The film No Country for Old Men is a crime-based thriller featured in the southern states of America. The film’s opening sequence uses various techniques like cinematography, mise en scene, editing, and sound to create threat and mystery. The beginning of the film shows an isolated setting where the audience is shown a large sandy desert indicating whoever is in it is lonely and isolated. The film also uses cinematography in the opening scene to create tension. The uttermost side shot indicates the location and how it is isolated and deserted (Coen, and Coen min. 00.00.42). This builds the feeling of threat and tension as someone may suggest that something awful will happen. The opening scene also uses non-diegetic sound, which creates mystery. The narration throughout the opening scene generates a sense of mystery as the audience is oblivious of who is speaking about his views of the world and being the sheriff. On the part of the editing, the aspect applied to generate realization is fades. The credits throughout the clip slowly fade, indicating that threat and tension are slowly created throughout the rest of the film. Straight cuts editing is also applied in the film’s opening to tighten the realism and show that violence is out of place in the film.

Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas is an American crime film illustrating the tradecraft and organized crime in New York.  The film also applies various techniques, just like the film No Country for Old Men. The scene begins with a person narrating his life and the hardships he’s encountering with his family, which also is a mystery since the person speaking is not known.  Scorsese applies the editing technique of freeze in the scene whereby Harry’s adventure blows up the rival cab stand (Scorsese min. 00.2.14). He uses the techniques to serve a kinetic and narrative function. Non- Diegetic sound is also applied at the beginning of the film, whereby the audience is not aware of the narrator of the story. Scorsese, however, often blend diegetic sound with non-diegetic to aid in reinforcing a realistic tone. He applies appropriate cinematographic to the scene, making it visually appealing. The close-ups camera used emphasizes a specific scene to show the character’s face and indicate emotions (Scorsese min. 00.00.34).  He also uses the long-take tracking steady cam shots from a high angle to enhance various points of view to the scene.