The film begins with non diegetic music playing, while a series of establishing shots are shown on the screen. The music has a slow tempo to it, and has a male singing slowly. This creates tension, and a unusual atmosphere, as it makes the audience wonder what is going to happen next. The establishing shots show the setting effectively. We see a city at night time, with lights glowing the entire city up. There is also a lot of cars moving around, with their lights on too. Just from the opening scene, we can tell that the setting is busy, and run down. The camera seems to jump cut around the screen, creating an edgy atmosphere. This helps to set the theme of thriller, and makes the audience feel the suspense. 
We then see a a medium/over the shoulder shot of a women taking off her makeup. This could suggest that she has been on a night out, and has now returned home. From her clothing, we can see she is a robe/dressing gown, which suggests that she is going to bed. Furthermore, the use of the mirror as a prop, is effective, as it only the audience and her can see what is behind her. This type of shot is stereo typically used in horror films, where something usually comes up behind the mirror. The director has used this shot, to make the audience feel tense, and atmospheric. We then see another character being introduced. A male is shown sitting on a bed, through a medium shot. There is deigetic sound shown where he says "Hunnie, have you seen my wallet?" The use of the interrogative, suggests that the female and the male are a couple, due to the nickname "Hunnie". Additionally, the double bed in the background emphasizes that they are a couple. The women responds deigetically with "its in the living room", and he goes to look in the lounge. 
This close up of the wallet is very effective. The foreground of the close up is in focus, and the background is not. This is called a shallow depth of field. As the wallet is in focus, and the man is not, it suggests that the wallet is significant, and a important prop in the film. We hear non diegetic music in the background which is opera like. Although this could seem very calming and relaxing, it can also come across as creepy and sinister, especially because its opera music, with the cameras showing a house. This makes the audience feel on edge, of what is going to happen next.
Next, we see medium shot of the male pouring a glass of water. This is a regular/normal thing that people do, which creates a sense of reality in the film. This is a classic thriller convention used in thrillers, as the directors want to portray the victims as innocent and relatable, so that we sympathize with them, and makes us feel the suspense, as the attack could happen to anyone. Furthermore, his clothing supports this idea, as he is wearing a ordinary hoodie, with a normal top. This shot is also effective, as we can see that there is no one behind him. When he turns around, we here a non diegetic sound effect of a "thud" typed sound, and the opera music stops. We then see two big and overpowering men standing in front of him. The men are wearing suits, which holds connotations with authority, and empowerment. This suggest that the men are strong and intimidating and could cause harm to the victim. The use of the "thud" sound effect is effective, as it causes a dramatic drop in the film. It suggests to the audience that something bad is about to happen to the man.
The two men then point a gun at his stomach, which immediately tells the audience that they are the antagonists in the film. The women shouts down the stairs diegeticlly, " is everything okay?" in which the antagonist holds up a dog lead, in which he responds saying " Im just taking the dog for a walk." The men then grab him aggressively, and lock him in the boot of the car, where his dog is laying there dead. This part in the film creates a lot of suspense. The use of the dog being killed in the boot, is effective, as the audience can sometimes sympathies with the pets and animals, than the people sometimes. The music then dramatically changes from the opera, to harsh, thudding typed music, which contributes to the idea of the suspense of the man being taken.
The film then goes to the original establishing shots that was shown in the first place, but this time, with deeper, darker music. This shows the audience straight away that the film is based a lot on crime, and thus makes it a "crime/action thriller. The audience is thrown straight into the action in the film, which is a typical convention of the genre, thriller.
I feel this was a good film to use as a inspiration. It has kidnap in the film, and lot of action. We will use a dog in our opening two minutes as well, to show a link between the two films, and to help emphasize our innocent character.
I feel this was a good film to use as a inspiration. It has kidnap in the film, and lot of action. We will use a dog in our opening two minutes as well, to show a link between the two films, and to help emphasize our innocent character.
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