Genre Research (Thriller) - Saw Opening 2004

Institutional Information:
Two men wake to find themselves in a room with no idea how they got there or why they're there. They have to piece together the puzzle to get out answering the ultimate question: If given one last chance at life, would you kill to live? This movie was released October 1st 2004 with an estimated budget of $1,200,000 making $18,276,468 on opening weekend (USA). Overall the movie grossed $55,153,403 (USA). Saw was directed by James Wan who is also known for his work on other horror movies such as Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) and The Conjuring (2013). Its written by Leigh Whannell and James Wan who have written other horror movies such as Insidious: Chapter 2 & 3 (2013) & (2015). The movie stars actors such as Cary Elwes and the writer Leigh Whannell.

Genre/ Target Audience:
Saw is targeted at older audiences due to the official certificate of the film which is 18. This is due to the blood and violence throughout, this would typically appeal more to males than females as males stereotypically enjoy films with more gore. The genre of the film is thriller with subgenres of horror and mystery, this is shown through the audience waking up with the characters, we know nothing more than the characters in this situation, this would appeal to the viewer as we are seeing through their perspective.

Mis En Scene:
The opening of this film is set up so that the viewer is in the same position as the characters, we know nothing more about their surrounding then they do. This makes for a more captivating scene as we are thrown into the storyline straight away. The first half of the opening is set in darkness, this adds mystery to the setting as we can't see the full picture. Before the lights are turned on in the scene the room is very dimly lit, this makes the audience uneasy because they don't have any insight into the location. The lighting of the scene is very cold with blue tones, this adds to the chilling feel of the room and the dampness they wake up in. The room they are in doesn't feel warm or welcoming at all, this makes the film more off-putting for the audience, these are common scenes within horror thrillers. The fact that the scene is set in a small room with no windows adds to the feeling of being enclosed and trapped with no where to run; this puts the audience on edge. The grubby walls and flickering lights give connotations that they are in abandoned building, this is scary because there would be no one around to help them. The shots are filmed on a handheld camera which creates frantic shaky shots which implies to the audience that the characters are very fearful.

Narrative:
The opening of saw has a linear structure, the audience is with the characters as they wake and up and analyse their surroundings. As viewers we don't know anymore than the characters, this would intrigue the audience as the plot uses an enigma, the movie constructs a puzzle which is solved through the characters actions. However the movie as a whole has more of a non-linear structure as we are given flashbacks throughout. These are effective as it helps the audience to solve the puzzle. A lot of flashbacks are used in the ending of the film, this reminds the audience of everything that has happened for the character to end up in the position they are in. It also builds suspense and dramatises the ending when the puzzle is solved.

Opening Credits:
The first thing we see is flashes of green light, we then see a bright white flash and then a edited version of the 'Lionsgate' logo is shown. This sequence reflects lighting, this has been used as lightning storms are typically scary, the loud bang would catch the audience off guard as they wouldn't expect such a loud noise right at the start of a movie. This would scare them and start the uneasy tone which they keep up throughout the movie.

The next logo we see is the logo of the production company which is Twisted Productions. This fits with the horror genre well as particularly horrific horror movies are often described as 'twisted', this has connotations of being a psychopath, and have no empathy. This connotes to the audience that this film will show no mercy, this would excite them as they have watched this movie to be scared. The barbed wire adds to the creepy feel of the logo as it has connotations of being trapped as it is generally used for the surrounding walls of prisons. The next strike of lightening signifies to the audience that the movie is about to start. The opening credits of the movie are in a blue font, as it fades on and off the screen it swirls around, this gives the illusion that its underwater which gives a clean transition into the first shot of the movie.

Shots:
One of the first shots we see is a close up of the character underwater. Close up shots are usually used to show emotion, in this case its fear, shock and confusion. This tells the audience that this character is shocked by his surroundings, demonstrating that he isn't there by choice, immediately raising the question of who put him there. By placing the character underwater in the first shot, this sets a tone of danger as its possible he could have drowned. We are then given lots of different close up shots of him struggling in the water, this emphasises the danger and fear he is feeling as he is trying very hard to get out. A close up shot of a key is presented to us, this signifies that this is an important object that will be a large part of the plot, its later revealed what the key was for and why it was important.

Once the character emerges from the bath we are shown a medium shot of the character, this shot lasts for 50 seconds without a cut. This shot has been used to emthasise the confusion felt by the character. He can only see him as he discovers the chain on his leg and the wall behind him. The audience sees him looking around the room, however no cross cutting is used to show the audience what he is seeing. This adds to the mystery as although we see him reacting to what he is seeing, we can't see, therefore this gets the audience interested to see what he has reacted so strongly to. This shot could also link to him not being able to see anything clearly due to the limited light. He can't see anything therefore the audience can't either.

This high angle shot is used to show the blinding effect the lights have on the man. High angle shots are generally used to show weakness within the character, this emphasises the big effect turning on the lights has on him, visually impairing him for a few seconds. This is reinforced as we get a low angle point-of-view shot from the perspective of the man which slowly focuses, this represents his eyes adjusting to the lights. We then cut to a medium shot of the only other character in the room, which cuts to a blurred long shot which represents his eyes adjusting to the light. This shot also reveals a large section of the room which hasn't been done yet, this is the most of the room we have seen yet. We then see a long shot which pans down exposing a large part of the floor we have never seen before, the floor. On the floor we see a dead man who seems to have shot himself in the head. This shot then zooms out while spiralling, this is an unusual shot, this would unnerve the audience as it spins, this could make them nauseous which adds to the sickening sight. This cuts to three different close up shots of his head, a recording device and a gun. These close up shots tell the audience that these items as well as the dead man play a huge part in the plot. It also answers the question of what happened to the man; he shot himself.

Sound:
The first sound we hear is a non-diegetic lightning sound, this has been added to the opening credits, the loud bang would possibly make the audience jump, this is a common horror convention. Also during the opening credits we hear swirling sounds of water, this links with the transition into the first shot which is underwater. In one of the first shots we see the character underwater, a non-deigtic thud has been added as the character wakes up, this dramatises the shot and adds a sense of panic. We hear lots of diegetic splashes of water, this also adds to the sense of panic. We hear the scraping of metal, this suggest that the victim is chained up. There is a slight echo to the sound, this illustrates that he is in an empty room which creates a feeling of abandonment. A loud non-diegetic noise has been added when the dead man is revealed, this makes it more shocking to the viewer. The scream sound also has the same effect, making the audience uncomfortable. As the three close up shots are used, non-diegetic thuds have been added again, this reinforces the importance of these objects to the plot. Eery music has been added throughout most of the scene which builds up the tension.

Editing:
The whole scene has a very blue filter over it, this creates a cold, stark, grotty tone to the room. This is a popular convention within the horror/thriller genre as it unwelcoming. Towards the end of the opening when the man with the brown hair pulls against the chains screaming for help, there is the use of jump cuts. These jumps cuts display the panic he is feeling as he realises the situation he is in.

Conclusion:
Overall, this opening is successful. By choosing to follow the characters as they wake up in their unknown location, it kickstarts the storyline straight away leaving the audience with unanswered questions, this keeps them interested in the story as they want to find out what these people did for them to end up in such a horrible situation.