The narrative techniques used in this scene are linear narration and restricted narration. The restricted narration is shown when the thug comes into the shop here the audience cannot see much of him so that the audience may feel intimidated. the restricted narration also creates enigma and has the audience thinking about how villain may look which is theater of the mind.
The Mise en Scene of the film is conventional of a thriller the setting in this scene is set in a shop in the city which the audience can relate to the normality and reality which makes the audience fear because of the realistic storyline. The use of lighting is bright which is unconventional of a thriller the bright lighting maybe used so that the audience can see the characters in the scene and the background of the shop. the make-up worn by the protagonist Jodie Foster is casual clothing which shows the normality of the character. The antagonists choice of clothing is a scruffy jacket, yellow t-shirt and jeans, this shows some normality making him seem realistic to the audience.
The sound at the beginning of the scene the audience can hear the dialogue exchanged by the two characters the antagonist and his wife or girlfriend, from the tone of the antagonists voice we can tell he is the villain. He sounds angry and the audience can tell he may be crazy he then fires the gun he was holding in which the audience know that someone has died. Then the non-diegetic sound gets louder where Jodie Foster turns to a mirror. Jodie fosters phone rings and then all goes silent, the audience see the antagonist curious. She reaches for her phone in her bag desperate to turn it off, The next piece of sound is non-diegetic where the audience hear her heart beat implying she's frightened this also involves the audience because the heart beat is loud it makes it feel like our heart. After this a slow drumbeat appears which gets louder and faster building up tension between the two character leading the audience to suspense. The use of props in the film are conventional of a thriller because both characters have a gun which connotes death and danger, from there being a gun the audience immediately know one of the characters will die.
The camera shots used in this scene were close-ups, mid-shots, eye line shot, poi and low angle shot. The use of mid-shots show the audience enough information about the surroundings and the physical appearances of the protagonist who looked very weak and inferior to antagonist who looked physically strong. The use of close-up reveal the facial expressions on both characters face. The close up shows the frustration on the Jodie Fosters face when she can't find her phone and the fear she felt when noticed. There were a few more close-ups of the antagonists face which looked very crazed and freaky which tells the audience what he is capable of. this scene had an eye line shot where the antagonist shoots his wife or girlfriend and she turns to face the mirror in which the audience see through her vision, this makes the audience feel involved and they are in Jodie Fosters position making them scared. There is a low angle shot in the scene where we see the antagonist stuff his pockets with money from the till this gives the impression that he is superior, powerful and in control. The use of a low angle makes the audience feel vulnerable when they look up to him.
Jodie Foster being female challenges stereotypes of the thriller genre, she is represented as the protagonist because of her visual codes for example her casual clothing makes her look like a normal woman of the society. The representation of the antagonist is stereotypical of the thriller genre because he is a white working class male and make-up on his face makes him look crazy, evil and dangerous, he speaks in an angry tone and has that evil look in his eye. His clothes are not different from normal clothing but from what he is wearing the audience know he is scruffy and uncaring about the way he looks because he kills and harms people in which the audience saw he had no hesitation to kill his wife or girlfriend which makes him seem used to hurting or killing people.
Analysis of opening scene
This opening sequence is conventional to the thriller genre because of the use of enigma codes The film uses restricted narrative and the film being an opening sequence it has linear narrative. The film starts with a man or women holding a photo, from this the audience know that this may be the antagonist because of the use of voyeurism. The person in the photo maybe the victim who this antagonist has been taken photo's of but the audience don't know yet. The camera shots are very restricted at first only showing the man or women holding the photo. However the close-up of the mans hand holding the photo may suggest that it is very important to the story itself or the scene.
The restricted shots also create mystery and enigma which immediately keeps the audience on the edge of their seats waiting to see the character or what he will do which thrillers intend to do. After there is a close-up which focuses on the characters face showing the audience the blood and scratches on his face which make the audience think where did he get them scratches from who did this to him. The close-up also tells the audience that this character is male which is also conventional of a thriller.
The sound used is a soundtrack which gets louder as the black picture fades to the film which builds up tension. There is use of non-diegetic sound where the character dries the photo's and where the character checks the camera. The lighting used is dim so that the audience can slowly see the picture in the photo which again help develop suspense and tension.when the character's face is shown there are some streaks of light on the mans face where it may suggest he is in fact a protagonist.
Analysis of Thriller openings
JFK (link)
Sound
Analysis of Thriller openings
JFK (link)
Sound
- Drum role, trumpet
- military sound track
- American voice over
- Mid-shots showing military soldiers speaking
- High angles showing supporters of JFK
- Typography
- Real footage from news
- Montage editing
- Jump cuts skipping different clips of news
- Hiding JFK restricted shots
- Death/assassination
Sound
- Slow paced music
- Dialogue through both characters
- Establishing shots of woods/training camp
- Long shots showing audience where character is going
- Close-ups showing characters face while running
- Close-up of characters feet so audience know she is running
- Tracking shot, tracking character while running
- Early morning
- Foggy setting creating mystery
- Dim lighting
- Set in woods/training camp
- Character wearing tracksuit
- Location
- Continuity editing
- Challenges stereotypes with female protagonist
- Dim lighting
Sound
- Dramatic like music/intense
- Sound introduces audience to narrative
- Orchestral music
- Establishing shot, set in the city
- Tracking shot tracking character to building
- Low angle when character walks up stairs creates impression of power
- Bright lighting
- Set in city south of US
- Character wears long white coat, hat which tells us he may be detective
- Studio and location
- Lawyer office because the set is very formal
- Continuity editing
- Slow linking to music
- Suspicious character
- Thrilling music
- Enigma codes
- Linear narration
- Creates suspense and tension
Sound
- Same type of music
- Faster tempo
- Gets louder and faster
- Dietetic sound thundering sound at first creating negativity
- CGI water effects
- Water effects show parts of the story
- Shocked eye appears
- Shots of characters are shown in the ripples
- Extreme close-up f eye with a tear drop turning red signifying blood,death
- Close-up of ripples of water
- Mid-shots when preview of characters are shown
- Voyeurism
- Dark colors blue, red
- Sea/ocean
- Studio/location
- Bird shown at first which was a bird of prey, ruthless
- Montage editing
- Fades
- Voyeurism implies someone watching her
- Tension
- Themes of death, torture, fear
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