The Dissapearence Of Alice Creed (2009-J Blakeson)-Research into Thriller Openings-Scene 1-Jess Smith

Mise en scene
Editing
Camera
Sound  

Scene 1
~The film opens with a montage cuts between shots to present the setting the characters are in. The first shot (figure 1) is shown through a fade transition a low angled, establishing shot. 
~The lighting in this shot is quite bleak and dull, due to the natural colouring the sky is giving to this outdoor, car parking setting, which the audience can guess from the cars parked as props for this shot. 

~Because of the cars being parked is a viable way for the audience (due to the low angle) it means more colour is introduced to the frame, such as silver, red and blue which brighten up the frame, however our focus is still on the grey toned sky, dark, empty, leafless trees and the dark concrete.

~During this shot there is an off screen dropping sound when the camera begins rolling in a low pitched, sharp cut, which was cleverly used to represent the starting of the film and also makes it feel like a thriller in the first 10 seconds. Furthermore, there is also an off screen, Foley sound of a plane flying above this setting which elaborates to viewers this is shot outside. 

Figure 1

~The montage of shots continue with cuts to this close up, low angle shot (figure 2) and this low angled extreme long shot (figure 3). The camera is dollying. 
~The close up image included minimal colour to it, apart from some greenery from a small bush in the left side of the frame, between to brown and black cars. However the red light and the yellow number plate on the back of the car does incorporate some colour to right side of the frame. But the natural lighting continues to be bleak. 

Figure 3

~Both these shots continue to have the load, deep Foley sound 
of a airplane passing above the camera, which ads a confusing feel to the montage of shots. 

Figure 2

~Following this the camera transitions through a dutch angle to this eye level, shallow depth of field shot of (figure 4) the fist character being shown in a clear image and another person behind who is blurred. However although he's blurred we can still see he is trying to open this van's door with some sort of sharp prop. It is also briefly shown in a behind the shoulder shot just before this for a few seconds (figure 5). 

~During the shallow depth of field shot there is the introduction to a new non diegetic sound of a fast paced, soft repeating tapping sound which makes this scene tense and creates an edgy feel to it.There is also the rusted, sharp on screen sound of the man behind trying to open the door. The off screen plane sound had faded out by figure 4 after ending in figure 5.

~This shot is creating enigma because the audience have no knowledge as to why they're breaking into someone's car, due to the narrative, therefore it keeps them watching, something every thriller film wants to achieve in the opening. 

~The front male's facial expressions are visible to the audience, so they can see he looks on edge because of his tense, frowned facial features and his anxious look from the right to left side of the frame through his body language. 

~The man also has a warm, blue, puffy coat on and a black top (connoting danger), implying it's a cold day and has a thick, brown beard and mustache, suggesting he's using it for a disguise. 

Figure 4

Figure 5