The maze runner:

In the opening the institutional logo is shown straight away. This is a recognisable film company and has distributed famous film series such as Star Wars, ice age and die hard, most people would have seen these so this will create a positive image from the beginning of the film. Non diegetic music is used for the institutional logo it is the familiar sound for 20th century fox keeping the familiarisation for the audience.

At the start of the opening sequence no picture is used this is effective as it makes the audience wonder what is going on , it can also help to connote danger and fear. In addition, it can also represent and enhance the fact the character cannot see what is happening which can connote a black mind showing he is lost or confused. This can make the audience feel uneasy. This would of been used as a form of editing the non-diegetic music would have been added on to heighten the fear for the audience, they are also left wondering which helps create mystery. The music used is an elevator sound which is deep and droned this is unpleasant which helps put emphasise on the danger, this then turns into diegetic sounds you can see the cage lifting up the use of the cage helps to intensify the scene. The black background slowly fades this is a nice transition and also helps to create suspense as it is revealed slowly making the audience feel on edge. The use of the transition could also imply he is going into the unknown as you cannot see anything.

In the first few minutes of the film the background is dark and black which can connote fear it can also imply a slight blindness inferring to that he cannot tell what is happening to him. This is amplified by the way he is positioned and the proximity of him within the scene. The dark background focuses on the character and doesn’t give anything away, the use of the black can also connote danger which in this scene can be emphasised by the use of the cage. A long shot is used to show the scale of the cage and also clearly show the movement of the character. It also emphasizes the amount of darkness which can therefore exaggerate the amount of fear within this situation. A mysterious type of non-diegetic music is used to magnify and deepen the enigma the boy faces. A diegetic elevator sound is used which can further be used to extrapolate the feeling and idea of him being trapped, the noise is also sharp and deep which can scare the audience. Non diegetic voice is used to show how the character is distressed. Lots of different shots are used, the use of the different shots creates an increased tense atmosphere as a lot of information is being thrown at once and it is not smooth. It also makes the audience aware of the situation the boy is in. A close up shot is used to show his facial expression showing him scared this is done by the boy’s mouth being open and sounding like he is gasping for air. This can further link into the previous idea of him being in a confined space and being trapped. The camera zooms out creating a clear long shot showing the surroundings but not giving too much away which is common for the thriller genre creating mystery.

A close up shot is used letting the audience clearly see the boys reaction, this helps enhance the thriller genre as it shows him worried and distressed. A dark colour scheme is used which helps to amplify the amount of danger he is in. The dark atmosphere also helps to connote a confined space and the audience would relate this to being in a secret, enclosed space. This could refer to the idea that he is being taken somewhere that is not known by anyone else. The music tempo increases this not only creates a faster transition but helps to create a climax, a change in music is used to help create a juxtaposition this helps to create a larger impact on the audience. The use of the juxtaposition make the audience feel relaxed before surprising them with a sudden pig noise. To enhance the juxtaposition and to enhance the suspense a quick jump cut shoots from the pig in the cage to the, the use of the quick cuts makes the transition ragged which can help to connote danger and increase the intensity within the scene. A continuous droned diegetic elevator sound is used to help increase the intensity, also the use of the droned noise helps to show the boy moving closer to something with the quick transition it makes a climax as no one knows what is happening or what to expect keeping the audience on edge.

The beginning of the opening can also relate to the claude levi-strauss theory of binary opposites in this situation it would be known vs unknown which is common in sci fi and thriller films as it can set the audience on edge.

A close up shot is used to zoom into the bars of the cage the use of this shot and showing the bars can connote how he has a narrow field of view relating to how much he knows about what is happening. The camera also makes a focal point for the audience as the camera angle is tilted up focusing the audience on a red flashing light, this connotes danger and can symbolise how he is trapped. The use of the cage can also relate to the title of the film as the use of the grid and the word maze can relate to each other, as the connotations of a maze are getting stuck also the bars are maze like. A non-diegetic buzzing sound is used as the elevator lifts up the buzzing sound increases this and gets faster drawing the audience in, which makes the feel trapped as they are focused on one particular area, this creates a climax.

A red light is used to heighten the danger he feels a wide angled mid shot is used to see the position he is in this shows the audience that he is worried you can tell this by his body language he is looking over his shoulder and seems un easy.

A mid shot is used to show him out of the darkness the camera is focused on a bottle which is inside the area with the boy, the writing is clearly displayed with wckd this could be an indication of a company that has set this up. The diegetic elevator sound Is used to show the elevator coming to a stop symbolising that the time in there has now ended, however the same non diegetic droning sound is used to keep the atmosphere mysterious and tense. To contrast with this diegetic laughing sounds are used this can be used to connote a mocking behaviour which can be intimidating but also create an ease within the atmosphere. The camera points upwards to show what looks like the view from the boy’s eyes, it is still a mid-shot but is on a high angle, this can show that the boys are more authoritive of him making him feel low and weak as he is unsure of where he is. Dialogue has been used to increase the mocking of the character, it has also been muffled and repeated which would have been done in the editing process, this could help denote that the boy is confused in what is happening showing him as being traumatised by his experience. Non diegetic music of the boys heart beat is used to emphasise this as it shows him as being worried. To build suspense a fast paced non diegetic music is used to increase the atmosphere as it will build the audiences adrenaline as the use of fast paced music speeds up and makes everything feel rushed. Props and costume is used to show an action film it can also show the desertification within the film as the boys clothes look rugged and old. The use of the repetitive droning sound can help imply that the worry isn’t over yet. The non-diegetic music is used to heighten the action that is about to happen leaving the audience feel on edge, as the music is a key indicator that something is about to happen. An echoed voice saying ‘weve got a runner’ can make the place seem more daunting as an echo can symbolise a big open area.

A close up shot is used to focus on the boys facial expression the use of the close up amplifies how scared the character is as it just focuses on him. A tracking shot is used to follow the character running; the use of the tracking shot can show the disparity he is in to get out of this place. The non-diegetic heartbeat is used to amplify how the character feels trapped this is also used with a emphasised loud footstep, this makes everything build up at once and the audience does not know where it is going to lead to next.

A long pan shot is used to show the audience what is revealed to the character, clearly showing the setting, revealing a large stone wall helping to show and give the realisation of how he is trapped. The boy stood next to it can also be used to show how small the boy is and how uncomfortable and out of place he feels. A large drumming sound is used to heighten how scary the wall is and can also show how the wall has some sort of power as it is what is keeping them inside.

The use of the title at the end is the first time we see any written text/credited information. A boxed font is used which can connote the maze.

To conclude the opening is used in a chronological order this is used to show the impact of events and also creates more suspense as the audience is focused in what’s happening. I also think the film has a large target audience and has a good range of lighting and sound for a thriller genre film.