Thriller Opening 5 - Sixth Sense - M. Night Shyamalan -1999 (Supernatural Thriller)

(Up to 3:00)

Camera: The camera stays still throughout the title sequence. 

The audience are presented the titles. In addition the restricted 

view is used to help create suspense. The fact the camera 

doesn't move creates the impression on the audience of 

entrapment. This is an uncomfortable feeling for the 

audience The director has done this to provide an insight 

into the narrative of the text. Within all Thriller title scenes,

the genre is quickly established and the main theme of the 

narrative is set. This ties in well with the directors use of 

sound.

Editing: The director chose to use fade transitions between

each title. This helps to establish both genre and narrative.

Fading allows the title to flow and keeps continuity at the

same time. However more importantly it creates an eerie

atmosphere within the text. This is common to most 

supernatural thrillers as ghosts and specters have 

connotations of fading and dissipating. This helps tie in 

with the genre

of the text. The eerie atmosphere created

by the fading transitions helps to create suspense, a

common feature of Thrillers thus telling the audience about

both the narrative and the genre.

Sound: Sound is for many reasons in this title scene. Firstly

sound is used to create suspense. The directors choice of

string instruments which produce short sharp notes. This

combined with the camera and editing effectively build

suspense. When the main title of the film is shown the

musical score reaches a crescendo. The director chose to

do this because if suspense is built for to long the

audience loss interest. As a result the director chose to

climax in the middle of the title scene. The eerie

atmosphere is upheld afterwards by the combination of

the piano and the string instruments.

Mise-en-scene: The title scene is shot

using very low key 

lighting this helps to set the atmosphere and mood of the 

text. The mood and atmosphere matches that of which

the audience would expect from the genre.

Supernatural thrillers are associated with eeriness and

'spooky' scenes. The sound links with the mise-en-

scene to effectively make put the audience "on edge"

and increase their engagement. This is common to

Thrillers.

Special Effects: The titles fade between one another. This

reinforces the eerie atmosphere created earlier. In addition

the titles enlarge as they zoom out. This adds emphasis to

their importance. Further more the zoom isn't dramatic it is

slow and works well with the text reinforcing the established

genre. This is done through following conventions associated

with a genre. When the main title of 'sixth sense' appears

the lighting of the text fluctuates. This further adds to the atmosphere

and genre.

Titles: The titles are displayed over a plain black background

and aren't superimposed on the text. This is common to most

supernatural thrillers. The director has done this to effectively

display the titles and to separate the titles from the main film.

The director chose white font as it it contrasts to the black

background. This simplistic way of showing titles is rather dramatic

and helps build suspense.