Analysis of film opening - Codes & Conventions (Thriller)

The clip I've used skips around just the first 2 minutes of the actual film, however, I feel that Shutter Island is an excellent example of showing codes and conventions within the thriller genre, thus, the reason why I have used it. To add on to that, I could find hardly any thriller movie openings that could be easily accessed on you-tube.

This clip opens up to an establishing shot/long shot of the scenery, with a gradual zoom towards it, with dramatic diegetic sound being played whilst in the background of this, increasing in tempo as the camera moves closer to the scenery, this being a typical thriller code, as sound-wise, thriller's tend to include very dramatic music to create suspense and build up to the climax. This also could be seen as a symbolic code as the fact that the sound gets more dramatic as the camera zooms more close, could be a sign that the closer you get the 'island' the more troublesome your life will get, or that this 'island' will bring nothing but negativity and issues.

This is extremely effective as a scene and with the genre as the dramatic music sets a very uneasy, nerve-wracking atmosphere for the audience, which is beneficial for the genre as the whole purpose and main reaction thriller films hope to achieve is to create emotions of anxiety, suspense and ultimately, thrill, for their audience, which is being achieved within the first minutes of the film.

The scenery itself, is off what appears to be a very deserted island (not the stereotypical 'holiday-dream' island with a beach and palm trees), being identical to a concentration camp, this already being a thriller convention as it fits into the idea that within the setting of a thriller films, there is some form of isolation.

Once the camera gets out of this shot, we are shown four characters, two of what seem to be detectives (I can denote that they are wearing long brown duster jackets, with black hats and ties, also with a suitcase, which is a stereotypical detective attire) and two policemen, one in front of the detectives and one behind them. The fact that the characters in this shot are detectives and policemen links heavily to the thriller genre and is a thriller convention as most thriller film's have a plot line including some form of crime (a stalker, psychopath, serial killer, kidnapping, hostage, crime storyline is something common amongst thriller films), which evidently means that a police officer or detective are almost always present in a thriller film, this making it a convention within the genre.

To add on to that, the structure and position in which the policemen and detectives are walking can be a code and indication that they (being the two detectives) are now actually trapped in the island and that us – as the audience – won't see them ever leave this island. I say this because of the policemen in particular, the policeman in-front simply signifies the fact that he is directing them to the island (entering them into the island), however, the one behind them is preventing/blocking him from leaving (exiting the island) as if the detectives were to turn around and try to leave the policeman – most likely – would be the one factor that prevents them from going.

The scene then cuts to when the two detectives are officially on the island, yet no dialogue has been said at this point, the only sound being there is the diegetic sound which has carried on from the previous scenes, this being effective as it is a continuous build up and creates a huge amount of suspense as the audience, at this point, get curious and nervous as to why no-one is speaking.

However, in this same scene, the camera does a lot of eye-line matches, which works as a code and convention as an eye-line match (alongside with the nod that is exchanged between them) indicates that they know between them what is the detectives motive in this island, however, the audience does not know, which is a convention as within thriller movies, the audience is usually in the dark about something, the whole idea of the 'unknown'.

As the clip follows on, we see the two detectives a car driving to what is still unknown at this point, we are then introduced to a close up shot of what appears to be a 'stand' with a quote clearly connoting the death/loss of a person, before the camera does a reverse zoom to reveal it is a stand belonging to a cemetery. A cemetery is simply a large burial ground, however not being attached to a church. This can be seen as a symbolic code that the area that this place is set is full of very evil, bad-minded people as not even a church (which a stereotypical symbol of hope and positivity) is within this scene.

We are then shown a building, which appears similar to prison, it is very high protected and the outer appearance is very dull – just being grey (possibly indicating the lack of individuality the people living in this building, or possibly the 'patients' have). This being a thriller convention as the building could connote a possible psychopath/asylum storyline, which is a storyline common within this genre, one example being Silence of the Lamb & also psycho.

Nearer to the end of this clip, as we reach the gates of the building, the camera does a movement of a faced paced zoom towards the entry, alongside with the pitch of the sound now rapidly increasing, this being a thriller convention because the music is going and playing along with the narrative, so the increase in pitch signifies that were reaching the climax (at this point it being the destination of the building), linking to genre as sound is being used to create emotion.