The Butterfly Effect

1. Conventions

A Pan Shot is the first camera technique used and is often used in other thrillers, it acts as an establishing shot which gives us and idea of the setting which in thrillers and in this example is often a dark setting which gives the impression of mysteriousness or evil.Mid-Shot and close-shots are often used; this builds up tension and informs us of the sometimes erratic emotions/movements that the character is making. Credits on a dark background intensifies the tension and mysterious theme that is being created in the first two minutes of this filmMost important character is shown first, similar to all other thrillers.

2. Use of Titles

Not many titles in the opening 2minutes of the film, however the “new line cinema” title seems fairly normal with no connotation

3. Mise en Scene

Jump cuts are used a lot, this lets us know what is going on in the film, it gives us and idea of what’s happening and can also be edited to be made quite scary. Lighting in the film is generally quite dark - this sets a mysterious or evil themeMovement of the character – usually tells us something about the character, in this case he’s clearly trying to sneak around and we gain the idea that he’s in a restricted area, moreover by his costume we understand that he’s in some sort of hospital.The shot of the butterfly flapping its wings inside the x-ray view of the brain gives a strong idea that mentality is a big part of the film and along with the quote of the butterfly effect, we can further understand the idea of this image…

4. Sound

Non diegetic music is used which creates tension and suspense Silence and sonic exaggeration – builds up tension

5. Camera Techniques

A pan shot is used primarily followed by close ups and mid shots of the main character shown. The pan shot can also be considered as the establishing shot and gives the audience an idea of where the scene is taking place, it gives an idea of the character and what he is like in terms of circumstances

Taxi Driver

1.Conventions

The opening scene of this movie begins with a taxi emerging from a cloud of smoke, this could represent clarity and the fact that the viewer is obscured, it begins with non-diegetic sound, which creates mystery around the film and its plot. The common colours of red and black are used for the credits, which represent evil/violence and mystery. The close up of the first characters face lets us know that he is the protagonist and puts the viewer in an uncomfortable position. The way that he looks around as if he’s looking at someone or something further enhances the discomforted feeling of the audience.

2.Use of Titles

The credits are in red with a black background as well as being in a capitalised block font that lights up like a taxi light, the fact that the font is in capitals and not in comparison free hand writing shows lack of personality or masked personality.

3.Mise en Scene

The shot of the first character we see is in low key lighting, this can give a evil or mysterious feeling to the audience about a certain character, creating shadows and obscuring part of the characters face.

4.Sound

The non diegetic sound that’s used contrasts itself in terms of connotations, the slow paced music changes into a more mysterious and faster paced music, this could suggest the character himself and what his personality is like, and how he can change.

5.Camera Techniques

The immediate camera technique that is used is a close up of the main character; this only shows the middle of his face – mainly the eyes. This camera technique makes the viewers feel quite uncomfortable; the way the man is looking around in a sly approach makes the audience feel un-easy.The fact that you can only see the characters eyes and nothing else of his physical appearance enforces the idea that he is unidentified and mysterious.

The Secret Window

1. Conventions

The main character is shown in the first shot, the inner monologue of this character is then introduced, this gives us a subtle idea of the movie theme, and that maybe psychological problems are present in the character. A close up shot is the first camera technique; it shows emotions and enables us to understand the feelings of the character.

2. Use of Titles

The opening credits are fairly normal and show no connotations besides the title of the movie name “Secret Window” this is edited and turned red in colour, which traditionally suggests evil or murder i.e. the colour of blood.

3. Mise en Scene

The opening scene is shot in a car, where the actor Johnny Depp is thinking to himself, the weather is quite brutal, a snowstorm that could represent the mood that the actor is in – pathetic fallacy; it could also foreshadow the violent nature of the film.

4. Sound

Diegetic sound is used throughout, i.e. the sound of the windscreen wipers and the snowstorm, then non-diegetic sound is introduced, which gives a mysterious and confusing theme to the film. When he walks into the motel room the sound becomes muffled, along with the chaotic camera techniques the disturbed psychological state of the protagonist is established.

5. Camera Techniques

The camera techniques in the opening scene are quite uncertain, point of views are used however it then changes to a third person view of the whole scene, this could show confusion and chaos – the fact that there’s a constant switch between camera techniques shows the switch between psychological personalities.

Psycho

1. Conventions

The establishing shot of this film starts with a pan shot across a city from a high angle. The first person we see is the main character. A pretty blonde woman has been used as the victim, which is quite common for thrillers.

2. Use of Titles

The title credits are on a black background which traditionally represents mystery or darkness, the transitions that are made on each title shows represents the two personalities that Norman Bates relates to, and when the main title, “Psycho” is show it distorts itself which could suggest the battle between the two mental personalities trying to get out.

3. Mise en Scene

None in the title sequence, however in the opening

4. Sound

The non diegetic sound in the title sequence is quite fast paced but then switches to a more slow paced relaxed sound when the establishing shot is made, this could represent the split personalities that the character Norman Bates experiences.

5. Camera Techniques

The establishing shot of the city gives the impression of a powerful person, along with the pan of the city which then focuses into someone’s life, this makes the audience feel quite uncomfortable, and gives the idea that the camera can just look into anyone’s life.

Timings

0.00-0.02 – Black Screen0.02 – Fade transition onto paramount pictures production company0.02 – 0.04 – Paramount pictures Production Company0.04 – Fade out onto black screen.0.06 – Music and credits start0.08 – 1.56– lines form together to make the credits i.e. Alfred Hitchcock 1.56 – Credits fade into establishing shot of the city and filming starts with a pan shot.

Panic Room

1. Conventions

Non-diegetic sound is used in this thriller, as typical of other thrillers, it helps to build up mostly tension in thrillers, however can also be used to add to character emotions and to make the audience feel the characters emotions.In the opening scene and establishing shot is made which familiarises the audience with the location. As a challenge to the typical conventions of thrillers, Panic Room uses text with other images on the screen in this case the large buildings with capitalized font which

2. Use of Titles

The title credits along with the non diegetic sound hints the connotation of tension and danger to the audience. The size of the font and large buildings could denote wealth, power or social status.

3. Mise en Scene

The location isn't specified in the opening scene however we immediately understand that its set in the city because of the tall buildings, the size of the buildings and the fact that its set in the city could suggest wealth, and the idea that its not specified where in the world it is, has the effect of making the events in the film applicable to anyone in the world, creating more tension and allowing the viewers to connect with the film more.It’s shot in the day which is quite misleading of the film, instead of being shot in the night in dark light which would denote evil or crime, its shot in the day which makes it seem much more normal.

4. Sound

There is the use of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound.The diegetic sound is used to demonstrate to the audience the kind of city they are in. the sound of car horns beeping, heavy traffic and police sirens gives the representation of a busy city.The non-diegetic sound remains calm until ‘PANIC ROOM’ appears on screen. The music changes to create tension and anxiety in the audience.

5. Camera Techniques

In the opening scene the camera tends to vary from pan shots to zooming in on the credits, different angles are use; low angle shots, high angle shots. The variation of camera techniques in the opening credits could suggest various things, the high angle shots may suggest the unimportance or inferiority of the people on the ground who are in the distance driving cars on the ground, the pan shot helps us to establish what the setting is and constantly the amount of buildings in each shot is getting less and less until the credits are shown in front of one building, this could show how someone is being targeted similar to the beginning scene of “Psycho”

Se7en

1. Conventions

In the title sequence of the film one of the conventions used is the use of non-diegetic sound, its quite distorted and irregular and along with the imagery behind the credits such as the images below. The imagery tends to be mysterious and often features colours of red and black which could be a connotation for evil, death or mystery.

2. Use of Titles

The credits themselves look as though they are written in free hand writing, which gives connotations of planning or preparation, and along with the imagery of books and a person writing it further adds to the idea of planning or even the idea of a stalker.

In addition to the titles being in freehand they’re also sometimes distorted which denotes the theme of the film possibly in a psychological perspective.

3. Mise en Scene

From the title sequence we don’t get an understanding of location however there are various props used such as newspapers, writing on pages, drawings and photos, all common to the idea of stalking. It’s shot indoors and focuses on the writing, photos and drawings. We don’t really get an idea of position of characters from the title sequence but from lighting we can understand the sinister feel of the film

4. Sound

In the title credits of se7en there is use of non-diegetic sound, which helps to create tension and also give the audience an idea of what the films about, it makes the audience feel quite uncomfortable because the music is quite sharp and interrupted

5. Camera Techniques

There are mostly jump shots in the title credits, along with match cuts the shots in general that have been taken make the viewers uncomfortable for example the close-up shot of the man peeling his skin off with a blade – the close up makes the audience feel sickened by the view that they are being presented with.