Opening sequence

in media we have to analyse an opening sequence to a thriller film i have chosen to write about silence of the lambs.

Opening sequence

The main title sequence of a thriller typically serve to build tension and atmosphere and giving the viewer clues to the audience of what will happen in the film. the title sequence i am going to analuse is Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme. The film is about a young FBI cadet who must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help in catching another serial killer who skins his victims.
The establishing shot of the main sequence is of a big lifeless tree this makes the viewer unsure of what is happening in the film and it also makes the viewer think that the tree is important to the film. There isn't much colour in the opening titles. We then find out that the title sequence is set in woods which are very misty.
The camera then pans from the tree down to the path in the woods. The wrighting in the opening sequence is big and bold with a white outline and black colour this makes the title sequence stand out and is complete contrast to the natural back ground of the film. When the establishing shot starts the orchestral music starts off slow,this builds up tension in the scene and makes the viewer think that something is about to happen aswell as the non-diegetic sound of the music there is digetic sounds of the wild life in the woods and a bird squawking.
the next thing we see is a tracking shot of a women running,this makes us wounder why is she running and what is shw running from.This alos builds up tension and atmosphere in the title sequence.The orchestral music gets lounder and faster as the women is getting closer to the camera this is also building up more and more tension this is a good way the viewers tension and intrest to see what is going to happen to the women running. the womens breathing amplified this again is building up tension and building up adreanline for the viewer. the camera then follows the women as she is running as if someone or something is following her. this makes the viewer think that the women is being chased and she is desperately trying to get away.the camera then zooms onto the womens legs, running the music starts to get faster and faster and more aggressive. this again give the impression that she is desperately trying to get away from something chasing her. the camera the zooms onto the womens face she has a determined expression on her face, this give the impression that she really wants to get away. the camera again goes behind the women as if she is being chased. we then she an obstacle which makes the viewrs adreline slow down, we then no that she isnt runnig from anything she is just on some sort of obstacle course, the music then slows and isnt as violent as it was before.
A men then stops a women from running and tells her that her boss would like to see her. the man then turns around and the camera then zooms onto the mans face, this agian slows the viewers heart beat because this reinsures the viewer that the women isnt being chased by anything becuase the man has a FBI hat on. the camera then pans down a tree which says 'hurt''agony''pain''love it' this might show what is happening in the film.
the still unidentified women then runs into a set of buildings. this let the viewer have a sigh of relief that she is fine. when the women is inside the building she seems singled out becuase everyone else is in uniform and she isnt.



Here is a clip if the opening sequence