How Terry Winsor establishes the thriller genre in the title sequence of Essex Boys (2000)
Opening scene & Graphics The film begins with the opening sequence which instantly establishes the thriller genre of the film. It begins with non-diegetic music, the sound of scratches, and white graphics as you are able to see to the right of the page. The graphics could be considered as lines on a chalk board when looking at the black background. The use of bold white lines also reminds me of lighting created on the window screen over Billy, which gives the audience the idea of a prison cell. Alternatively these white lines could represent the main character, Billy, as he is shown as a naive person in the film compared to the criminal character, Jason in which the black background refers too, the white on black could be referring to film noir creating a visually appealing effect. Similarly once upon a time America uses this graphics style to imply that it’s a thriller Noirescene genre. The opening is white on black creating an edgy,
rustic atmosphere to the clip the idea of film noire. When billy turns on the light the cobwebs are highlighted as they catch the Chiaroscuro lighting again, associating the clip to film noire. It distorts the vision of the audience, not revealing the entire scene, keeping the tension high in this first shot. However the rustic atmosphere, cobwebs and enclosed garage location is a generic gothic style convention, therefore terry Winsor has also almost tried to challenge the typical conventions associated with the thriller genre by mixing film noire and gothic genre together. The fact how the garage is a small location and the extreme darkness makes the audience fear the risk of being trapped, as there is no escape a part from the front door, this instantly creates a thriller feeling to the film straightaway.
Locations The second most important location within the opening is the Essex tidal Marshes, where Jason dumps the man that told about his criminal to the police. The marshes is Isolated, unglamorous, there are no boundaries. Again perhaps this location is a metaphor referring back to Jason, the fact that Jason can pull a move like this (placing a man standard in a tidal location) makes him seem almost predatory, powerful and spiteful. The fact that the location has no boundaries again could relate to Jason’s behaviour, how he has no limitations. The location of tidal marshes are out of control, meaning that the tide can’t be controlled, again referring back to Jason’s power and behaviour. Jason’s first appearance is bold and statement, the black lighting frames his silhouette making him look powerful, gaining authority. His height and leather jacket also gives him a high status and power.
Locations and sound The tunnel which is a point of view shot in which positions the audience with the two characters perspective, from the car. This shot can be seen as a metaphor of the barrel of a gun. This metaphor could suggest that Billy is going to be in some sort of trouble, involving a gun. Within the tunnel the road is wet which an aspect used in thriller as it instantly creates a dampen mood, alternatively this could be used as a Within the first few minutes of the film we noticed that all of pathetic fallacy reflecting the mood of the film so far.
these main locations used are enclosed, isolated environments. This makes the audience feel aware of the emptiness shown, making them feel suspicious making the film seem mysterious.
• The diegetic sound of the character talking in first person makes the audience feel suspicious and almost a mysterious feeling about the character Jason. The fact that he’s being described as a dangerous man also adds to this superstition. His accent also localises the Essex aspect of the film making connections to the film title and locations. • Billy enters the dirty, empty car covered in cobwebs, in which he turns on the windscreen wipers to clean the dirty, dust covered front window screen. Within this movement Jason fades through from the window, this surrounding and camera shot is almost a metaphor for Jason referring to the idea that he’s filthy, unknowing and sneaky.
Another successful shot that Terry Winsor has established is when both characters are driving the car in the street lights form several fine lines on the front window screen in front of the character, which look like the opening to a cell in a prison. As the topic of prison and jail is being talked of in the diegetic sound, the lighting almost works as a metaphor implying to the audience that Billy could be in trouble and possibly sent to prison, but without giving to much evidence of the plot away. This is dramatic irony as we know that Jason has been to prison before, from the voice over. Because Jason has previously been to prison before and the audience get the impression that Billy has not, the audience get the impression that the character is Billy. How Terry Winsor establishes the thriller genre in the title sequence of Essex Boys Terry Winsor uses a range of ironic locations and lighting throughout the opening of Essex boys, the conventions that I have mentioned within the clip are all typical thriller conventions which are associated with the thriller genre.