thriller opening 2: Room 4018 - Mikael Håfström

horror -thriller
0.00-1.38

Camera:

• The title sequence is created though CGI technology at the beginning as focuses on the production labels and directors name, emphasising their importance.
• The black background fades into the first setting location of which is a long shot, showing the viewer the dark, Insolence of the surroundings.
• The camera slowly pans round to where the headlights shine intensely, where the title ‘4108’ appears creating a ghostly effect for the audience to recognise.
• Close ups are used to show his confused expression, which is reinforced as the close up focuses on his hand whipping the steamy windscreen as the torrential rain has completely muffled it. This expresses that he is concerned about where he is or if he is in the correct place. Further more the shot then focuses on the protagonist scrambling for a map, expressing their sense of panic and uncertainty.
• As the car drives away, the shot fades into the next shot, changing the location but keeping the car in the main focal point. To which he arrives in a sinister surrounding where the architecture is all elongated creating a creepy abnormal effect.
• All the shots are filmed in the rain and in the dark, as the senses heighten creating a more engaged audience. All of which the shots are quite lengthy as its familiarising the audience with the location, the introduction to characters and the main location, being a hotel.
  

Sound:

• During the beginning titles the shots only have a slight background silence drone of which is unable to make out, creating the first sense of naivety upon the audience and reflecting on the unknown location the protagonist is in.
• The drone becomes louder and appears to be played in minor key, expressing the negativity of the film.
• Digetic sounds are added of rain and the stereotypical sound effect of horror-thrillers, the wind.
• As the title ‘4108’ appears, high key violins are played quietly yet frantically to signify the importance of the numbers and to relate the unnerving feel the numbers bring throughout the movie.
• Dialog is introduced, although it is unclear whether it’s from the radio or from the small building where he is parked next too. The dialog sounds unclear until it emphasises on the sentence ‘ the open gates of hell’, which could be reflecting on where he is driving too, or it could be suggested it is used to emphasise the negativity in the surroundings.

Editing:

• Fading is used predominantly throughout the opening scene during the introduction of thetitles. The first three titles shown are centralised with only the use of black and white colourings, expressing the importance of the titles as they are made to be the focal point.
• As the black background fades into the first set location, the surroundings are still dark but with the road and house contrasting each other, still keeping the light and dark effect, creating a sinister surrounding.
• The titles of the actors are still in white font, although not as bold and of which swipe down gently until they fade out, yet again creating a ghostly effect.