Thriller Opening Ideas

Idea One: Psychological Thriller

• Our psychological thriller would have a main theme/plot-line of an unclear line between reality and hallucinations. For example, the main character could be seen walking down an alleyway and then the screen would flicker, like static, to show a quick shot of them stabbing someone in the same alleyway, and then flicking back to them walking - this leaves the viewer in the same mental confusion as the main character - what is and isn't real?

• The plot-line would focus on the character trying to figure out what actions she is actually doing, and what she is hallucinating. She would try to use a variety of things, for example to write down what she sees, take pictures etc - but she still would not know eg. the notes being confused, the camera disappearing etc. Eventually she would end up finding out she has a uncontrollable split personality that acts on her subconscious violent throughs, when she kills someone close to her - for example a boyfriend or best friend - she dreams she does it, and when going to visit that person, she sees they are actually dead. Also, throughout the film we see her 'nice' personality morphing slowly into the violent girl in her 'hallucinations', ending with a voiceover stating that she used to be scared of her hallucinations, but now she knows that being a killer is a part of her. 

• The conventions we would include would be things such as the imagery of the eye often seen in this sub-genre, unreliable narrator - the audience would not trust the main character's narration/voice overs as she is seen to also be a killer. We would also include fast-paced editing, and the theme of identity - as in she does not know who she is, the killer or the normal person. 

the opening sequence: 


The sequence would start with a closed eye (mise-en-scene of pretty makeup). When the eye opens, there is a camera-like flash, which then cuts to the main character walking down an alley-way. The screen would then flicker, as through with interference, and then show in black in white, the main character killing someone in the same alleyway. The screen would then flicker again and go back to the main character simply walking, and the person she was seen killing walks past - reaction shot. A voice over will then start as she is shown writing on pads of paper and screwing them up etc as she explains how she cannot discern what is and isn't real. The music pace would speed up with the pace of editing and she would be shown trying to take pictures of what she has done - the flash would show fast images of her killing people and stealing etc. It would then show that in the folder where she saved her pictures there is nothing. It could then cut to her closing her eye (mise-en-scene of dark make up) and then black screen and then to her face. She would say how she doesn't know who she is. If we have time, the music will become almost actiony as it cuts from her walking in a normal 'pretty outfit' to her in dark clothes and an 'evil persona', finally cutting to the name of the film.

Idea Two: Criminal Thriller

• The criminal thriller would, as with the conventions of this sub-genre, focus on the criminals. A gang of criminals are seen robbing a bank at the beginning, before being turned on by one of their own who shoots their way out and takes the money. The film would focus on the search within the gang for the traitors accomplice, who is still hiding in the gang. Conventions included would be double-crosses, shoot-outs and obviously, the crimes such as heists. 

• The main themes would be identity - as in, who in the gang is betraying them. This lack of trust would cause the audience to not trust any of the narrators, which would create an unnerving effect. There would also be narrations from each character, which would show everything from a different perspective, intensifying the identity crisis. 
• 
  

the opening sequence: 

The film would open mid-way through the initial bank robbery, the camera positioned in a voyeuristic view, filming through the window, and cutting to them stuffing money in a bag. There would be a voiceover of the gang leader explaning the steps of the robbery and cut to relevant actions, eg buying the guns etc. This would be a long montage. It would then cut to the end of the gun as the traitor shoots two of the gang members and runs with the money, ending with the title.

Idea Three: Mystery Thriller

• The plot line would consist of the main character finding his best friend dead on the floor. He would then be arrested and questioned - as he is the main suspect. The plot would consist of the main character both avoiding the police before he can be convicted of the murder, and trying to solve the mystery of who really killed them. The end would leave the main character dead after being shot by the police, who then discover a bag holding evidence that makes him innocent and incriminating his sister. The final shot would be of him in a coma in the hospital, and his sister coming in the room with a knife. 

• The main themes would be the imagery of the eye, which would be the clue as his sister has a company with an eye as the logo. It would also contain themes of perception, as we would also see the evidence against him cutting to the perspective of the police officers chasing him. 

The opening sequence:

It would begin with a pool of blood growing from the body, and then feet walking in the room. There would be a voiceover of the main character explaining how it all began when his friend was found dead. It would show handcuffs being clipped around his wrists and cut to him in an interrogation room. The voices from the interrogation would stay but the images would change from the interrogation to him finding his friend dead. It would end with him finding his only clue - a torn piece of paper he takes from the body, showing a badly drawn eye, and then cut to the title.