The document discusses the key learnings from a trip to the BFI about structuring opening sequences for thriller films. Specifically, it examines the openings of three films - Sweet Sixteen, The Silence, and 39 Steps - analyzing elements like camera work, characters, setting, sound, and how the title is presented. The openings studied establish characters, conflict, and mood to grab audience attention and set expectations for the rest of the film in line with the thriller genre.

1. BFI RESEARCH
CHYNIA TEIXEIRA

2. BFI TRIP
• FOR THIS PIECE OF WORK I AM GOING TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT I
HAVE LEARNT ABOUT STRUCTURING AND CREATING AN OPENING SEQUENCE. I
WILL ALSO BE EXPLAINING WHAT I SHOULD INCLUDE IN MY OWN OPENING
SEQUENCE. DURING OUR TRIP TO THE BFI I RESEARCHED CONCEPTS OF
DIFFERENT THRILLER OPENING SEQUENCES; WE ALSO RECEIVED FEEDBACK ON
OUR OPENING SEQUENCE IDEA.

3. STRUCTURE
• THE STRUCTURE OF AN OPENING SEQUENCE CONSISTS OF DIFFERENT CAMERA ANGLES, CHARACTERS, SETTINGS,
MISE EN SCENE AND SOUND. WITH THE CHARACTERS THERE IS USUALLY A PROTAGONIST AND AN ANTAGONIST,
WHERE THERE MAY BE A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO. THE SETTING USUALLY MATCHES THE STORYLINE AND THE
GENRE. SOUND IS IMPORTANT DURING A FILM AND OPENING SEQUENCE AS IT SETS A MOOD, EITHER BUILDING
SUSPENSE AND ANTICIPATION OR CREATING A CALM ENVIRONMENT, THE SOUND GIVES THE AUDIENCE CLUES
ABOUT WHAT THE REST OF THE MOVIE IS GOING TO BE ABOUT, ALSO LETS THEM KNOW HOW THEY SHOULD FEEL
FOR EXAMPLE IF THERE IS FAST PACE MUSIC THE AUDIENCE IS LIKELY TO BE WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN,
KEEPING THEIR ATTENTION FIXED ON THE FILM.THE STRUCTURE OF AN OPENING SEQUENCE CONSISTS OF
DIFFERENT CAMERA ANGLES, CHARACTERS, SETTINGS, MISE EN SCENE AND SOUND. WITH THE CHARACTERS THERE
IS USUALLY A PROTAGONIST AND AN ANTAGONIST, WHERE THERE MAY BE A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO. THE
SETTING USUALLY MATCHES THE STORYLINE AND THE GENRE. SOUND IS IMPORTANT DURING A FILM AND
OPENING SEQUENCE AS IT SETS A MOOD, EITHER BUILDING SUSPENSE AND ANTICIPATION OR CREATING A CALM
ENVIRONMENT, THE SOUND GIVES THE AUDIENCE CLUES ABOUT WHAT THE REST OF THE MOVIE IS GOING TO BE
ABOUT, ALSO LETS THEM KNOW HOW THEY SHOULD FEEL FOR EXAMPLE IF THERE IS FAST PACE MUSIC THE
AUDIENCE IS LIKELY TO BE WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, KEEPING THEIR ATTENTION FIXED ON THE FILM.

4. SWEET SIXTEEN
• THE FIRST FILM I ANALYSED WAS ‘SWEET SIXTEEN (2002)’, I ANALYSED ITS OPENING SEQUENCE
BASED ON THE DIFFERENT CAMERA SHOTS AND ANGLES, MISE EN SCENE, CAMERA MOVEMENT
AND SOUND IT CONTAINED. THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT A BOY WHO IS DETERMINED TO HAVE A
NORMAL FAMILY LIFE ONCE HIS MOTHER GETS OUT OF PRISON, HE IS A SCOTTISH TEENAGER
FROM A TOUGH BACKGROUND AND HE SETS OUT TO RAISE THE MONEY FOR A HOME. IN THE
OPENING SEQUENCE WE SEE TEENAGE BOYS SELLING CIGARETTES ILLEGALLY; THIS PART OF
THE FILM SUPPORTS THE STEREOTYPE OF TEENAGERS, SPECIFICALLY TEENAGE BOYS, TO BE
CRIMINALS AND TROUBLESOME. THROUGHOUT THE OPENING SEQUENCE THERE ARE VARIED
SHOTS, MID SHOTS OF THE BOYS THIS SHOWS THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND PART OF THEIR
UPPER BODY LANGUAGE, THERE IS ALSO FAST CUTS WHEN THE TEENAGE BOYS ARE BEING
CHASED BY THE POLICE. THE USE OF CAMERA ANGLES AND EDITING ALL HELP TO ADD
SUSPENSE TO THE SCENE, AS DOES THE USE OF SOUND WHICH IS QUITE MISCHIEVOUS AND
TROUBLESOME WHICH LINKS WITH THE STORY LINE OF BAD TEENAGERS.

5. THE SILENCE
• THE SECOND OPENING SEQUENCE I WATCHED I FOCUSED ON HOW THE TITLE
WAS PRESENTED ON SCREEN. THE FILM WE WATCHED WAS ‘THE SILENCE’, THIS IS
ABOUT A GIRL WHO IS STRUGGLING TO MIX INTO A HEARING WORLD, SHE
WITNESSES THE MURDER OF A POLICE OFFICER, AND THIS INVESTIGATION
UNRAVELS A NET OF POLICE CORRUPTION. THE TITLE APPEARS ON THE SCREEN
WITH A SORT OF FLICKERING EFFECT WHICH GRABS THE AUDIENCE’S
ATTENTION, THE WRITING IS IN BOLD BLACK THIS EMPHASISES THE DARK
ATMOSPHERE OF THE FILM. THE WAY THE TITLE IS PRESENTED FITS WITH THE
THRILLER GENRE DUE TO ITS ROUGH AND GRITTY EFFECT.

6. 39 STEPS
• THE THIRD OPENING SEQUENCE THAT I WATCHED WAS ’39 STEPS’ WHICH IS
ABOUT A MAN WHO TRIES TO HELP A COUNTER- ESPIONAGE AGENT PREVENT
AN ORGANISATION OF SPIES FROM STEALING TOP SECRET INFORMATION. I
ANALYSED HOW THE NARRATIVE IS INTRODUCED TO US AS THE AUDIENCE.
FIRSTLY THE FACT THE MOVIE IS IN BLACK AND WHITE MAKES IT SEEM MORE
MYSTERIOUS AND FRIGHTENING. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM WE ARE NOT
SHOWN THE CHARACTERS FACE WHICH MAKES THE AUDIENCE QUESTION WHY
THIS HAS BEEN DONE, REVEALING TO US THAT HE MAY BE A MAIN, IMPORTANT
CHARACTER IN THE FILM.