During the opening sequence, a close-up shot can be seen of the female character crying. This portrays how distraught which also implies that a tragedy has occurred in the past. Furthermore, this depicts that she is a vulnerable character throughout the thriller as well as suggesting that she starts seeing another (male) character, hence from the title 'The Boy Next Door' this is also hinted as her husband has cheated on her. Within the close-up shot, you can see that she is hiding behind a door, this conveys that she is a strong character as she puts up a strong front, which further implies how devastated she is, as she does not want anyone to see her cry.
Editing
The most obvious editing technique incorporated throughout the beginning of the opening sequence is a flashback. During the duration of the flashback, there is an extensive range of quick cuts in order to inform the audience by giving them background information as the story line develops. The flashback portrays what occurred in the past & how the female and male characters split up. Furthermore, this foreshadows that a new guy may enter her life as she is now a single woman. Although, during the flashback, the audience can see how distress he is, as he has realised that he has made a mistake, which depicts that he may fight back for his wife.
Sound
Ambient sound can be heard throughout the opening sequence, for example, when the girl is exercising/running through the woods. Her foot steps throughout the running scene add to the verisimilitude of the whole piece. As the woman is first introduced through a running scene, this foreshadows that she is, almost, physically and metaphorically running away from her problems/troubles. However, this scene could also imply that she is running into something dangerous without her realisation. This scene builds suspense and keeps the audience on edge as they don't know what's going to occur in the future.
Mise-en Scene
A long shot has been assimilated within the first few minutes of the opening sequence with the intention of informing the audience of the woman's background and status, by showing the location of the woman's house. As she lives in a large house, this conveys that she is a middle class woman. As two houses can be viewed within the shot, this portrays that the other house is linked to the ambiguous plot as the title states "The Boy Next Door". The low key lighting incorporated within this shot creates tension as well as suspense, as it implies that something dangerous and mysterious may occur later on.
Sequence Titles
Blum House Productions
Universal Pictures presents
The Boy Next Door
The titles are portrayed in a plain white, serif font that cuts to the centre of the screen in order to grab their target audience's attention. The colour black is reinforced throughout the opening sequence as well as during the title in order to imply danger and distrust. Furthermore, the black and white contrast create tension as the two houses are outlined in a shade of great and look fairly creepy, which would encourage the audience to feel uneasy.
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