How does the opening sequence to Halloween, inform the audience of the conventions of a thriller?
The opening sequence to Halloween displays a clear, suspenseful display of how conventions and aspects of a thriller can contribute to making a thriller successful. The opening sequence of a thriller is needed to be able to be full of suspense and shock to pull the audience in and have them entertained throughout the whole film. The first 5 minutes of a film should be made to give the audience a small taster of whats to come. This can involve major narrative clues and typical conventions that give the audience a slight understanding of how the film is going to begin and end.
Sound is everything you hear within a sequence. Sounds are able to create suspense without having any other elements to go with them, Without sound the whole atmosphere of a thriller would change.
Right at the start of the opening to Halloween there is an off-screen sound effect of a children's chant. This chant involves the sound of children laughing and singing about Halloween night. This immediately tells the audience what sort of night this is and also how disturbing this night may turn out. this is because chanting can be linked back to witchcraft and worshipping the devil. In addition to this the fact that children are the ones singing creates a very unsettling atmosphere. This chant indicates to the audience that a child will be involved in this murder, this creates a very unsettling atmosphere. The Erie sounds of children singing fit the conventions of a thriller as it plays with the audiences psychological mind set, involving children into the equation will create a disturbing scene within a thriller.
Cinematography is the camera angles within a shot. It is purposely how the camera has been placed to change the angle, movement and perspective in a shot. Cinematography can affect the whole atmosphere within a thriller film. A high angle shot is displayed in the opening sequence of Halloween when the killers identity is revealed. This contrasts with the P.O.V shot that has been presented previously, throughout the sequence. This is to change the perspective of the shot. As the shot is now a high angle shot looking down on the little boy. The atmosphere of the scene changes. The audience is now looking down on the children and can see how inferior he is. This makes the audience feel differently towards him compared to how they would normally feel towards children. In thrillers story lines are often twisted and are full of enigmas to make the audience think about what is going to happen next. The high angle fits into the Thriller genre as children are normally insignificant and shown as the more vulnerable age. Having a high angle shot makes the child appear inferior, which fits the typical convention of how children are portrayed in thrillers.
Editing can be used to manipulate a scene and make it appear differently to how it originally may of turned out. The pass of different shots takes place in Halloween and the tempo suddenly increases straight after he has murdered his sister. The number of different shots increase creating a faster tempo. This shows an emotion of panic present as the antagonist attempts to make an escape. This excites the audience, as they try to keep up with the fast tempo within the scene. They want to be able to know what will happen next. This builds tension within a scene due to the panic the audience now feel for the antagonist to escape. This typical type of fast-pass editing is present in most Thrillers due to the conventional aspect of being chased. The tempo will usually increase when one of the antagonist or protagonists needs to find a way out of escape. This is why fast-editing is a typical convention of a thriller
Codes and Conventions of a thriller is vital because it gives the audience a certain expectation that needs to be followed. For example if the lightening within a film and remains very bright and colourful it is not likely to come under the genre of a thriller. Low key lighting is present at the beginning of the clip as the antagonist approaches the house. The scene is filled with shades of black and sharp, dimmed light that create shadows. This causes the audience to focus mainly on the house, giving them the idea that a terrifying event will take place in the house, because of this effect shadows are formed which cause the audience to try and guess what is lurking within the shadows this creates tensions and is intended to scare the audience and create the sense of unknown, leading to mystery and enigma. Low-key lightening is a typical convention of a thriller as it relates to the fact that things are going to be kept hidden and not everything that the audience can see, can be trusted as the shadows may be hiding secrets within the film.
Characters can make the scene in a thriller. Interesting and mysterious personalities are usually what makes a thriller. I the character seems mentally unstable, creates even more tension within a thriller as they are portrayed to be unpredictable. The antagonists identify, gender and age remains hidden until the end of the sequence this fits the typical convention of a thriller as it builds tension and anticipation. When the identity is finally revealed it leaves the audience to question why the boy in fact killed his own sister. This creates shock within a scene as they wander if this character is mentally stable. The female victim remains attractive and defenceless throughout the clip fitting the conventions of a thriller as females are stereotypically displayed as the weaker, more vulnerable gender. They remain to be presented as the damsel in distress. This leaves the audience feeling sympathy and empathy towards her, making them also begin to dislike the antagonist, Michael.
Narrative is the story that makes up the film. It consists of whats going to happen and why. In this opening sequence we are made aware of the date and season, being Halloween. This is because of the nessorcerry expectations halloween night brings. Halloween is a night that is sterotypically displayed as the night where the dead are able to roam free. According to legends on the 31st of october ghosts are able to come up from there tombs and terrioze citizens. The typically convention of halloween still to this day remains to be trick or treating. This is because of the masked young children, laughing and getting sweets how unusall it is to see one of those kids kill. This suprises the audience as the child remains to be young and innocent, causing them to form a relationship of curiousity towards the child. They want to know why he killed his sister and what can be done to save what sanity the boy has left. In additon to this Halloweens age ceriticate remains to be an 18. This is due to the intense narrative, aswell as the nudity and vilolence that takes place in the film.
Overall analysing this clip has made me understand and have more knowlegde on why different aspects of a film are initially what make it a good thriller. If people are able to feel intrigued and shocked while watching my own thriller sequence then i know i have suceeded in creating an accurate version of a real thriller film. I now know that i need to add lots of different things into the thriller opening to ensure that it remains dark and full of engima.
Cinematography is the camera angles within a shot. It is purposely how the camera has been placed to change the angle, movement and perspective in a shot. Cinematography can affect the whole atmosphere within a thriller film. A high angle shot is displayed in the opening sequence of Halloween when the killers identity is revealed. This contrasts with the P.O.V shot that has been presented previously, throughout the sequence. This is to change the perspective of the shot. As the shot is now a high angle shot looking down on the little boy. The atmosphere of the scene changes. The audience is now looking down on the children and can see how inferior he is. This makes the audience feel differently towards him compared to how they would normally feel towards children. In thrillers story lines are often twisted and are full of enigmas to make the audience think about what is going to happen next. The high angle fits into the Thriller genre as children are normally insignificant and shown as the more vulnerable age. Having a high angle shot makes the child appear inferior, which fits the typical convention of how children are portrayed in thrillers.
Editing can be used to manipulate a scene and make it appear differently to how it originally may of turned out. The pass of different shots takes place in Halloween and the tempo suddenly increases straight after he has murdered his sister. The number of different shots increase creating a faster tempo. This shows an emotion of panic present as the antagonist attempts to make an escape. This excites the audience, as they try to keep up with the fast tempo within the scene. They want to be able to know what will happen next. This builds tension within a scene due to the panic the audience now feel for the antagonist to escape. This typical type of fast-pass editing is present in most Thrillers due to the conventional aspect of being chased. The tempo will usually increase when one of the antagonist or protagonists needs to find a way out of escape. This is why fast-editing is a typical convention of a thriller
Codes and Conventions of a thriller is vital because it gives the audience a certain expectation that needs to be followed. For example if the lightening within a film and remains very bright and colourful it is not likely to come under the genre of a thriller. Low key lighting is present at the beginning of the clip as the antagonist approaches the house. The scene is filled with shades of black and sharp, dimmed light that create shadows. This causes the audience to focus mainly on the house, giving them the idea that a terrifying event will take place in the house, because of this effect shadows are formed which cause the audience to try and guess what is lurking within the shadows this creates tensions and is intended to scare the audience and create the sense of unknown, leading to mystery and enigma. Low-key lightening is a typical convention of a thriller as it relates to the fact that things are going to be kept hidden and not everything that the audience can see, can be trusted as the shadows may be hiding secrets within the film.Characters can make the scene in a thriller. Interesting and mysterious personalities are usually what makes a thriller. I the character seems mentally unstable, creates even more tension within a thriller as they are portrayed to be unpredictable. The antagonists identify, gender and age remains hidden until the end of the sequence this fits the typical convention of a thriller as it builds tension and anticipation. When the identity is finally revealed it leaves the audience to question why the boy in fact killed his own sister. This creates shock within a scene as they wander if this character is mentally stable. The female victim remains attractive and defenceless throughout the clip fitting the conventions of a thriller as females are stereotypically displayed as the weaker, more vulnerable gender. They remain to be presented as the damsel in distress. This leaves the audience feeling sympathy and empathy towards her, making them also begin to dislike the antagonist, Michael. Narrative is the story that makes up the film. It consists of whats going to happen and why. In this opening sequence we are made aware of the date and season, being Halloween. This is because of the nessorcerry expectations halloween night brings. Halloween is a night that is sterotypically displayed as the night where the dead are able to roam free. According to legends on the 31st of october ghosts are able to come up from there tombs and terrioze citizens. The typically convention of halloween still to this day remains to be trick or treating. This is because of the masked young children, laughing and getting sweets how unusall it is to see one of those kids kill. This suprises the audience as the child remains to be young and innocent, causing them to form a relationship of curiousity towards the child. They want to know why he killed his sister and what can be done to save what sanity the boy has left. In additon to this Halloweens age ceriticate remains to be an 18. This is due to the intense narrative, aswell as the nudity and vilolence that takes place in the film.Overall analysing this clip has made me understand and have more knowlegde on why different aspects of a film are initially what make it a good thriller. If people are able to feel intrigued and shocked while watching my own thriller sequence then i know i have suceeded in creating an accurate version of a real thriller film. I now know that i need to add lots of different things into the thriller opening to ensure that it remains dark and full of engima.
Your analysis of Halloween demonstrates a proficient understanding of what an opening sequence is. You have identified the main micro elements and you have considered some of your examples. You have also focused on the role of the thriller conventions and have considered the effect that is created, within the sequence. However, further evidence of the micro elements are needed, to explore the sequence further.
ReplyDeleteTo develop your analysis further, you need to include screenshots to support the points that you have made.
This post now demonstrates a good understanding of what an opening sequence is and the role of micro elements. You have focused on the conventions well and have started to consider the effect that is created.
ReplyDeleteAim to include further examples for each micro element, to explore the sequence in more detail.