Thriller opening

The meaning of the opening is to present the film. The soundtrack that usually is a non-diegetic music sets the mood to the audience, building the tension for the movie.

This clip is the opening of "The stepfather" a thriller made in 1987. In this clip is clear how the music is presenting the story creating suspense and building fear towards the character that we are seeing on the screen. The camera will set the story, in this particular case the camera shows the house with close ups of family pictures setting the story in a family house.

The main character will be usually presented with a misce-en-scene which will develop the character allowing the audience linked the props with the character and connects the props with the story.

The image is from the same film and is showing how the character is changing the way he looks making the props a main point of interest as the audience is wondering why he has to use these eye contacts, building the character.

The credits will appear as the opening is rolling written in a font that emphasis in the theme of the film.

This image is from "Psycho" a thriller made in 1960. In the opening we can see how the credits are presented to emphasis in the fact that the killer cuts his victims as the letters are cut for the middle.

As the credits appear the production company name also will appear on the screen and in some occasions the distribution company as well. The editing will present the use of effects and transitions that  builds the tension this will be different for each film depending on the intention of the opening and how the film wants to direct the audience.

In psycho the editing is more subtle while in "The number 23" the transitions are more clear.