Analysis of Thriller Opening Sequences - Past Student work.

A subgenre is a subcategory within a particular genre, for example, Rom-Com, which is of a romance genre, although it has many conventions to also say it is a comedy, an example of this subgenre film would be ‘This means war’ or ‘Friends with benefits’. I’ll be analysing 3 different subgenres from 3 different clips from students’ past work.

Reflection: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LKBaxc1Tsw&safe=active

One of the subgenre is a crime thriller, this opening sequence is called ‘Reflection’ which relates to the story line very effectively. This subgenre is represented through the use of micro-elements such as cinematography, mise-en-scene, sound and edit. For example, a close up camera shot of a male character closing the door in front of him looking directly into the camera conforms that it is a thriller, as you can see a clear expression of his face that connotes a bad event is to occur, however, this also conforms it’s of a crime genre too as the male character is a police officer, although he seems like an antagonist.

Mise-en-scene is also used as a representation of crime/thriller as the use of props and performance conforms this. For example, the mirror in the kitchen shows a reflection of the ‘Police Officer’ going through the woman’s drawer without permission, this of course is a suspicious behaviour of a police officer which shows that this is a thriller genre as police are usually the one’s to solve crime, not create them.

Non diegetic music is also played when the police officer closes the door, the music is slow paced and quite spooky, it helps build up tension and creates confusion for the audience on whether the police officer is an antagonist or protagonist. This conforms the subgenre crime and thriller as at first audiences will think that a crime is going on as a police officer shows up at a woman’s door although the thriller starts coming along when the door is shut and the music starts playing.

Long duration takes of the police shows what he’s doing around the house whilst the female character makes him a hot drink. This shows the audience that he’s up to something as he’s looking around things that is an invasion of privacy. This conforms that it’s a crime/thriller as it is a crime to invade people’s houses without permission.

Pathogen: - http://www.youtube.com/watchv=E7A0FUvzM4&list=PL426C4E4F7D73EE3A&index=5&safe=active

An example of a different subgenre is medical thriller, this opening sequence is called ‘Pathogen’ which audience can assume that it is a type of virus or disease. Cinematography represents the subgenres as we see a tracking shot of a few dead bodies lined up on the floor with white sheets over them, this creates an enigma for the audiences as they will wonder what could have caused this. This however, doesn’t conform that it’s medical, as it looks more like it could have been a crime scene, although it does conform thriller as it’s thrilling to the audience.

Props are also used to represent the subgenre, like for example, we see a shot of a sign that says “Mask up” on a door, and behind that door we see a dead body covered in a white sheet. This conforms the idea of it being a medical thriller as the dead character could have died from a contagious disease or virus, which is why people entering the room must wear a mask to prevent themselves from catching it.

Micro element sound is rarely used in this clip as we only hear non-diegetic music and nothing else. However, although we don’t hear much except from the music, the music strongly conforms that this clip is of a medical/thriller genre as it’s a sharp and eerie soundtrack. We hear sharp sounds within the music that can make the audience think of sharp objects used to operate the body with.

Edit plays a big part in representing this subgenre as the effects used in the opening sequence clearly conforms the clip being a medical thriller genre. For example, we would see very quick and flashy shots of blood and cells which has to do with the human body, which relates to the whole genre.

Firewall: - http://www.youtube.com/watchv=UP5ZBp4Pxr0&list=PL426C4E4F7D73EE3A&index=17&safe=active

A third example of a subgenre of a thriller would be technical thriller, which has to do with computing, secrecy and agents. This subgenre was represented by the use of cinematography, we see a tracking shot of the computer wires which conforms the fact that it relates to technical.

Mise-en-scene micro element is also used by props, for example, we see a written letter to the president, and an agent bringing the president into a safe setting. This also conforms the subgenre of it being technical as this has to do with secrecy and agents. However, this gets the audience thinking of how a computer hacker can have relevance to the President, this could conform the thriller genre as it’s more serious than any other computer hacking schemes before.

The non diegetic music in the background whilst having shots of the computer, wires and keyboards on screen conforms that it’s a technical thriller as the music sounds techno-like, a simple song that could easily be made on the computer which has relevance of what they’re trying to show us.