In the opening sequence of The Adjustment Burearu, the Universal logo is shown telling us that it is a Universal production. The Media Rights Capital logo is shown also, telling the viewer that they had involvement in the film as well. The Adjustment Bureau is written on a black background which tells us the title of the film. After these opening logos, the main protagonist of the film is shown with non-diegetic sound in the background, giving us information as to who the character is (a senator). There are various shots of the main character, David Norris, in New York. (This is is also apparent that he's in New York by the diegetic sound. These shots suggest that he is an important character. It also gives the viewer the impression that he has a successful life.
These opening shots are unconventional of a thriller as there isn't much of an apparent construction of enigmas. However, there is a close-up shot of a man (with a contrasting facial expression to the people around him, making him seem mysterious). The next shot is of a newspaper article reading 'David Norris' exposed. This makes us, the viewer interested and want to know more, thus creating an enigma. The sound changes after this scene from rock music to a mysterious ambient soundtrack and the man shown in the previous scene answering a phone without mentioning anything specific (as though he is talking in the middle of a conversation). This also makes us want to know more and creates another enigma, increasing the mystery around this character. The room in which he is in, is dark and there is nothing recognisable about the location that he is in, creating another mysterious element to the character.
The pace of the cuts from scene to scene also changes at this point. Before the scene with the man in the dark room answering the phone, the pace of the cuts was fairly fast paced giving the impression that David had become successful in a short amount of time. (Establishing a character that we can sympathise with when we find out his career may be in danger, and then later on in the film when the real peril is established) to a much slower pace with the introduction of the non-diegetic ambient music in the background when the newpaper article about David Norris. This changes the atmosphere of the film from fairly relaxed and optimistic to that of suspenseful and serious.
The clothes that David is wearing in the opening sequence are typical of his job (senator). He wears a suit and a formal looking coat. The mysterious character wears a suit also, giving the impression that he is an important character and maybe has high status. However, the mysterious character also wears a flat cap, not usually associated with someone of this high status and seems somewhat unfitting of his suit, raising questions.
When David is in his apartment watching the television the non-diegetic music in the background is suspenseful and creates the impression that David is waiting for something. (This is because there is nothing that seems obviously suspenseful so the viewer makes assumptions as to what the character is doing.)
David is watching a news report on the television about a photo of him that was found pulling a prank when he was at college (this is what the newspaper was about in a previous scene). There is an element of mystery created by this as we are not shown what the photo is of.
The next scene contains four men all dressed similarly (in formal looking coats, with suits and formal looking hats). The mysterious looking character that was in the previous scenes is in this scene also. He is carrying the book that he had in the previous scene and because of this, gives us the suggestion that the book is important, and makes us want to know what it is for. The men are watching something from a rooftop, but what they are looking at is not shown, creating yet another enigma.
The camera angles used in the opening sequence show a lot of high angle establishing shots showing the location in a way that the audience would associate with stereotypical New York. The filming style at the beginning is similar to how a new programme may film a political piece (it still has clear cinematic filming conventions however). This changes when the newspaper article is shown to a much more typically cinematic style. Helping to change the pace and help enhance the enigmas being created within the opening sequence.
In conclusion, the opening sequence isn't entirely conventional of the thriller genre. It constructs various enigmas and mysteries throughout, but it does not give an insight to the main enigma of the film that is revealed later on. The music is conventional of the thriller genre, helping to add suspense as well as the filming style, with the main subjects in each shot being well lit (as opposed to an example of another genre, such as horror in which there would be various close-up shots of character's expressions). The introduction of characters is however conventional of the thriller genre, creating something that the main antagonist must overcome in the film.
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