Conclusion - What to Expect from a Thriller

After thorough analysis of a variety of thriller openings I've realized that certain things differ, such as speed of editing and types of camera shot, depending on the sub-genre of thriller. Common colours that are featured are usually dark and rich such as blacks, greys, whites and reds. Using these colours helps to construct a sense of danger and mystery which ties in with the narrative. Openings are usually quite slow paced with quite long takes to help create suspense. A variety of mid-shots and long shots are used to help the audience engage with both the surrounding environment and the characters, thus supporting the narrative. In addition to this, close-ups are used to show facial expressions to allow the audience to familiarize themselves with the characters. Furthermore, most openings are accompanied by a musical score, to support the narrative by being parallel to what’s happening on screen. It also allows the audience to create their own idea about what is going to happen, again adding to the suspenseful nature of thrillers. The opening credits are normally superimposed with the footage on screen in order to both inform the audience about actors/actresses, directors etc, without re-directing their attention away from what’s happening.