Thriller Opening 3 -Hostage - Florent Siri, 2005 (Crime Thriller)

Camera
The opening title sequence of Hostage includes Long Shots of the titles and an establishing shot of a city. These Long Shots of the beginning of the sequence titles are used so that the audience can see the titles clearly. The establish shot of the city is used to help to set the scene and the location for the film. It helps the audience to establish the setting and helps them engage with what is going on. This is also done to validate the location of which the movie will be set in. 
The camera pans and tilts around the city at various angles of buildings using still shots, tilting down at Mid Shots of buildings. This reinforces the location of where the film is set and continues to set the scene. 
As the main title appears on screen the camera is at a Birds Eye View shot of the city, it then moves onto a Low Angle of the city, consequently giving it a sense of power and dominance. Finally the camera zooms in and out of the city guiding the audience around it. The camera tilts, pans and zooms out of still frame shots. This allows the audience to engage with what is going on in the frame.


Editing
Fades, wipes and cuts are used in the editing of this title sequence. The sequence mostly uses cuts which help create continuity. Wipes are sometimes used in this sequence in order to juxtapose scenes and the fades in the editing are used to open the sequence and introduce the audience to the setting, location and atmosphere of the movie.


Sound
The non-diegetic sound used is eerie, spooky and dramatic this is done to create a suspicious atmosphere and builds up tension throughout the audience. It starts off quite slow and steady at the beginning before gradually getting faster and louder before what sounds like symbols are used to make a clashing sound. After that it continues for a bit before it comes to a halt and dialogue of a man shouting starts with just a continuous high pitch sound playing throughout and the end progresses. This creates tension and appears to make the title sequence more dramatic and manic. The title sequence is heavily dependant on the background music to help create tension and a certain atmosphere for the film. There are some ambient sounds used through out the title sequence such as; guns clicking, a helicopter flying and dialogue of a man shouting.


Mise-en-scene (props, costume, setting, lighting, colour)
Red, white and black are the predominant colours used in this title sequence. The red connotes danger blood and impulse. The white signifies innocence and purity, which is opposed by the red and the black connotes evil, death mystery and fear. These are similar colours used to Sin City. The black in the title sequence creates a low lighting hence imposing the idea of mystery. Props such as guns, police and people with guns
etc are used to reinforce that the thriller is a crime thriller. The main focus on the mise-en-scene is guns; this highlights the themes of death and danger.


Special Effects
CGI animations of the city have been used during this title sequence. The cityscape has been created via CGI in order to give the film a more graphical and game like appearance. Also there is a montage used, which appears to be of still images.


Titles
Titles have been superimposed upon the buildings within the city and on various other objects. The reason behind the idea of having the superimposed titles placed on buildings etc could be to show the characters professions and to establish where they are located in the city, showing how each of them links in some way.