The second piece I will be analysing is called 'Unorthodox' by Isobel Humphriss and Emma Snow, and the title alone raises some questions about the plot. It starts with a production company's credit which is well made, the high definition of the camera used creates a very professional look for the introduction.
The font used is unique but i think that for a thriller introduction it does not go with the genre, the font should be unnerving and slightly less quirky than the font used in this intro, however i think the use of a bolack and white filter throughout adds a certain edginess in terms of the dark colours.
The way that the medication is organised shows this character's attention to detail. The abundance of medication itself shows that the character is deeply disturbed and ill which implies that he is an unstable character, possibly foreshadowing the plot.
The shots of the character going about his average morning is accompanied by quick flashes of a wall with pictures of various girls on it. He ominously crosses their faces off the wall with a red marker suggesting that he has dealt with them, whether he has taken them or killed them. Despite being a teacher the pictures on the wall create a more obsessive character, and this must be much more than just a list of his students.
The pictures of girl's faces are amongst 'missing' posters which reinforces the sinister nature of this character. The sheer amount of photos on the wall and crossed out slowly makes the viewer realise that there is something seriously wrong in this introduction. The character's attention to detail is once again shown in that all of the photos are aligned and of similar sizes.
We see the obsessiveness return after the character reads his diary which has 'Daisy' written in it several times. He continues to sing the song 'Bicycle built for two' which has the lyrics:
' Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer true
I’m half crazy over the love of you'
The character sings the lyrics slowly and in a sinister tone. This makes the viewer uncomfortable and reinforces his instability and obsession over certain girls.
The use of the clouded glass to conceal the female character's face adds mystery and creates narrative enigmas which the audience wants answered. Will this girl be his next victim? Will he continue to pick off helpless females? The viewer will have to watch on to find out, and i think this makes successful introduction to a thriller.
The title appears suddenly in a white sans-serif font against a black background. The use of a full stop at the end adds to the feeling of solidarity which is presented by this introduction. The letters are spaced out which makes the title span across the whole screen. I wouldn't change this because i think the font and one-word title packs a punch and has an impact on the viewer.
The first piece i will be analysing is by William Dinsdale. It is called 'Expendable' which is a foreboding name that could refer to the main character himself. In terms of plot, the piece is slightly unclear because there is no dialogue or establishing shots that give the viewer an idea of the story. The camera shots of the trees are slightly shaky but give an idea of the location that the thriller is set.
I think that the title could be improved because the 'E' and the 'xpendable' are disaligned and also in mismatched fonts which makes the title look slightly unprofessional. The two fonts are also different colours which decreases the authenticity of the title and makes the opening overall look shoddy.
The positioning of the credits are well done but i would comment that the font does not suit the genre of the film as it looks simple and like a basic font found on a computer. This has a negative impact on how professional the piece looks so if i was to suggest an improvement i would use a more suitable font for a thriller introduction.
The costume of the character is unusual because he is wearing a formal suit with bowtie but on his feet has large wellington boots which makes the viewer question his intention for being out in the snow. The shot is stationary whilst the character walks across the bridge and the narrow walls reinforce his solidarity.
A low shot shows his boots as he walks along the icy bridge. A canted angle is combined with a blurred effect that disorientates the viewer and i would like to use this sort of effect in my thriller because it adds the atmosphere of unstability.
Towards the end of the introduction a lengthy shot is shown of the character reading a letter. Despite creating dramatic enigma it also gives no indication of what the plot is about. if i improved it i would add a voiceover which reads the letter to add some mystery and give hints at the plot.
Watchmen (Snyder, 2009) is an alternative superhero film which is based on the comic book series in the late 80s. Unlike many comic book films it continues the story in modern day, rather than reprising the same characters from the original.
The establishing shot gives the audience an accurate representation of what the film is to contain, crime, superheroes and violence. The extreme slow motion of the shot reflects the picture-like capturing of the moment, much like the photographer who are observing the scene. The introduction gives us a selection of moments and highlights in the careers of the minutemen which gives the viewer background information on the film, and is also a nod to the comic books because it contains the original heroes who starred in the comic, not the next generation heroes who make up the majority of the film.
This moment at 0:14 is captured in a low angle shot to make the hero - Silk Spectre, look superior and powerful. The actual character herself breaks the common stereotypes of heroes being male. She is being honoured and awarded by the men of the police force, many of which look disgruntled because of it. This shows that she is a strong and brave character, breaking the 'Damsel in distress' stereotype.
This shot (0:41) which shows the title of the film is framed so that all of the minutemen are captured in it with the title also in shot, almost showing that this is the reason for the name of the film: They are the watchmen.The banner behind them gives us the information that they are in 1940, although the introduction uses ellipses of time to create a sort of timeline of the watchmen, providing essential and interesting background information as well as using iconic moments and figures to relate the characters to a certain time. The next shot is an example of this.
This shot from 0:47 to 0:57 follows an american bomber plane which is emblazoned with a picture of Silk Spectre on its side. This reflects that it is at the time which America became involved with the second world war such as pearl harbour or even the bomber which dropped the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, which is reflected in the next scene, with a paper reading "Japan Surrenders" This shot also stresses the cultural importance of the watchmen, they are classed as national heroes and represent the bravery and strength of their country.
The next shot is a recreation of an iconic photo from after World War II. The moment is flipped on its head because instead of a sailor kissing the nurse it is a female hero from the watchmen (Silhouette), who afterwards we see pursues a relationship with the nurse, which breaks the stereotype that heroes would be heterosexual, and it was very unusual for there to be same-sex relationships at this time because it was frowned upon.
This shot at 1:17 shows one of the Watchmen who has been murdered and left on display, which shows the audience this is the start of the heroes' fall from grace, that they are no longer respected. People have realised that they are no more powerful than regular civilians, meaning crime can still thrive. The next shot also foreshadows the end of the Watchmen.
This shot shows a dinner celebrating the retirement of Sally, the alter-ego of Silk Spectre, who was an instrumental part of the Watchmen. The audience can see that Sally is pregnant, so it would be dangerous to continue being a crime-fighter. The child which Sally has becomes one of the next generation of the Watchmen, taking on her mother's old alter ego. The way the shot is framed holds a heavy resemblance to the famous painting of Jesus and his Disciples, 'The Last Supper', from Sally's arms held out to Mothman standing at the left side of the table. The Director of the film will have done this intentionally in order to reflect that this is their last meeting and also that they are like disciples of Jesus, they are the do-gooders of the world.
At 1:54 the audience sees a gruesome shot of Silhouette and the nurse who have been murdered in their beds, with 'Lesbian Whores' written on the wall. The killer had a homophobic motive and it reflects that the life of a hero is dangerous for yourself and the people you love, and that despite being righteous, the heroes are finite. The Watchmen are slowly being killed or institutionalised, reinforcing that not all of the heroes are perfect human beings.
This shot sums up the overall importance and influence of the heroes, more specifically Dr. Manhattan who was changed in an experiment and is widely respected, including by the president at the time himself, John F. Kennedy, which also provides a time stamp of the time, this shot will have occured between 1961 and 1963, up until his assassination which as we can see in the next shot, was executed by a familiar face.
After seeing the iconic moment of JFK being killed, the camera pans right to reveal The Comedian, a member of the watchmen with a rifle that killed him. His motives for killing the president are unknown, but his insertion into such a culturally shocking moment, reflects the impact that the heroes have had throughout modern history. It also gives the viewer the impression that The Comedian is a ruthless character with a deadly shot.
The Watchmen's cultural importance is also stressed in this shot, showing Andy Warhol being interviewed about a piece he has created based on Nite Owl who is one of the new Watchmen. It reflects just how commonly known the heroes are and also inspirational to people of influence such as Warhol, and as confirmed at 4:35, Bowie and Mick Jagger (as shown). This creates a feeling that being a hero has turned 'pop' and the world is in a vigilante renaissance, the heroes fight villains, but also soak up the fame and the enterprise, tacticalised by Adrian Veidt AKA Ozymandias (pictured below in the foreground with David Bowie, Mick Jagger and The Village People in the background, all of whom were notorious in the 70's)
This final shot inspires the viewer and shows them the new generation of Watchmen, standing noble in front of an American flag. This reflects their patriotism and bravery against evil. The wall also has photos of the previous members of the Watchmen which proves that they are proud of the legacy that they have created.
The music which accompanies the opening is the 1964 Bob Dylan song, The times they are a changin' which lyrically perfectly accompanies the fast moving introduction with its lyrics about the reluctant passing of time and its acceptance. The song's tone is somber and adds emotion to what seems like an emotionless profession. Bob Dylan is one of the most notorious and influential folk singer-songwriters of all time, and the iconic tune creates an atmosphere of nostalgia for the viewer. The credits are in a bold yellow font similar to the font of the Watchmen logo and with the colour palette which is associated with the film - yellow. The credits are as follows:
Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures Present
a Lawrence Gordon/Lloyd Levin Production
A Zack Snyder Film
WATCHMEN
Malin Akerman
Gerard Butler
Billy Crudup
Matthew Goode
Carla Gugino
Jackie Earle Haley
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Patrick Wilson
Matt Frewer
Stephen McHattie
Laura Mennell
Casting By Kristy Carlson, c.s.a.
Visual Effects Supervisor, John "DJ" Desjardin
Costumes Designed By Michael Wilkinson
Music by Tyler Bates
Co-Producer, Wesley Coller
Edited by William Hoy, a.c.e.
Production Designed by Alex McDowell, RDI
Director of Photography Larry Fong
Executive Producers Herbert W. Gains, Thomas Tull
Produced by Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Deborah Snyder
Based on the Graphic Novel co-created and illustrated by Dave Gibbons
The way that the medication is organised shows this character's attention to detail. The abundance of medication itself shows that the character is deeply disturbed and ill which implies that he is an unstable character, possibly foreshadowing the plot. 
