Evaluation - Q1, Forms and Conventions

During lessons we learnt about the structure of many thriller title sequences and how most usually have the same conventions, for example it might be suspenseful, the music may be scary/suspenseful, the titles may be in a specific order (the main/most important characters name/s put first, and then other cast members names following), might establish main characters or location, it could help to establish the 'theme', mood and tone for the rest of the film to come, there may be intertextual references which tells the audience about the genre, and it could include the age certificate.

Our group have not followed all of the usual conventions, but we have followed conventions similar to the opening title sequence of 'The Stepfather'. Although our actual film is very different to 'The Stepfather', for instance, the actual story and aims of the characters ('The Stepfather' has a villain, whereas ours doesn't), it still has similar conventions.

Like our own thriller opening, The Stepfather establishes the location and the main character in the very first shots.

- The Stepfather
establishing shot of location

main character

- Missed
establishing shot of location

main character

Another convention that is used is putting the titles in a specific order; usually having the most main actors name first shown, then the second actors name, the rest of the cast named after and then the people in the technical crew are named. Our opening and the stepfather both do this.

The Stepfather
Cast:
Dylan Walsh - David Harris (main character)
Sela Ward - Susan Harding
Penn Badgley - Michael Harding
Amber Heard - Kelly Porter
Sherry Stringfield - Leah
Paige Turco - Jackie Kerns
Jon Tenny - Jay Harding

'The Stepfather' Opening

Missed

Cast:

Jack Callow - John Harris

Jenifer Molone - Amanda Harris (Wife)
James Hunter - Main characters best friend
Michael Rose - Police Officer

Missed' Opening

(there were problems upload so if there are difficulties viewing the opening, you can view it on one of my other blogs)

The soundtrack for 'Missed' and 'The Stepfather' are both quite suspenseful as they lead the audience to believe something is being left out or parts of it make the audience intrigued to see what will happen in the rest of the film.

The beginning half of the soundtrack for 'The Stepfather' is slow and deep leading the audience into the main part of the opening and making the audience wonder why such music is being played as the main character performs, what seems to be, such a usual daily routine. When the christmas carol Silent Night is played the audience can sense something is not right with the house and the main character and the pace and harmonies of the song make the finding of the bodies more shocking. When the bodies are found there are deeper sounds played. Basically there are added sound effects and music when important things happen and this also happens in 'Missed'
The soundtrack for 'Missed' includes a clashing cymbal-like sound at the end to indicate the change of the characters mental state, just like the bass sound was added once the bodies were found.