News Articles For Thriller Openings

A news article 

This news article could make an interesting thriller narrative as the idea of the man who is pedophile and two younger girls. I like the idea of it being cyber and online using social media websites like twitter and Facebook. I think it could make an interesting opening sequence to a thriller as it is a very shocking story.

Another news article

This news article can make a fascinating thriller because the Ebola outbreak itself if a very interesting topic. It is also quite scary to think that it is lurking around and can get anyone at anytime by being in contact with someone who is a carrier. I like the idea of using Ebola as it is very commonly known and could one day turn into a pandemic.


In the news over in the past there have been many kidnapping stories.

I think a story like this could make a good thriller as it is one of the most scariest things to hear about in the news. The fact that these hostages feel bad for their kidnappers and create a surprisingly unbreakable bond. I find that these stories are all so different and could make an interesting intro to a thriller.

Research into the roles of different characters within thrillers

Thrillers usually show good vs evil added with suspense. Normally the identity of the antagonist in known whilst the protagonist will be known later. A typical thriller will be shown from the protagonists point of view which allows the audience to become more involved in the events themselves and therefore closer to the characters as they see how they interact with others in different situations. Furthermore, there will also be a few short clips from the villains point of view allowing the audience to see how the antagonist acts while by themselves or how they used to act through a flashback which allows the audience to gain information on why they have become the evil person. There are often lots of action scenes between characters which keep the audience guessing what will happen next and how the characters interact with each other. The audience never get a sense of the full plot which allows the film to retain its mystery and suspense until nearer the end. Usually at the end of a film, the narrative is revealed and the audience understand why the characters have acted they way they have.

In the opening sequence this means that nothing can be revealed but has to be compact with suspense and mystery. The antagonist who is the evil person should be identified in the opening sequence.

Resarch into Thrillers

We watched the opening sequnce of Lilya-4-eva. From this i can infer the plot of the film involves a girl who is unhappy with her life so she decides to commit suidice. We can see from her make up that she has maybe been abused due to her bruises around her face. The fact that she is jumping off a bridge onto a motorway connotes her desperation to kill herself. The setting is very dull which may reflect her life. The sky is grey and so are the buildings, this could also symbolize her mood and her life,  which is called pathetic fallacy. The music is very fast tempo and heavy which goes with the setting. When she is looking down over the motorway, it connotes her giving up. Similarly, when she is looking down at the pavement.

Thriller Types

The Art of the Title Sequence

There are 4 different types of title sequences: Discrete, Traditional, Straight into the Film and The Stylised Opening Sequence.

An example of discrete is Catch Me If You Can. The music suggests it is discrete as it gets the audience in the mood. The animation connotes what is going to happen in the film.

Catch Me If You Can (2002) — Art of the Title

An example of a traditional opening sequence is 21 Jump Street. The up beat song sets the tone and mood of the film. The quick cuts show that it is an action film. They have the opening credits and the characters are established.

21 Jump Street (2012) — Art of the Title

An example of a straight into the film sequence is Natural Born Killers. The characters are seen dancing, there is also blood over the title which symbolises danger.

Natural Born Killers (1994) — Art of the Title

An example of a stylised opening sequence is Mrs Doubtfire. In this film we are introduced to the character and his profession.

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) — Art of the Title

Opening Sequences

This is a movie i made of clips of opening sequences from 2 films. LOL is a rom-com in contrast to the roommate which is a thriller.

What is a Thriller?

A thriller is a genre of film that creates suspense and invokes an emotional/ physical response. Thriller's heavily stimulate the viewer's mood, giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra heightened expectations, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and terror.

The target audience for thrillers are usually aimed at 15-35 years old. This is because once you get over a certain age, you get no rush anymore as you can expect the unexpected. Additionally, according the BBFC, a 15 rated film can contain strong violence, frequent strong language, portrayals of sexual activity, strong verbal references to sex, sexual nudity, brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence, discriminatory language or behaviour and drug taking. Here are some examples of thriller films that are rated 15: Disturbia, When a Stranger Calls, The Call, Casino Royale, Mama and Orphan.

My Group

This is my group who i will be working with for my opening thriller sequence:
Jessica Caplan
Claudia Kaye
Rebecca Millar

We work well in a group together and we have similar ideas and hope to make an intriguing opening sequence.

Kill Bill (Vol 1)- Camera and Editing

*Pause between 0.07 and 0.11 seconds for camera*
*Pause between 0.12 and 0.18 seconds for editing*