Research into Thriller Opening Sequences

An opening sequence also known as cold open both in film and television helps to set the stage for the episode or film whilst presenting at all, identify the major actors and crew. These are usually shown on as text on a blank screens or static pictures, or sometimes on top of action in the show sometimes accompanied with music. These types of titles are quite frequent within the thriller genre. Thrillers harness the use of opening sequences to create suspense at even the beginning of their movie whether their eyes are focused on the black canvas on screen with the name written on the front or the actions taking place in the background.

By delivering a small taster, opening sequences allows for the audience to know a bit about the movie they are watching. From creating a scene for the movie to showing vague glimpses of the end.  Opening sequences create mysterious beginnings in both the canvas title and top action sequences causing characters to look less visible. In doing this it is able to create enigmas that begin to bubble within the viewer’s head to try and anticipate what could possibly happen at the end.

For Example ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ This opening sequence shows a slight description of what the movie is going to be about with the use of animation that take form on specific items that could possibly be key to the plot within the film.  However this use in animation causes confusion in the audience as it seems to tell only segments of the plot that could not even be relevant. What makes this opening sequence so effective is the use of a loud spontaneous score that plays over the animation and use of many extreme close ups of items such as keyboards, all done in a dark colour.

 

Another example of this is in my previously mentioned crime thriller Se7en which like a crime thriller would do, which is showing the preparations of the criminal he is about to make but will only be revealed later on within the movie in order not to dive into a horror category rather than a thriller. Enigma codes are embedded here in order to create confusion just like in ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’. With the use of screeching tone behind the reveal of each credit adds to the eeriness  of the scene and a small montage of various items to added to the demented effect the title sequence creates a sense of suspense as soon as it audience sits down.

However some opening sequences contain a fewer amount of information of the actors but is rather ‘sweet and short’ placing its audience straight into a scene. Though it lacks any information it keeps the audience glued to the screen waiting for what exactly is going to happen this already resulting in a sense of thrill within each of the viewers. With the use of a quick cut enigmas are already made as the plot begins to reach a suspenseful climate only at the beginning of the play. A good example of this would be ‘The Dark Knight’ which only shows the film studios and companies before jumping straight into a bank robbery were everyone can be seen wearing a mask causing the audience to wonder exactly who are these people?.