine 3D:


From 0.19 seconds to 0.37 seconds there is a range of different editing and camera skills used which I find very interesting. In 0.19 seconds the headlines pan to different headlines, news articles or photographs relating to the story and relating to the victims which is superimpose over a shot. The shot will stay for an average of six seconds before panning to a different shot, the shot will then change as it zooms out to reveal another headline and then the camera zooms on to a picture of a man which could show that he is a main character the shoot has a picture of the man with writing which seems like it may be a story. The camera then passes a headline, a lamp and another headline but slower which shows ther audience that it says 'Forgot to Bleed Lines' which seems like it is a line taken from a story or article. The camera then zooms in to a picture of men walking in a mine which shows that they are miners but the shot makes the audience feel like they took the photograph of the miners. In the clip 0.54 the headlines get bigger so the audience can see the word 'Murder?' and then the headline is sliced which shows the murder weapon. The editing is usually zoomed in or out as the film is in 3D so the headlines will pop out. The opening also has a voice-over which is a man sounding like he is stressed and worried and he is talking to an audience 'Calm down folks' and then there are crowd noices.

State of Play Opening

I am currently watching State of Play and I have just seen the opening which I find to be brilliant. You are opening with a pan follow of a young man running across a street therefore being hit by cars then in to a restaurant braking plates, hitting people and falling over. The man seems to be in panic and scarred which makes the audience think why is he running? and what danger is he in?.
Then the man is hiding and he suddenly gets shot and the viewer sees the murderer and then an innocent civilian goes by and then the man shots him. I find the opening really depressing but action packed and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat which makes a good thriller film. The extreme close up of the young man who was shot then the effects and lighting changes so its red which represents blood and the lighting is very bright. The titles are then on the low right hand corner.
Judging on the opening the film looks really good. Now I am going to get back to the movie.

Thriller Research- The Godfather

I have researched the genre Thriller and I found a worldwide poll in which the public chose the best and worst of thriller films. I then chose to look at the opening of the top best thriller film to see what what makes a good thriller opening. The Godfather reached number one with 365,190 votes.
The opening is intreging as the screen is blacked out, then the dialogue starts with 'I believe in America' which is intense as it makes the audience want to know the impact of what he just said and it sounds like he is defending himself.
The camera shot is a close up of a man talking about his daughter and as he talking the camera is in reverse zoom, which is a simple technique but effective in making the opening tense and already the audience are sitting on the edge of there seat.
I love how the opening is so dramatic and it adds tension to the atmosphere especially the dialogue as it talks about how his daughter was assaulted by her boyfriend and his friend, the audience gets a clear image that the man is the father and you get a sense of love he loves his daughter and the hatred he has for these men who attacked his daughter, this is easily told by the emotions in his face and his voice which has sunk the audience in to the film.
As the speech reaches to the most emotional part 'she was a beautiful girl (long pause) now she will never be beautiful again' and the father begins to cry and that line and acting is so dramatic and the audience gets emotional as well, and the camera begins to zoom out and the audience can see a shadowed head resting on a hand in the left hand corner, this makes the film more dramatic as the audience wonder who the man is and why is the father telling him this and it also gives a sense of the father seeing a councillor as the men are sitting opposite from each other.
As the camera is zooming out and the man figure is becoming clearer, then the other men immediately starts with 'Why didn't you come to me first' this gets the audience really wondering who the man is and how much power does he have to be saying that he is better than the law system.
In the opening my favourite part is when the second man asks what the other man wants done and the father whispers in his ear even though the camera is in extreme zoom between the two men the main focus is the mouth to ear, they are both blacked out which adds tension, mystery and a interest in the conversation between the two men.
As the father walks away the camera is medium zoom on the second man, he looks like he is thinking but his expression is blank which makes it seem he has heard worse things.
The opening is so dramatic and I think that's what makes a brilliant thriller opening.

The Shawshank Redemption

I have chosen The Shawshank Redemption as it is a brilliant film.
Already in the beginning it sets the characters to the film as the main character is the narrator and everything is told from his point of view which I find so interesting as you already feel like you know the character.
As the narrator introduces himself and the story in the opening 'Their must be a con like me in every prison in America I'm the guy who can get it for you, so when Andy Defrane came to me in 1949 and asked me to smuggle him to Hayven in to the prison there I told him no problem' shows he is judgemental and Andy is significant throughout the film and like the famous phrase 'Never judge a book by its cover'.
I also like the camera shots as it goes around the prison with dramatic music which shows the setting and it can represent the genre crime and drama. I find interesting how the camera focuses on to the two main characters Ray the narrator and Andy the person who Ray was talking about, and what I found most interesting is that the narrator tells Andy's story as to why he is in prison 'killed his wife and others' the quotation shows that he seems really violent but then the narrator says 'he was Vice President of a large cooperate bank' shows that he was successful but then the contrast between him being a murder and the vulnerability in Andy's face as all of the prisoners are cheerful and banging the fence like a parade.
It makes the audience wonder what will happen in the story as Andy luxuriates will be taken away and he seems like a lamb being fed to lions as he looks petrified, he seems like a child as he looks up to the prison building and its so tall and it makes the prison seem like a metaphor as it is intimidating and patronising, which could represent him going in to prison and his journey which is shown through his facial emotions.
What I love the most about the opening is how it is narrated as it seems like the narrator is remembering it 'I never thought a lot about him the first time I saw him' I think this gives more heart to the film and it also shows that Andy's journey is significant throughout the film, and the narrator and then the character talks and there is no pause between the swap.
I would recommend The Shawshank Redemption as it will have you sitting on the edge of your seat as there are themes of revenge, murder, prison and friendship and it is a brilliant and memorable film as well as the lines 'Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free'.

Which film makes the biggest impact to the audience?

I think that 'Ghost Ship' has a huge impact on the audience, as your initial feeling about the film is that it is going to be romantic and a chick flick with the woman singing a calm and relaxing song, the setting is set in a ball where people are dancing and dressed formally and the camera zooms out and it shows everyone dancing which gives a 'warm traditional' feeling in which you do not expect something bad to happen.
Then the audience is introduced to the setting which is set on a cruise which makes the audience think of 'debutante', which is a daughter of an upper class family who is a newly adult and shes introduced to a formal society to show her 'new' image.
The camera keeps on zooming on to couples and the singer. The camera is also reverse zoom to show the couples dancing for no longer than five seconds. The camera shot then is a close up onto a young girl who does not seem to be enjoying herself, the audience wonder why she is not enjoying her self and why does she seem to be the only young person there.
One of the crew then asked the girl to dance but the music is still playing and you do not hear them talk which I think keeps the audience more interested as you can interpret there conversation however you want.
This is when the audience become alert as the shot changes into an extreme close up of a poll which hold the light wires together and it becomes loose and cuts off then suddenly the lights explode and the camera shot is pan shot follow.
The camera then zooms out which I think keeps the audience alert as the audience gets disorientated, as the camera zooms out and everyone gets slit in half and fall to the floor except the girl who the man she was dancing who protected her, this makes the audience know that this is not the film that they expected and that it is gruesome and a horror film.
This will stick into the audience minds throughout the film as it was a huge twist and makes the film more interesting when it changes onto the present day where the 'Arctic Warrior' ship needs to be repaired which gives the impression of a thriller film and keeps the audience on edge as they wonder what happened to that girl and will they survive but they do and a man in a pub tells them about the boat with a girl and it is of the radar everyone around the table looks worried, interested and tense and the audience are already glued to the film as it is so intense.
Ghost ship is memorable to the audience as there was a twist already and the sudden gap between the two different time periods make the audience interested.