Collateral Charlie Funnell

Character When we first see Tom Cruise’s character in the opening title sequence for collateral, the way he is dressed and the way he walks through the crowd, suggest right from the start that he takes business seriously and has a high social status. It also suggests that there is something sinister about him. The way that Jamie Foxx’s character is plainly dressed and doing a crossword when he is first shown, suggest that he is just an average taxi driver with a much lower social status than Tom Cruise’s character. The way that he adjusts the picture in the overhead compartment of his taxi shows that like most average people he has a dream.

Narrative The way that this scene is centred on Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx’s characters, and the swapping of the briefcases in the airport shows that the these two characters are very important to the narrative, and that the briefcase has some significance towards the plot.

Mise en scene Location The OTS for Collateral is set in an airport and a taxi garage. These are ordinary places with extraordinary things happening in them for example the swapping of the briefcases, which is typical of the Thriller genre. Lighting This scene has been edited to have a yellow grade, which makes the setting seem as if something bad could happen even though things seem to be normal. This use of colour is another typical element of a thriller.

Mise en scene Props The briefcases in this scene are very important props, as it is unknown to the audience what is in them which adds suspense. The briefcase could contain a weapon, money, or evidence, but whatever it is, it’s clear that its important as they have been swapped. Another significant prop in this scene is Vincent’s sunglasses. They mask his identity and suggest that he could be an antagonist. A disguised antagonist is typical of the thriller genre.

Cinematography In terms of Camera shots this opening title sequence uses a few close up shots, which are typical of the thriller genre, as they create tension and show the emotions of a character through their facial expressions. Another important shot used in this scene is the POV shot. This shot shows Jamie Foxx’s characters dream, as we see a picture of a remote place that he wants to get away to, through his own eyes. This makes the audience relate to the character. An important element of cinematography in this scene is the lack of an establishing shot for the sequence. This is typical of thriller films as it adds mystery to a scene and causes the audience to ask questions.

Sound This scene uses a lot of ambient diegetic sound, like footsteps and the noise of vehicles being repaired, to emphasise the busy place that the film is set in. The scene also has a fast paced, suspenseful soundtrack, which is another element used in this scene which is typical of the thriller genre.