JS: The Conventions of a Film Opening

The Shining (Kubrick, 1980)

• This is the opening of Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining'. 
• I find the use of sound very effective, creating the feel that the location is a place to be feared.
• The music increases the anxiety of the audience

Trainspotting (Boyle, 1996)

• This is the opening from Danny Boyle's 'Trainspotting'. 
• This could be useful to our coursework because of the chase scene at the start. 
• There is a POV shot with the use of a handicam which connotes panic
• Also, in such a short space of time, the audience knows all the characters and can infer their personalities.
•  This is because of the technique where the frame is still, with the name of the characters in the shot.
• We could use this in ours, to quickly identify who the characters are and what they represent.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (Craven, 1984)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn_DjzN8410

• This is the opening of horror classic 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'. 
• Apprehension is built throughout this opening, while you also can not see the 'killer's' face. 
• This is effective because it increases the tension in the scene and there remains an element of mystery about the killer.
•  It is also fascinating that there is a POV shot from the eyes of the killer, despite prevalence being given to the victim.

From these, I have learned some valuable techniques from thriller/ horror films. Camera movement is essential if you want to build suspsnse or create tension, while sound can also build apprehension in movies.