Opening sequence- textual analysis of The Prestige

As part of my genre research, I had to textually analyse three opening sequences to help me create a clear idea of what conforms to thriller genres. The analysis of the openings will make me more knowledgeable on what techniques are used in thrillers and how this creates an effect upon the audience. 
This research will help me and my group when creating the pitch for our own thriller opening sequence.

The Prestige
The thriller genre created a tense, bitter tone portraying the plot- competition between two magician brothers. Also, the use of cross-cutting creates a sense of mystery emphasising the confusion between the relationship/competition of the magicians and with a deeper meaning highlighting the confusion of magic. Unusually, The Prestige has no use of an ident but does have the opening titles. The titles used in the extract changed from situational to abstract with the use of the footage in the extract. This is a technique we may decide to use in our own thriller extract as I think it helps integrate the meaning of the titles and the extract together. Another idea I have started to like that was used in Limitless is the use of a voiceover. In this extract it was shown via the voice of the wise old man telling a story about the competition between the two brothers and their increasingly dangerous shows involving the secret of magic. The voiceover establishes one of the main characters and the content of his dialogue helps the audience identify the other characters and understand the plot with the two magicians both who are (similarly to Limitless) not clearly represented as the protagonist or antagonist.  In the plot there is a mixed narrative between the two locations of the old man talking and the magician shows. This creates confusion and imitates the illusion of magic. Some of Todorov's structure is used: the use of the disequilibrium as the tension increases between the two competitors and recognition of disruption when the magic tricks goes disastrously wrong! Media language is used in the extract to connote meaning, the use of low key lighting represents the secrecy and the obscure nature of magic.