What other thriller films inspired me?

Taken

I would say Taken would be one of the film titles sequences I have taken most inspiration from so far.

Taken also uses the homemade video idea, which I really liked. The homemade video is of a child on her birthday, celebrating with her family. The bright light and the positive atmosphere, suggests the worst is going to come and the innocent child may be the victim.

Also, the black background suggests danger, death and mystery and provokes fear.

However, once researching into the idea of a homemade video through both Taken and Paranormal Activity I started to worry about how I would cut out of the video without having a awkward pause. This is where Taken was a really inspiring opening title sequence because it uses a really unique idea of cutting out of the video when the child blows out the candle and then the shot goes to present day. This is really interesting and allows the scene to flow really well.

The shot after is very dark and gloomy, which works as the child has blown out the light source of the candle.

Finally, I was hugely inspired by the music in Taken. The first part of the opening title was a sound of background sounds that resembled a gloomy attic as well as turning into a group of sounds such as people laughing but with a strange screechy noise however at 0.18 seconds piano music started. To find the piano music was more effective and engaging and was a more subtle way to evoke feelings of danger. The piano music was eery and thrilling, as it was slow and loud. I would like to use a similar soundtrack.

This music has been taken from the end credits of the Taken movie, however I could use this or something similar in my movie. I only would use the first 40 seconds or so.