Film Opening Hall of Fame - Review

For a clearer idea on the way thriller film openings are usually portrayed I researched into the Film Opening Hall of Fame where students in the previous year have posted examples of their own thriller film openings. Amongst the many available, I chose to watch on one named 'Victoria'.

Within the opening clip, I felt their use of sound was extremely effective. The music was mostly non-diegetic throughout the scene, creating an eerie vibe which works well in providing the audience with the right sort of feel and direction the film is going in. There were also elements of diegetic sound, which I also thought contributed in setting the mood of the film, for example the creepy/evil laugh we hear towards the end of the extract.

The editing throughout the clip was also done well. They follow the conventional order in which film titles are usually shown, starting with the Production Company,

then the Distribution Company, and so forth.

In addition to this, they used a wide variety of camera angle shots, as well as a selection of different effects, relating to the lighting, colouring, etc. For example, their use of the fade effect and overlap throughout the clip between the transformations from scene to scene and the shadow created of the ballerina in the opening clip.

Beside using special effects and props to make their piece more interesting and realistic, they used a series of locations and had the actor execute her role well. By doing so, it made the entire thriller opening seem professional.