Section 2 - Research into Comparable Media Products

There are many examples of films which fit into each sub-genre of the thriller genre as a whole - Seven  is an example of a Crime Thriller, with some aspects of the horror genre, and analysis of the film is useful in discovering some of the codes and conventions of this sub-genre. It also is useful in understanding which of the conventions it breaks, if any, and which of the conventions it conforms to.

Analysis of the opening of Seven:

• Narrative Structure - the narrative follows the days of the week, informing us as each new day begins and the characters must work to find the killer. This adds to the tension in the thriller as it gives us as an audience a kind of time limit, which we understand that the characters in our film must work to, as otherwise something bad will happen, usually more murders etc.
• Camerawork - the camerawork in Thrillers is always very important. At the very beginning of the film, close-ups and wide shots are used of both Morgan Freeman's character Somerset and Brad Pitt's character Mills while they are getting ready for work in the morning. These introductory shots are vital in all genres of film, as they allow the audience insight into the characters by seeing close-ups and wide shots of their homes and bedrooms; we learn that Somerset is very organised and that Mills is not, and this helps to shape our opinions of the characters in the rest of the film. The setting, New York City, is illustrated through the camerawork, in shots of the two detectives walking through the streets. People walk into the shot, in front of the two detectives, which shows us the crowded city environment.  
• Mise-en-scene - the props used at the beginning of the film in the bedrooms of both detectives are important in helping us to form our opinions of the characters, such as whether or not they are organised and other aspects of their personalities. The weather in the opening section of the film is stormy and has had negative connotations, which may be considered to be a form of pathetic fallacy. Dark lighting is also used to great effect in the opening of Seven, to emphasize the negative aspects of the city setting. Colour is also used to help us to form our opinions of the characters; Detective Somerset is shown wearing a white shirt, white being a colour which holds connotations of purity and goodness.
• Sound - the narrative of the film has unfolded to a back drop of traffic noise and police sirens, which you may expect to hear in a big city, such as the one in which Seven is set. These sounds are diegetic, unlike the music aspect of the soundtrack. The music used is non-diegetic, and implies something sinister is about to happen, or has happened. The ticking of the clock in Somerset’s apartment is an effective use of diegetic sound, as it creates suspense and implies to the audience that time is running out, or that time is against the two detectives. The sound used in the opening credits is both diegetic and non-diegetic and manages to create a tense and mysterious atmosphere. The diegetic sound included the sound of a typewriter, and the non-diegetic sound included music with a string beat, which is often used in the thriller genre. There are also strange, metallic type sounds and possibly the sound of someone screaming which could foreshadow what is to come in the film.
• Editing - the pace of editing at the beginning of the film is slow, but it increases as the narrative progresses, particularly during the chase scene. The slow editing is effective as it allows the audience to take in what is happening on screen, but as the pace increases, so does the excitement of the audience and this creates suspense just as well as the slower editing does.
• Graphics - the graphics during the opening credits of the film are very important as they help to set up the narrative and focus the attention of the audience. The use of scratchy lettering continues from the credits through the film, and hold connotations of the horror genre, which is very effective. This is because these connotations mean the audience have expectations of the content of the film, and may shape their opinions of the film. The credits also use flashing lights and close-ups which confuses the viewer and stops us form fully identifying what is on screen, inspiring curiosity within the audience.

Seven – Application of thriller theories

• The Transformed City – the murders turn an ordinary city extraordinary. The murderer uses the city as killing ground, as murder is not unusual in a city, but these murders are extraordinary. We know it is set in a city because we can hear the traffic, see the city landscape and buildings. The police division use the logo with the letters NYPD, which tells us that it is set in New York City. 
• The Heroic Romance – detective Mills can be seen as the hero in Seven. Although at first his actions don’t seem extraordinary because he is a police officer in the homicide department, but because the murders and murderer are not usual, he is forced to act differently than usual.  We see how he has to react to the murder of his wife, as he has to decide whether or not to kill the murderer or not.
• The Exotic – as a setting this could be seen to be the wide, open, empty setting used at the very end of the film, because the rest of the film has been set in a city. There is also the fact that we usually associate thrillers with an urban environment. Tracey, the wife of detective Mills, could also be seen to represent the Exotic. She is almost completely separate to the narrative, and she feels alone and isolated in the city. She is one part of the film which does not seem to fit with the plot, until she is murdered at the very end. 
•  Mazes and Labyrinths – in literal terms, the maze/labyrinth can be seen when the two detectives are chasing the murderer through back streets, hotel corridors and alleyways, as they do not know which way he has gone, and keep coming to dead ends. In a metaphorical sense, they are coming to ‘dead ends’ in their investigations, as they cannot figure out the identity of the murderer or who/when he will kill next. This is achieved through twists such as being unable to find fingerprints at the killer’s home or at the murder
• Partial Vision – there are lots of unanswered questions, such as the identity of the killer, and why they cannot find any fingerprints. We are never shown any of the actual murders, so we do not know how the crimes are being committed. The identity of the murderer is kept secret until almost the very end of the film, although we do see him (without being shown his face) and we here his voice on the phone.
• Concealment and Protraction – concealment is achieved through hiding the identity of the killer. Protraction is achieved as we do not know when the next murder will be, but we are sure there will be more deaths.
•  The Question and Answer Model – we ask ourselves questions such as: who is the murderer? Why is he killing these people? Who will he kill next? Why is there a lack of evidence eg. fingerprints?

Analysis of the opening of Jaws:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8SnZmUjhAA

• Narrative Structure - is linear. The film begins with shots under water before cutting to shots of teenagers on a beach, which makes us assume that the two are connected. We can infer from this that the narrative will involve the sea in some way, and we can guess by the end of the beginning sequence that the killer will be a shark in the water.
• Camerawork - the film begins with an underwater shot, which appears to be from the perspective of some creature, as the camera twists and turns as if it is swimming through the water. It cuts immediately after this to an establishing shot of a large group of teenagers on a beach. We assume that the beach and the sea that we just saw are connected and this leads us to believe that something bad will happen to one of the teenagers. The camera pans around the group and settles on one boy in particular. Shot reverse shot is used to show he and a girl looking at each other, illustrating that something is going to happen between them. This is confirmed as we see them stand and begin running. The camera crabs as the two run, so that the audience can see them running away from the group. This creates tension, as we assume that something is going to happen to one of them, as they are running away from any source of help. As the girl dives into the water alone, an extra wide shot is used to show her complete isolation and vulnerability, causing us as an audience to worry about her safety. At this point, shots are then used that appear to be from the perspective of the 'killer' - the shark - an underwater camera is used to show the girl swimming, and we see the camera, therefore the shark, swimming closer to her. The camera cuts to above water shots when the girl is attacked, which creates mystery as we cannot actually see her attacker, or what is happening under the water.   
• Mise-en-scene - we are shown a group of teenagers on a beach at night, so immediately we assume that something bad will happen to one of them. The use of low lighting creates suspense, as the scene would not be as scary if it were in broad daylight. As the two teenagers are running along the beach, they run alongside a fence, which rises up and down as the sand dunes do. The way it does this could for some have connotations of a fish's spine, which links to the fact that the killer is this particular thriller is a shark. Character is also developed through this scene, and in particular the character of the girl (Chrissie). As she runs away from the group she strips her clothes, which could be symbolic of stripping her defences and this makes her more vulnerable to us. We already assume that she is in danger and so this helps to confirm our suspicions. We also come to think of her as naive as she is swimming in the water and we know that the shark is in the water and that something bad is going to happen to her.
• Sound - the first use of sound in the opening of Jaws is diegetic. It is a sound which we normally associate with submarines, the sound that sonar makes, and this immediately conjures up images of the sea. It sets the scene straight away. As the opening continues, the theme music begins. It begins over the credits, so all we see on the screen are the names of people who have worked on the film. This is effective because the diegetic sound has already informed us that the film is set by the sea, and then the non-diegetic sound track warns us that something bad will happen in association with the sea. The music achieves this as it is quite an orchestral track; it uses instruments such as cellos and tubas to create a sinister atmosphere. The music is in the minor key, which adds to the threatening tone of it. The music gradually becomes more constant until the film cuts to the shots of the teenagers, at which point it stops and the diegetic sound of a harmonica is used to create a happier atmosphere. However, when the narrative reaches the point where the girl is swimming in the sea, the music begins again, which makes us aware that the music is associated with something bad happening.
• Editing - there is a great contrast between the shots used in the opening credits (where we are given the perspective of the shark as it swims) and the shots we are then shown of the teenagers around the campfire. This is an effective use of editing as it makes us aware that the threat we felt in the credits sequence will negatively affect the teenagers on the beach. The pace of editing decreases a lot at the point in the narrative that the girl is being attacked by the shark. Instead of using lots of different shots, one or two longer lasting shots are used, which allows us to see exactly what is happening (above the water) and see the girl better than we would if lots of different shots were used.
• Graphics - the font used in the opening credits are quite bold and as they are white, they stand out effectively against the black background. This style of font is often used in thrillers to ensure that the credits focus the eye of the audience. The title 'Jaws' stands out even more than the rest of the credits as it is in capital letters. The fact that the underwater shots are used for the opening credits is also very effective as it allows us the see the sharks perspective of what is happening, and creates a sense of menace when coupled with the non-diegetic sound track.

Jaws - Application of thriller theories:

• The Transformed City - although this usually applies to an urban environment, it can be applied to Jaws. The film is set on the coast, the opening of the film is set on a beach and in the sea. The coast is usually associated with holidays and enjoyment and having fun, but this is changed because of the shark being in the water. In this way an ordinary beach/sea becomes extraordinary.
• Partial Vision - throughout the opening of the film we do not see the shark at any point, so we can only assume that the shark is the killer because of what we already know about the film. This partial vision is achieved through the use of the shark's perspective, and in that when the girl is being attacked we are not shown what is happening under the water. There is also some partial vision for the characters; the opening of the film is at night, so it is dark, and the teenagers are drunk, which renders them incapable of seeing clearly.
• The Question and Answer Model - we have questions such as; who or what is attacking her? why is it in the water?

Analysis of the opening of The Silence of the Lambs:

• Narrative Structure - we assume that the woman (Starling) is the main character because the focus of the opening is her and she is also the first character we see on screen. The camera follows her, and therefore we make the link that she must be important to the rest of the narrative. This allows us to begin to form a bond with her, through the way the narrative unfolds.
• Camerawork - the first shot we are shown is of the trees, quite high up, so that we see the bare branches, the sky and see that there is mist in the trees. This immediately sets the scene as we know that there is a forest, which is confirmed as the camera pans downwards to the forest floor. As the camera reaches the forest floor we see two ropes, before a woman climbs the ropes and enters the shot. A medium close up of her face and shoulders as she reaches the top of the ropes allows us to see her glance around her as if she does not know which way to go, before running the same way as she had already been running. A tracking shot as she runs, firstly from behind her, creates the impression that she is being followed by someone, and perhaps that she is running away from someone. The camera tracks her from behind as she runs into the mist. The camera then cuts to a shot of her face and then to a tracking shot again, this time from the side of her as she runs. This seems to confirm our suspicions that she is being chased, as the camera appears to be watching her and running alongside of her. A close up of her feet then demonstrates to us how fast she is running, once again seeming to confirm our assumption. However, as the camera once again tracks her from behind we see her running towards a cargo net, and the fact that she climbs over the net instead of running around it makes us realise that she is not being chased and is in fact completing an obstacle course. We understand by the point that we are a medium close up of a man wearing a cap with the letters 'FBI' written on it that Starling is in fact safe. The camera continues to track her as she runs towards a building, then becoming an establishing shot to allow us to see the FBI building she is entering. However these tracking shots do not create the sinister atmosphere that those in the forest did, as we know by this point that she is safe. The shot used to show her in the lift full of men does create an element of threat as she looks vulnerable and out of place surrounded by them.
• Mise-en-scene - we are first shown a forest in winter (we know this because of the bare branches and the mist) which holds connotations of threat or death, as forests are often portrayed as isolated and dangerous. The lighting becomes darker and more threatening as the camera moves towards the forest floor, and the mist creates a sinister atmosphere as we cannot see what is in front of the woman or what is behind her as she runs. However, as the narrative progresses and she reaches the cargo net, the lighting becomes brighter and the sun shines more; this illustrates to us as an audience that she is now safe, and that she was not threatened beforehand. There is lots of character development in the opening of the film, as our opinions of Starling change gradually throughout. At first she appears to be a victim, and we assume that she is vulnerable because of the traditional stereotypes of women that are often used in the thriller genre. When we realise that she is completing an obstacle course, she appears more masculine and in control to us. We begin to assume that she could be the main character as we are revising our opinions of her. As she reaches the FBI building and we see that it is a male dominated environment, we realise that she must be a strong character and not vulnerable as we originally thought, as otherwise she most likely would not do well in this environment.
• Sound - both the diegetic and non-diegetic sound in the opening of the film help to create a sinister atmosphere. The non-diegetic soundtrack does not seem as threatening at first, but as the film continues it becomes more sinister, but changes again as we realise that she is not in danger. This is very effective as it is as if the music anticipates the feelings of the audience and reacts to this. The diegetic sound helps to contribute to the threatening atmosphere at the beginning of the film in different ways. The wildlife sounds we hear as she is running through the forest imply that she is alone in the forest, as is there were lots of people we would not be able to hear the animals. The bird calls we can hear almost confirm our suspicions about her being in danger, as it is the sound of a bird such as a falcon, which we associate with being a predator. The fact that we can hear her breathing heavily implies that she has been running for a long time, and so we wonder what could be chasing her and whether it will catch her or not. After she has entered the FBI building we can hear sounds of people talking and working as we would expect, which shows us that she is not in danger. However the music begins again after she enters Crawford's office, and we assume that either something bad is going to happen or that she has seen something bad, as by his point we associate the soundtrack with something negative.
• Editing - each clip is edited so that when the music is played over the section of film, the desired effect is created; we might feel that she is in danger, or the music might assure us that she is safe. This is very effective over clips such as the shot which tracks her from the side as she runs, as the pace of the music also increases, causing us to feel as if she is being followed or chased.
• Graphics - the credits stand out over the shots of the forest as they are very bold. Black letters with a white outline are used to draw our attention to them. A short sentence 'woods near Quantico, VA' is used to give us a location for the film. It is official looking, implying that it is an important file, or that the government or an important organisation (which we later learn is the FBI) will be involved in the plot line. However, 'woods near Quantico' does not give us a very definitive location, which causes us to worry about the safety of the woman in the forest as she seems isolated.

The Silence of the Lambs - Application of thriller theories:

• The Exotic - although the Exotic usually applies to objects, in a way Starling herself could be considered to be the Exotic in the opening of the film. The environment she is in is obviously very male dominated and she appears to stand out and not to belong.
• Mazes and Labyrinths - in the opening to The Silence of the Lambs the Mazes and Labyrinths theory can be taken in a literal sense. As Starling is running through the woods, she pause and seems unsure which way to turn. As the woods are quite large and there are lots of directions she could take, the woods are a sort of maze which she must find her way out of.
• The Question and Answer Model - as the film begins we are presented with questions such as; who is she? what is she running from? where is she?

Analysis of the opening of Red Eye:

• Narrative Structure - there is no dialogue at the beginning and there is a strong focus on the woman which makes us assume that she is important to the narrative. When the dialogue begins it is fast-paced as she is talking on and off into a phone, so this sets the tone for the rest of the opening.  
• Camerawork -the first shot we see at the beginning of the opening credits is a close-up of a photograph of a young woman. This immediately makes us assume that the girl in the photograph will be the main character. There are more shots of the photographs, and the camera zooms in on a wallet with the intials 'JR' on it, followed by a close-up of the wallet being taken. This is effective as it ensures that the audience understands that the wallet or the man who owns the wallet that has been taken is important in the rest of the narrative. The camerawork used in the section which features a box of fish being packed and taken away is effective also, as it encourages the viewer to doubt that there is only fish in the box; this is acheieved through the use of close-ups of the words 'sea food', of the fish in the box and of the box being stamped saying 'inspection approved'. The long wide shot of two men loading the box into the back of a truck also arouses our suspicions, as they load the box into the back of a range rover type truck, whearas we would usually expect for fish to be transported in a van or a freezer-trailer.
• Mise-en-scene - the photographs and the wallet we see in the first few shots are very important in terms of mise-en-scene as they tell us a lot of the person who lives there. They also tell us about the girl in the photographs: one photograph is pf her graduation, so we know that she is intelligent; another photograph is of her playing hockey, so we know that she likes sports. This helps us to create a picture of her in our minds, of her being a well-rounded person and probably the type of daughter every parent would want. The fact that such emphasis is put on the initials 'JR' on the wallet is also important as it allows us to indentify the wallet later on in the narrative when it appears again. 
• Sound - the film begins with a non-diegetic piece of music, which is loud and fast-paced, with strong beats. This is quite typical of a thriller as it helps to build tension. As the camera continues to pan over the photographs the music becomes more intense which increases the suspense. The diegetic sounds contribute to the city atmosphere, as the sound of the rain and the traffic ensure that we understand that the film is set in an urban environment.
• Editing - the pace of editing is quite fast at the beginning of the film, which matches the action going on in the narrative, as the woman seems to be in a rush and have lots of work to do. The editing contributes to the sense of urgency we feel.
• Graphics - the graphics are simple, and stand out on the black background. They are quite fast paced which also matches the fast pace of the narrative at this point in the film.

Red Eye - Application of thriller theories

• The Heroic Romance - we assume that the woman we see is the main character for the rest of the film as there is a strong focus on her throughout the opening of the film.
• Partial Vision - during the opening crdits we do not see the person's identity, only their arms and we see them walking, which makes us wonder who they are and what their significance is.
• The Question and Answer Model - we ask questions such as: who is the man in the opening? what is the box along with the fish? how is this going to affect the woman?

In analysing these thrillers, I have been able to take note of aspects which are similar to each film. Although each thriller is different, the four thrillers that we have analysed during our lessons all appear to have certain codes and conventions in common:

1. The use of a non-diegetic soundtrack - in the opening of each of the four films I have watched, there has been music used. Each film uses a different soundtrack and to achieve different effects, eg. in Seven, Jaws and Red Eye the music used is threatening and signifies that a tense part of the narrative is about to happen. In The Silence of the Lambs the music is also used to indicate significant points in the narrative, but the tone of the music and the affect it achieves is different from that of the other pieces of music, as the music changes throughout the opening to match how the audience feels.
2. The use of establishing shots - each of the thrillers I have watched have used establishing shots to be sure that the audience knows the location of the film eg. a beach (Jaws), a city (Seven and Red Eye), a forest (The Silence of the Lambs)
3. The use of the killers' perspective - Seven, Jaws and The Silence of the Lambs all use camerawork which implies that we are seeing a scene from the perspective of the killer, or that someone is watching what is happening in the scene. The most prominent use of this is in Jaws as just before the girl (Chrissie) is attacked, we are shown the shark's perspective as it swims upwards towards her and we can see her swimming from our perspective under the water.
4. The use of simple graphics - all of the thrillers I watched used graphics in the opening of the film. The graphics used are usually quite simple and bold so that they would stand out from the background. Seven, however, did not use simple graphics:
5. The use of low key lighting - the only thriller that I watched which did not use low key lighting was Red Eye as the film was set in the day. However, the other three films used low key lighting to create suspense and tension. In The Silence of the Lambs the dark forest which Starling runs through is much more effective in building a sinister atmosphere than having her run through a sunlit field, as the darker lighting makes it harder for the audience to see what is happening and creates a sense of mystery.
6. The use of diegetic sound - in the thrillers I have watched, the diegetic sounds used withing the opening of the films have been just as important as the non-diegetic soundtrack. The diegetic sound are used to help set the scene for the audience eg. traffic noises, police sirens etc. set the scene of a city in Seven and Red Eye, in The Silence of the Lambs the sound of wildlife such as birds and insects, and the sound of leaves under her feet help to set the scene of a forest and in Jaws the sounds of the ocean are used.
7. There is a strong focus on one character - in the openings of all of the thrillers I watched, there has been a strong focus on either one or two characters, which makes us aware that they are significant to the narrative. Jaws is the only one to have a strong focus on a character who then dies in the opening, but this is also very significant to the rest of the narrative, in a similar way to the focus put on the woman in Red Eye as we understand that she will have a significant part to play in the rest of the film.
8. The use of codes and conventions to build suspense - the opening of a thriller must build suspense and excite the curiosity of the audience, or the rest of the narrative will not be effective. The thrillers I watched built suspense through: the camerawork eg. the camera appears to be watching Starling as she runs in The Silence of the Lambs; the non-diegetic soundtrack eg. the fast paced music at the beginning of Red Eye; the use of low key lighting eg. at the murder scenes in Seven; the use of isolated settings eg. the sea at night in Jaws.

These codes and conventions of thrillers which I have identified helped me when I came to analyse the openings of two thrillers on my own. The thrillers I analysed on my own were Heat and Body of Lies and in these two films I found that many aspects of the film were similar to those in the thrillers that I had already analysed in lessons.

Analysis of the opening of Heat:

• Narrative Structure - the film begins by following one character, but then within the first four minutes, changes to a separate character; although this was not a technique used in any of the thrillers I watched during lessons, it is an effective technique, as it alerts us to the fact that both of these men will have significant roles in the rest of the film.
• Camerawork - the film begins with a stationary camera shot as a train drives into the shot. The camera then focuses on a single character; a close-up of his face as he gets off the train, followed by a tracking shot as he steps onto an escalator and as wide shot from in front of him as he rides the escalator down ensures that we understand that he is the main focus of the narrative at this point. A close-up of his feet as he walks towards a building, becoming at a low angle as he walks away from the camera could signify that he has some sort of power, or that what he is going to do will be important. We see him enter a hospital and a tracking shot shows him glancing from side to side as he walks, which could imply that he is worried or that he is not supposed to be there, that he is doing something wrong. The camera continues to track him as he leaves the building and walks through a car park, climbs into a van and begins driving. The camera then cuts to shots of a second man, and another tracking shot is used as the second man and another man enter a warehouse shop. A close-up of what the second man is buying, followed by a stationary camera shot as he walks away with the box he bought on his shoulder allows us to view the word 'explosives' written on the box. The man walks until he is completely out of the shot.
• Mise-en-scene - the film is set in a city, which we know as we can see a train, smoke and steam, and later a hospital, which implies to us that it is set in a city. The fact that when the train stops, the platform becomes very busy and full of people also indicates to us that it is set in a city, as otherwise it would be unlikely for there to be that many people boarding a train to that area. The fact that the opening of the film is set at night is effective as the dark lighting makes the scene more sinister as it is more effective for the man we first see to be acting suspiciously as he is doing in a low key lighting than in high key lighting. There is contrast between the light building site used in the next scene and the dark city setting used in the first part of the film, as the men in both scenes are behaving suspiciously but the lighting used at the building site set is not typical of the codes and conventions for a film in the thriller genre.  
• Sound - the non-diegetic soundtrack at the beginning of the film is not a piece of music which would be traditionally used in a thriller, as it is almost soothing - we would expect the music in a thriller to be fast-paced and tense. As the narrative progresses, we begin to hear an underlying noise, like a buzzing or droning, which creates a threatening atmosphere. A beat which sounds like footsteps is introduced, which implies impatient as the beat becomes faster and faster as the narrative progresses and when the second man walks away with the box of explosives, the music cuts out completely, which emphasis this point in the narrative. The diegetic sound is also important as we hear the sound of the train, footsteps and voices which help to build up the image of a city. When the first man is walking through the hospital, we hear the sounds of hissing air, machines, wheels, beeping, heavy breathing, scissors and people talking, but none of the sounds are constant. As the man looks from side to side, we hear short snippets of each sound, which could imply that he is not paying attention as he walks. 
• Editing - the pace of editing at the beginning of the film is slow, which builds tension and suspense, possibly to signify the calm before the storm. The camera cuts from the shot of the first man driving away in a van to the shot of the second man walking. Although the two seem to have nothing in common, the fact that the two shots are edited together implies a connection between the two.
• Graphics - the graphics are set on a black background, and are simple as the graphics in thriller films. The letters are small and grey, in capitals, and the title of the film 'Heat' is in a larger font, which is also typical of the thriller genre. 

Heat - Application of thriller theories:

• The Question and Answer Model - we are presented with questions such as: who are the men? where are they going? what is in the box?

Analysis of the opening of Body of Lies:

• Narrative Structure - the opening of the film follows a linear narrative, which ensures that the audience is paying attention to what is happening on the screen, and not to trying to figure out a complex narrative, so it is quite effective when used in a thriller film.
• Camerawork - the first shot we see is that of an older Asian man speaking, and the camera slowly tracks out. The camera cuts to a shot of a hallway, from which we can see a room, amd the camera tracks in towards the room. We are then shown three shots of each of the three men inside the house. The camerawork here allows us to gain some knowledge of the situation in the house, whihc is that the three men living there are Muslims with extremist views, as can be found by listening to the older Asian man on the TV speaking about terrorism. The next shot of the street outside allows us to see the police force getting into postions on roofs and on the ground, presumbly to raid the house. A wide shot from inside the house shows the police entering the building and is intermingled with shots of the three men upstairs (editing - this shows the relationship between the two groups, and that something is going to happen). A mid-shot is used of the man sat at the table closing his eyes and speaking, followed by a close-up of him pressing a button on a mobile phone. The shots of the explosion vary, but are mostly wide shots from different angles around the street and the house, which allow is to see the explosion properly. The camera becomes shakey at some points, as if it is showing us the perspective of someone experiencing the explosion - most likely a hand held camera was used for these shots.
• Mise-en-scene - the first shot we see of the older Asian man contrasts with the fact that we were told at the beginning of the film that the setting, at least for the opening, was in Manchester, England. The clothing and the objects surrounding the man are typical of a film set in the Middle East, not in Manchester. As we realise that the opening is indeed set in Manchester when we see the house and the street outside, we also notice the grafitti on the walls and the wire fences, which imply that the area of Manchester this is is derelict and run down. The low key lighting inside the house contrasts with the sunlit street outside, which possibly has connotations of good and evil.
• Sound - the film begins with non-diegetic sound, a sort of rumbling, droning sound with ends with a harsh beat when the words 'Manchester, England' appear on screen. This implies that something bad is going to happen here. This is followed by the introduction of traditional, Asian music, which helps us as an audience begin to understand the plot line more. As the narrative continues, another piece of music begins, with a repetive and harsh beat, which is the type of music we usually associate with the thriller genre as it helps to create tension. The diegetic sound is very effective in the opening of Body of Lies. The first bit of diegetic sound we hear is a man's voice speaking in a foreign language (most likely Arabic), and as the sound changes slightly we understand that the voice is coming from the television. The sound outside of the house contrats with that inside of the house; inside, the voices are hushed and quiet; outside, there is the sound of the train and of footsteps and the voices of the police. As the police operation unfolds, we have the sound of the milkman they are using as a decoy whistling 'Rule Britannia', which is obviously a patriotic song and helps to conform our suspicions that the men in the building are terrorists. The diegetic sound of the explosion is intermingled with the non-diegetic sound of the traditional Asian music, and the pace of the music increases, to increase the tension at this point in the opening of the film. 
• Editing - the film begins with subtitles to allow us to understand what the manon the television is saying, and as the subtitles read 'and now... they will bleed', the film cuts to shots of police outside, which indicates to us that the men in the house are the enemies of the police. The pace of the editing increases when the explosion happens, and we are shown the explosion from lots of different angles. The screen fades to black after the explosion, allowing us to reflect on what has just happened, before going straight into the next scene.
• Graphics - a short poem is displayed on screen before the film begins: 'I and the public know, What all school children learn, Those to whom evil is done, Do evil in reutrn' (W H Auden). This gives us an indication of what the film could be about, such as revenge. The graphics are also used to give us information about what is happening in the film; the words 'Manchester, England' displayed at the beginning of the film tells us the exact location of the opening of the film; the subtitles displayed over the man on the television speaking show us what he is saying. The title sequence begins with a red dot in the middle of the screen, which expands into a green light. The use of CCTV footage along with the sound of helicopters, walkie-talkie's and the continuation of the music from the explosion scene help to give a sense of what the film is about, for example, we assume that the film involves terrorism and that there will be police/FBI/MI5 involvement. The title of the film is shown continuously throughout the sequence, fading away and flickereing, which creates confusion, possibly signifying that there will be confusion later in the narrative.

Body of Lies - Application of thriller theories:

• The Transformed City - what seems to be an ordinary street in Manchester becomes extraordinary through the prescence of terrorists and the explosion which takes place.
• Concealment and Protraction - concelament of identities (of the men in the house and of the man of the television) is used. There is also the delay in the police stopping the terrorist suspects, as we are shown the build up to there apprehension and their arrests, but this does not take place eventually. 
• The Question and Answer Model - we ask questions such as: who are the men? why do they blow up their house? The morality factor is also used in the beginning of the film, as we assume that the men are extremists and we are on the side of the police as they attempt to catch the men.

Section 1: The Thriller Genre

My definition of the Thriller genre is a genre which contains films that excite, compel and almost frighten the audience. The narratives used in the Thriller genre often contain twists and turns and the audience enjoys this because it is different from everyday life. The plot lines usually involve danger and harm or murder, which attracts and holds the attention of the audience. International Thriller Writers define thrillers as "the sudden rush of emotions, the excitement, sense of suspense, apprehension, and exhilaration that drive the narrative, sometimes subtly with peaks and lulls, sometimes at a constant, breakneck pace." (http://thrillerwriters.org/)

There are many theories as to what a Thriller is - most of these can be applied to the genre as a whole, and some films within the Thriller genre conform to almost all of the theories:

• The Transformed City - This theory was developed by C K Chesterton, who suggested that Thrillers are 'the poetry of life'. It is the idea that an ordinary location can become extraordinary for the purpose of a Thriller. Most Thrillers are set in an urban environment, such as a big city, but for the Thriller to be successful, the environment must adapt to become different and more exciting.
• The Heroic Romance - This theory was introduced by Northrop Frye, who believed that the protagonist in a Thriller is forced to act and react in extraordinary ways to survive during the film. 'Heroes' in the Thriller genre begin as normal people, with normal lives and jobs, but must adapt for the film. Frye said that a Thriller 'moves the world in which ordinary laws of nature are slightly suspended' which allows the characters to perform extraordinary acts which would be almost impossible otherwise, such as jumping off a cliff and surviving.
• The Exotic - This theory was developed by John Cawelti, who introduced the idea that objects and buildings placed within a Thriller are not what we would expect to see in everyday life. Often props and artefact's would have originated from the Middle East or the Orient, which adds a sense of difference to the film. The audience enjoys the introduction of something unfamiliar into the film, as it holds their attention and reinforces the idea that the world within the Thriller is separate, different and more exciting than the real world.
• Mazes and Labyrinths - This theory, which was formed by W H Matthews, holds its origins in Ancient Greek Mythology, particularly the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. It is the concept of a predicament which the protagonist finds him or herself in, and the 'mazes' they must find their way through to reach the ending. These 'mazes' are often full of twist and dead ends which make it difficult for the characters to resolve conflict within the film. This concept can be both literal and metaphorical, but the audience is always presented with the problems that the hero must solve and how the character does this.
• Partial Vision - This theory, created by Pascal Bonitzer, explains how the audience only see so much of what is important in the film. This builds tension and suspense, leaving unanswered questions, seizing the attention of the audience and holding on to it. The theory indicates that what we as an audience do not see is just as important as what we do see - if we knew the identity of the murderer, the film would not be as effective as it is when we discover the identity for ourselves by following the plot and the characters. Partial Vision can be used in two ways, either that we are simply not told important information, or that we are not shown it, eg. we see murderer, but not his face.
• Concealment and Protraction - This theory, developed by Lars Ole Saurberg, suggests that the creation of suspense works in two ways. This pulls the audience in different directions and focuses their attention and interest. Saurberg says that the use of Concealment to create suspense is the deliberate hiding of information from the audience. This leaves unanswered questions. The use of Protraction to create suspense is the deliberate delay of an outcome. This could be delaying a bomb explosion - the audience knows what is coming, but by delaying it suspense is increased.
• The Question and Answer Model - This theory was introduced by Noel Carroll, and can be applied to almost, if not all, films in the Thriller genre. The theory outlines the idea that the audience is presented with questions, and then they wait in suspense to discover the answers. This involves the audience in the narrative, focusing their attention, and there are two factors involved: the Probability factor and the Moral factor. Carroll believes that the Probability factor is important because it opens up the possible outcomes, and for an audience this is much more exciting than a 'sure thing'. The Moral factor is also important because the outcome and what the audience views to be the morally right outcome may be different and this inspires suspense as the audience wait to find out which will happen.

Codes and Conventions of any film genre are plot lines, filming styles, the use of sound or lighting and the use of props which we as an audience have come to expect from films of each genre. Every genre of film has its own set of codes and conventions. Codes and conventions of the Thriller genre as a whole include:

• narratives which involve fear
• the creation of suspense
• the use of plot twists
• the use of different sub-plots
• music which creates tension
• the use of dark/shadowy lighting
• an urban setting 
• sounds which represent the setting
• bad weather as this represents the narrative
• editing
• camera angle changes
• music which builds tension
• lighting
• the use of shadows
• fast paced editing
• mise-en-scene
• costume
• location
• surprises and twists
• mirrors/stairs which create tension
• flash backs
• specific character outlines include: the villian, the donor, the helper, the princess, the father, the dispatcher, the hero and the anti-hero

Although most Thrillers tend to conform to codes and conventions, it is not unusual for films to stray from or break these conventions, often to great effect. Whether or not a Thriller does this or remains true to the codes and conventions is dependant on the type of Thriller it is, as there are many sub- or hybrid-genres within the Thriller genre, such as:

• crime thrillers

• political thrillers

• drama thrillers

• horror thrillers

• disaster thrillers

• psychological thrillers

• mystery thrillers

• action thrillers

• supernatural thrillers

• eco thrillers

• legal  thriller

• medical thriller