The Killing opening sequence analysis

Sound

•  From the beginning, we start off with a sudden loud bang which suggests immediately that the show will progress in a scary sudden way.
• When the girl is running, diegetic sound is presented through her tense out of breath breathing and terrified whimpering which displays vulnerability and no power. Another is the rustling of the leaves and the water splashing around as she runs.
• Strauss- binary opposition, known v unknown. There is no music on the killer but only on the girl. 
• Through the scene, we come across a stop and it goes relatively quite while we hear a foley sound of an airplane flying above. This change from suspense music to an airplane is trying to focus our attention on it which makes us think there could be a rescue, luring us into a false sense of security for her.  
• However after that pause, there is a sudden diegetic sound of a bang, expanding the suspense once again as we see the killer for the first time. The music carries on 
• The drumming music represents her metaphorical heartbeat further portraying her fear of the situation. Drumming motif for the killing 
• The pace of the tense music starts to speed up from here faster and faster demonstrating something bad will inevitably happen and setting the end of the scene.

Editing

• we are introduced to the credits which actually slow down as the scene continues and the background of the credits show fingerprints which signify DNA and overall investigation. This foreshadows the show, claiming it will be about the investigation of a murder 
•  The pace of cuts gets quicker which shows us how much she wants to get away and as the audience we are further en-captivated to find out what happens next.  

Cinematography

• There is a freeze frame where everything just stops when the point of view shot of the plane shows hope and that there is no more rushing but she is just sitting there confused, not knowing what to do
• There are plenty of establishing shots as the girl is running through the dark woods. this shows that it's very dangerous and that she is all alone which foreshadows something bad happening 
• There is a low angle shot of the killer that we see for a split second. This reveals the killers domination over the victim.  

Mise en-scene 

• From the beginning, I can see not very much because of the dark presence
• The endangered girl is wearing a white, short dress which contrasts with the suspected killers clothes of all black. This demonstrates the girls purity and how she is the vulnerable, submissive victim compared to the scary looking hooded figure. we can easily tell the difference 
• The lightning from the airplane reveals blood all over her, bruises and dirt signifying shes in pain and in trouble 
• This scene supports Laura mulvey's theory of male gaze. she is a very stereotypical damsel in distress who is wearing a short dress and is running scared which further supports this.
•  Judith butler claims that gender is preformative in which an example of a stereotypical women is portrayed in the scene. She is subjected.  
• As the girl is running, we notice she is without shoes. we can infer that she was probably wearing heels (a very feminine thing) and had to take them off in order to escape fast enough. This disadvantages her.