Thriller openings - Mia Foden

Derailed:

                                              

Mise en scene:

• First shot – long line of prison cells. Prison – represents danger.
• Barbed wire suggests the restriction at the prison and shows that there is no escape.
• All prisoners wearing blues and navy coloured clothing
• Dark, limited pallet of colour – dark blues, greys, browns.
• Weather – grey and miserable

• When the setting changes to the house – white, pretty, medium to large size. – suggests that the family are living comfortably and are middle class.
• Inside the house, in the normal looking bedroom, there is a large comfy looking double bed. There are also many wooden objects in the room, giving the house a ‘homely’ look.
• Shows woman in the shower to suggest that the man has a wife.

Sound:

·         Very limited speech – swearing – shows aggression - Back ground shouting.

·         non-diagetic sound – calm methodical music starts after 53 seconds –showing the everyday routine for a prisoner

·         Music slows down and quietens as voice over beings, then fades out and changes to a calmer/ more peaceful music when the setting changes.

·         The dog barking to wake the man up, then the daughter saying ‘I need lunch money’ to show that it’s early in the morning as she is leaving to go to school and it’s a normal day.

Camera work:

·         Long shots to show context when showing the prison and when showing the house.

·         Close up on barbed wire to emphasise the feeling of being trapped, or to reinforce the feeling of danger.

·         Dolly possibly used for tracking shot showing the cells then shows a man sitting in his cell whilst all the other convicts are outside.

Editing:

·         Variation of long cuts and short cuts. Voice over.

·         Shot reverse shot from the father to the daughter to show continuity

·         An eye line match when the man looks at the dog

Gothica:

Mise en scene:

·         Limited pallet of colour, dark,

·         Cage like room.

·         Hair and make-up on first character – simple hair, slightly uneven and unhealthy looking. Make-up – creates the effect of illness as her face looks discoloured and slightly bruised around the eyes. In comparison, the psychiatrist has her hair and makeup neatly done and looks calm.

·         Interview format in the way in which they are sat at the table – one person on each side.

Sound:

• diagetic – someone whispering to the camera
• a lot of dialogue but hardly any background noise in order to let the spectator concentrate on the conversation.

Camera work:

• Close up on both the women’s faces to show comparison in their mental stability and to let us empathise in both characters. This emphasizes the look of insanity and illness in the patient's face.
• Blocking/ Slit framing so the characters appear to be restricted – shows that they are in a small area.
• Medium shot to show the context which looks like an asylum.

Editing:

• fades into first close up shot of woman using a blurry technique which is used to disorientate her face and create a ‘spooky’ effect.
• Shot reverse shot to show that they are having a conversation.
• Long shots to show reactions to conversation and to let spectator concentrate on each character and their differences in temperament and appearances.

Law Abiding Citizen:

Mise en scene:
·         First minute - Homely, normal family setting. Child, around 7 years old, making necklaces for family and middle aged Dad doing DIY.
·         Looks like a living room – realistic setting
·         Typical day – facial expressions of father and daughter – shows happiness.
·         Colourful beads
·         Middle class family/ well off. Pictures in the hallway with a lamp dimly lit.
·         Two  men with knives, tape, bats, wearing all black.
Sound:
·         Father talking to his daughter – diagetic
·         Calm, casual music playing in the background – diagetic
·         Bats hitting the man, glass smashing when the woman is flung across the room. Woman screaming, sound of knife going stabbing man.
Camera work:
• Close up of daughter making a necklace and of father doing work – shows everyday life of the family – shows that it is a normal, regular day.
• Two shot and medium shot of the two burglars to show one with a bat, and that they have no masks on.
• Close up of burglar to emphasize intimidation and the threat he poses.

Editing:

• Shot reverse shot to show continuity in conversation between father and daughter then the reactions between the father and the burglar.
• long shots when things are calm and father and daughter are speaking to each other.
• Quick shots when burglars intrude so show panic.

Panick Room:

Mise en scene:
• Large City – urban setting.
• Autumn
• Very large interior to house. High ceilings, dark brown floor boards, empty house, white walls – suggests wealth.
• Both women in smart clothing, one in coat with fur, and hair and make-up done neatly – suggesting that they are both wealthy.
• Man in smart clothing – suggesting that he is professional.
Sound:
• Dialogue – tells us that the woman is buying the house and accents show that they are middle class.
• Sound of cars outside – diagetic
• Music in background whilst showing credits and gradually fades as spectator listens to the conversation between characters – non diagetic
• Sound of scooter whilst teenager scoots on floorboards – diagetic
• Slight echoing whilst characters speak in the house to reinforce thelarge size of the house.
Camera work:
• Extreme long shots to show context
• Long shots to show contex
• Close up to help spectator empathize with the character
• Low angle shots to perhaps suggest that they are important and respected people.
Editing:
• Long takes to show context
• Shot reverse shot to show continuity
• Match on action to show continuity
• Eye line match

The Disappearance of Alice Creed:

 
Mise en scene:
• Realistic location – looks like BNQ – local DIY store
• Weather – grey
• White van – typically known in England as ‘creepy’
• Stolen number plate – crime – suggests they are dangerous, and
• The symmetry between the men suggests that it has all been planned out.
• Deep in the woods and men with spades – suggests secrecy and the planning of digging a grave.
Sound:
• No dialogue.
• Light methodical music
• Drilling into walls, and sawing.
Camera work:
• Wide and long shots use to show contexts
• Tracking to follow characters
• Low level shots
• Slit framing to create mystery
• Close ups to show what the men are buying
Editing:
• Varied pace of fast and slow shots
• Long shots used to create suspense