Opening Sequences PT2

 These are the thriller opening sequences i have chosen to analyse:

"Centigrade" (2020)

"Green Room" (2015)

"Fall" (2022)

Starting off, we have Centigrade. This film is about a man and his pregnant wife who get trapped inside of their car in the middle of a storm, and end up plunged underneath snow. 

As supplies run low, they battle hypothermia, starvation and dehydration as they fight for their lives. In the opening sequence, we see close up and wide angle shots of the couple inside their car. These types of shots are very typical in thrillers as they allow for the audience to see the characters expressions and observe their surroundings. This is exceptionally effective in Centigrade as we see the couple afraid and anxious in the car, a small space. This builds lots of suspense and tension as we feel claustrophobic watching this anxious couple in a dampened and tight space, not knowing what will happen. The sound also plays a big role in engaging the audience. The tension is built upon the silence. In a lot of thrillers, it is common to have conventions like this, music can build the tension but so can the silence. It develops this eerie and mysterious mood and sets an underlying layer of suspense to the sequence, never knowing when or how the silence will break. 

Next up is Green Room. This film is about a rock band that are trapped in a secluded venue after finding a violent act of crime. They now become a target of violence from a gang who seek to eliminate all evidence of the crime. The opening sequence follows many basic codes and conventions of thrillers, however it is still incredibly effective in building suspense. These conventions include the lighting, cinematography and setting. The film uses lots of low/dark lighting, which creates shadows, silhouettes and leads to a spookier atmosphere and overall tone. However,
hence the name "Green Room" we also find a large portion of the sequence is shot with green lighting. When we think of the colour green in a spooky context, things like toxic waste, radiation or swamps may come to mind; thats exactly what this lighting does. It creates this toxic environment that you definitely wouldn't choose to be in, and it elevates the tone and mood of the film through the imagery of things like swamps and toxicity. The cinematography plays a big part in engaging the audience. There are countless wide angle and mid-close up shots, which are very typical for a thriller film. Through these shots, although repetitive, they are executed well, deliberately and with purpose to capture the audiences attention through establishing setting as well as displaying character emotion and reactions through every shot. The setting used enables the audience to feel apart of the action and suspense, as there is a lot going on. Lots of narrow hallways and enclosed spaces allows for a slightly claustrophobic feel, elevating the suspense naturally and dragging the audience further into the film.

Last but not least, Fall. Fall is a film about a young group of friends passionate about climbing. One day, one of the friends falls to his death after an obstruction in his view and grip on the cliff. His girlfriend is traumatised. Her best friend, after years, finally convinces her to climb again. They climb an old rusty lookout with no harnesses, and end up getting stuck, where the suspense of the film is drawn out. In Fall, the audience is engaged through different aspects of cinematography and sound. There are many camera shots and styles used but the ones that stick out the most and have the biggest impact on the film are low and high angle shots, extreme wide angle shots, and tracking shots. The low and high angle shots are used to show the heights and dangers of the climbing, which creates intensity and fear for the safety of the characters. These shots also portray the characters as "inferior" and potentially foreshadow the intense challenges and dangers to come. Extreme wide angle shots show surroundings, height and reaction of the characters. These shots also reinforce the characters as inferior to their intimidating surroundings and situations. Tracking shots allow for the audience to deeply engage with the media as the camera enables us to feel immersed, following along with the action. The diegetic and non-diegetic sound follows the classic textbook thriller ways of building during intense moments, and reducing during still moments to build the tension.