Analysis of 'Panic Room' Opening Sequence

Camera Shot/ Angle/ Movement

The shot is a bird’s eye view onto the credits, it also pans over the vast cityscape, with cars moving down below and people getting on with their lives. The two women at the end of the opening show that people are very hasty by their erratic walking, also the camera drops on them so we know that one of them is the protagonist or somehow shows relation towards them.

Editing

The first camera shot is zooming in from a long shot showing New York, and presents the studio of the film, the camera quickly cuts to the different views of various buildings all of the cuts have a quick change onto the next camera shot. The majority of camera shots are panning or from a high angle long shot, the names also stand out because their seem to be floating in mid air.

Sound

Sound is obviously a big contribution to this thriller’s opening scene, the sound starts off ominous and as if it is waiting for a climax, while the music plays it the camera shots are above the cityscape showing the tops of buildings. This shows that the one of these buildings is going to play a major part in the story the non-diegetic sound creates a very slow and dreary scene as if the city is just awaking. As the scene moves on the tempo of the music raises and the camera looks down to the roads and views cars, traffic and pedestrians this is another indication that the people below are quite frantic and self centered, the cars beeping down below is a diegetic sound, which again show people are quite irrational and the camera cuts quicker to the different views quicker. When the scene enters its final third the two non-digetic sounds infuse, as this happens the camera once again views large buildings that are quite grand the Empire State Buildings reinforces that the city is actually in fact New York.

Mis-En-Scene

The cityscape shows buildings, cars, traffic,natural scenery,artificial scenery and many pedestrians. The buildings are massive and the sun is usually shining off the buildings which show that it is daytime. The cars are in traffic which shows that they are all in a hurry to get somewhere, this is probably the morning traffic rush. The trees are mostly browning which shows that it is autumn also billboards and motion adverts show that the city is quite modern, this is reinforced when the Empire State Building is seen in the background. The pedestrians like the cars are also rushing to get to work.

Characters

There are only two characters which appear at the end of the scene,they are both women, while they are walking quite fast one asks the other a question, the second women answers with definite answer this shows that she is decisive and the other character is her subordinate.

Location

The Location is New York, a international city and quite large.

Narrative

We are only aware that it involves the setting New York, the two characters at the end and also a Panic Room because of the title and the credits.

Themes

• Thriller
• Independence
• Suspense

Visual Style

The visual style is abstract as it uses long shots and panning shots. The color seem dreary as the season is autumn but the sun’s color shines over the cityscape.

Genre

The genre is a thriller because of the quick camera cuts and the non-diegetic ominous sound. The camera coincides with the suspenseful view of the cityscape as it may hold many secrets.