At the start of the film it is a black screen, music starts to creep in creating tension into the unknown of what is behind the darkness, its almost the noise of a helicopter rotating or nature close up. There is then a flash of white and it transacts and fades into a wood with trees making the screen darker, the woods look oddly mystical and not really right, the camera is a little tilted so as if it is looking up at the trees to make the audience feel small and exhibited.
Shadows form all over the woods due to the trees. This is one key symbol of a thriller. It gives off with a message of danger and something is about to happen as it is in the dark and many things can be unseen. The trees look lifeless and empty, it looks cold and dark, like winter. The trees have no leaves, leaving you feeling desolated even though you are in a surrounded place. You feel watched as anyone could be behind them trees. The music changes from the black-white-trees when it hit’s the white screen it makes two thuds and then the music starts, louder and more upbeat, more curious when the trees come into view. Ash is falling off the tree’s the ash falling down also sends a message of danger as it relates with fire which is a little strange and a huge contrast as fire is hot and warm, when the rest of the place looks so dark and cold and airy, what is the ash trying to tell us?
The camera moves down, away from the light above making the screen a dull green colour all over. The camera moves right to the forest floor, a gun comes into view, something from the trees that have been falling falls on it to almost make it look like blood landing on the weapon. The shot doesn’t stop and hover at this, it carries on moving until a hand, naked, empty and lifeless comes into contact with the audience. You see the rest of the gun one side of the screen and then the start of the hand and body. This is quite a dramatic start and lets the viewer know what’s in store. You ask yourself, how did they did? Were they killed? Did the commit suicide? These thoughts run through your mind watching it.
You then see the camera move over the body, a fully clothed male, his arm above is head, head slightly tilted to the camera as if to watch us as a view past. In the distance out of focas is an animal, a skinny cat I think, I makes an meow purring noise that gently echos a little, more and more light gets withdrawn as we travel over the body. When the camera fixes on the man hiding in a tree stump, the audience can not see him at first which makes you think why are we focusing on this part of the wood why not the body? It then moves to a close up so all the audience can react to what is being seen.
The cat runs up to the body and starts to almost lick or wanting to eat it, its so skinny and weak, you can see its bones, makes you wonder what is really happening in this forest. This also shows that the man is defiantly dead. You see it getting closer and closer, to as gas mask, you hear a low breathing noise as the camera is drawn to this, you see the breathing of the person, up and down. He is holding an arrow, it goes into a point of view shot, the persons looking at the cat. The shot is then brought back to a close up of the sharp end of the arrow. This is impacted with the use of light and music, its dark all around the arrow with only specs of light. Its creates fear and tension waiting and knowing what is going to happen.
This is a very successful thriller opening, it does tell you what is happening in some ways but also really does make you think and guess, why are they even in this forest? Why a cat? Did he kill himself or was he killed? Was the gun planted next to him? You feel watched and terrorised. Wanting to watch more is key and this defiantly does it.
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