Real Media ResearchTeen Thrillers

By Ellie

Warm Bodies

Opening Sequence Conventions: The film opens with the Summit logo and titles and is then followed by the Mandeville logo. This simply shows the production companies that made the film and is shown in the opening credits.

Opening Sequence Conventions: The film’s title is shown during some of the action, despite the fact that there is not much going on. It fades in with a magical/fairy dust animation and fades out like it has been squashed as it resembles drops of blood.

Genre Conventions: The font of the title is quite thin and fancy looking, which does not seem to relate to the genre, considering what the voiceover has told the audience so far. However, it is a red/orange colour which could imply that there will be violence and blood/gore later on in the film.

Opening Sequence/Genre Conventions:The first close up that is shown after the opening titles is of the main character and the audience can tell that he seems quite miserable due to his facial expression. This makes the audience want to continue watching the film because it may make them want to understand why he is the way he is, which is a convention for this genre as they do not know what could happen next.

Genre Conventions: The camera then cuts to a mid-long shot of an older man who has a similar facial expression and posture to the main character. By this point, the voiceover has explained his situation that they are all dead, which helps the audience to understand the situation. The dark, gloomy colours are conventional to thrillers because it builds tension throughout the scene and emphasises the idea of death.

Genre Conventions: The camera cuts to a short scene which shows an obvious jump back in time. This is shown by the change in the colour, the faded black edges around the picture, and the sound of a film rolling in the background. This is a convention of thrillers as the editing techniques used in this short scene includes fades and jump cuts, which builds tension so the audience can see the past and the present.

Opening/Genre Conventions:A superimposition is used whilst being explained by the voiceover. The image in the background of two people in protective suits suggest that there was some kind of disease/illness that caused the main character to be what he is. The superimposition also increases the suspense as more and more images and words appear over the main character, which is a convention of thrillers.

Genre Conventions:The point-of-view shot from the main character walking past establishes the horror and danger that these creatures, which are clearly the antagonists, possess. This begins to reveal the plot of the film as the audience can assume that they are the ‘bad guys’. Also, the lighting is much darker in this shot which emphasises the danger; this is a key convention of thrillers.

Opening/Genre Conventions:Instead of building tension in this scene, the shot/reverse shot between the two children and the main character somehow reveals a sense of hope that the main character feels. The non-diegetic sound of the soft background music also emphasises this feeling, which is against the conventions of thrillers.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The opening sequence ends with an establishing shot of an airport with the main character walking towards the airplane in the foreground of the shot. This is a conventional shot for a thriller because it makes the audience want to find out what the protagonist is doing and why. Also, it is clear that whatever he is about to do leads into the main plot of the film.

Shutter Island

Opening Sequence Conventions:The film opens with the Paramount logo and the Phoenix Pictures production company. This is simply the list of the companies that produced this film.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The title of the film fades in after the opening titles and before any of the action begins. The font type is in bold and is very large, which makes it seem quite uniform and important looking. The use of the gradient colours from grey to white makes it stand out against the black background, which seems to emphasise the sense of danger.

Genre Conventions:The first shot of the film is of a boat coming out of the fog. This first setting uses very simple and plain colours, which seem to emphasise the darkness and gloominess of the scene. This is conventional to thrillers because it keeps the audience on the edge of their seats as they do not know what is about to happen.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The first shot of a person is a close up of the main character. This is a convention of opening sequences because the main character/the protagonist is usually introduced first. Also, this is conventional to thrillers because of the use of darkness, emphasised by the mirror the main character is looking into, which creates tension in the scene.

Genre Conventions:The close up of the main character looking out of the window shows that he is on the boat in the first shot. The vast sea outside the window emphasises the protagonist’s fear as he has a very worried look on his face. This may build up the audience’s fear as the sea may make them feel trapped or isolated, which is a convention of thrillers.

Genre Conventions:A shallow focus shot is used when we are shown where the main character actually is. The camera focuses on several handcuffs hanging from the ceiling, which could suggest that the film involved crime or violence. It also comes across as quite eerie as the lighting is, once again, dim and gloomy, which is conventional to thrillers as it creates tension.

Opening/Genre Conventions:This two person shot shows that another character has been introduced and also the setting that they are in. The vast sea is shown again which makes the audience feel like there is no escape from the danger that could occur at any time. The clouds in the sky are almost as dark as the sea, which emphasises the threat of isolation and the uncertainty of the main character.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The shot/reverse shot between the two men and the vast sea in the background continues to build the tension. It is also noticeable that both men are wearing very similar clothing, including hats and coats. This shows the audience the era that the film is set in which may link to the plot later on. This is conventional to thrillers because the clothes they are wearing may reveal the type of people they are supposed to be in the the era the film is set in.

Opening/Genre Conventions:An establishing shot of an abandoned looking island signifies the end of the opening sequence. This is because it reveals that the plot of the film may involve this certain setting. The image of the island is made to look very eerie and dangerous, mostly by the dark colours used to emphasise the threat of it, which is another convention of both opening sequences and thrillers.

World War Z

Opening/Genre Conventions:The film opens with the titles which list the production company credits. However, there is no logos which goes against the opening sequence conventions.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The first shot is of a beach, which is clearly not conventional to thrillers, however, it may be conventional to opening sequences as it is an establishing shot. The colours make it look very calm and peaceful, unlike the conventions of thrillers. However, it could be hinting at a time before the problem the film is about to show.

Opening/Genre Conventions:Another establishing shot is used in the opening sequence, but this time it is of a city. Again, it looks peaceful but it may be hinting that this is where the action will take place later on in the film. The establishing shots may build tension as it seems to be bringing to audience closer to what is about to happen.

Genre Conventions:This shot suggests that the birds are fleeing which hints at the potential danger that the opening is beginning to reveal at this point. Also, the frame is distorted near the right which makes it look like the birds are flying in different directions. This also creates tension and suspense because it makes the audience feel psychologically unstable which may encourage fear.

Genre Conventions:This shot of an arrival/departure board, usually seen at train stations, is also displayed in the same distorted shot. This increases the already psychological instability in the audience, which again creates tension. This is conventional to thrillers because they are designed to make the audience feel uneasy and sometimes scared to know what is going to happen in the rest of the film.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The opening titles are continued throughout the opening sequence which is a typical opening convention. This shot is also slightly distorted to create the same psychological instability as the previous shots. It also creates a sense of chaos, which hints at the plot of the film and increases the audience’s curiosity as to what is causing the confusion.

Genre Conventions:It is not until this point that it is made clear to the audience what the chaos is all about. It also creates fear and tension because the film seems to be set in the near future which may scare the audience. However, this is a main convention of thrillers as they tend to aim to build the suspense by sometimes relating it to real life.

Genre Conventions:A superimposition is used near the end of the opening sequence which continues to build the tension even further, especially with the non-diegetic voice over. The superimposition makes it look like a news story which creates a more realistic image. The words used indicate the violence that seems to be increasing throughout the opening sequence. This is conventional to thrillers because, again, it creates fear in the audience.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The titles of the film is shown after the action has finished. This signifies that the story of how the chaos came about is about to begin and, because of what was shown in the opening sequence, the audience will be on the edge of their seats as they will want to know what happens. The title seemed to zoom out until the words could be seen. The font used is in bold, block capitals with a red ‘Z’ behind the rest of the title. The colours used stand out against that black background and imply that there is violence in the film.

Olympus Has FallenOpening Sequence Conventions:The film opens with the Millennium logo and the titles which list the production company credits.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The title of the film fades in before the action starts. The words are white, which stands out against the black background, but the audience can see the American flag waving behind it. The red on the flag emphasises a sense of danger and that things are going to get tense. The font is in bold, block capitals which make it stand out and appear more threatening, which is conventional to opening sequences and thrillers.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The film begins with an over-head tracking shot of a forest full of trees covered in snow, which gives the audience the feeling that they are flying in a helicopter/airplane etc. It also builds tension because it makes the audience wonder where they are going. This is conventional to thrillers because it keeps the audience guessing as to what is going to happen.

Genre Conventions:An establishing shot of a large cabin with lots of lights and cars surrounding it is shown. The big cars and the flags in the foreground suggest to the audience that there is someone important inside. Also, the colours used around the cabin are very dark and gloomy, the only thing lighting up the frame is the cabin. This use of colours are conventional to thrillers because it builds tension and gives the audience the idea that it cannot be good.

Genre Conventions:A birds eye view shot of two men fighting in a boxing ring is shown after the establishing shot. The fact that they are fighting suggests to the audience that this film involves violence, involving men especially. The outside of the room is, once again, darkened to create tension and suspense in the scene, which is conventional to thrillers as they are designed to make the audience feel slightly frightened.

Genre Conventions:A low angle is used whilst the cars drive past as it gives the audience the idea that they are being watched from the concealed forest. Also, this angle shows that the cars are important in this scene. The forest in the background is pitch black which gives hints to the audience that something bad is about to happen, which is a main convention of thrillers.

Genre Conventions:After a very frightening and jumpy crash, a worms eye view shot of the president’s limo hanging off a bridge is shown. This creates fear in the audience because the main character, the president, faces a life threatening situation. This is one of the main conventions of thrillers as the audience have no idea who will or will not die in the scene.

Genre Conventions:A handheld shot is used during the shot/reverse shot between the woman and the outside of the car. This creates a very shaky frame which builds the tension in the scene as the characters are panicking and shouting as they are struggling to save the woman. The blood on the woman’s head suggests to the audience that death is close and that there is nothing the other characters can do to save her. Also, the colour of red symbolises the danger and the fear of the film.

Genre Conventions:A mid-long shot is used to portray the president’s pain and fear. The audience can no longer see what he is looking at but by the expression on his face they can tell he is in shock. This creates tension and is conventional of thrillers because it keeps the audience of the edge of their seats as they realise what has just happened.

Opening/Genre Conventions:The last shot of action seen in the opening sequence is a birds eye view shot of the scene. This is used to show that the action has ended and that the scene is over. The next frame shows that time has gone by because it simply says ‘18 months later’ which signifies the end of the opening sequence. This is conventional to opening sequences and thrillers because it builds the tension as the audience want to know what happens next.