Thriller 4: Panic Room

Panic Room (2002)
Directed by David Fincher
Thriller


Camera - The opening titles of 'Panic Room' are all long shots of an city which establishes the location and introduces the audience to the setting and where all the action will be happening. The camera uses a range of panning and tracking shots throughout which are filming the city building and the titles which are positioned in the foreground over the city buildings which could signify symbolically, the sense of being trapped between two objects.


Editing - The scene starts at a slow pace which enables the audience to engage in the sequence quickly. As the editing increases throughout the titles, the audience feels more and more on edge and they quickly start to become panicked, much like the title of the film represents. Transitions such as fade in/out are used in the scene.


Sound - Non-diegetic sound is used in the opening through music and other sounds such as police sirens. Police sirens are symbolic to danger and crime which makes the audience create a sense of danger in their minds. The music is slow paced but feels edgy and continues to make the audience feel on edge and in suspense. 


Mise-en-scene - Lighting is low key and reflects on the dark and sinister feel that the director is creating which is symbolic to danger and indicates the the audience that something bad is going to happen. The scene then carries into the opening of the characters which centralizes the male female protagonist. This is a common convention of a thriller when the director focuses on the victim.