Scream - 18 (1996)
· The word “Scream” appears in white letters then changes to red letters as we hear a non – diegetic scream. This connotes the white of a person’s skin being tainted with red blood from the person. A phone ringing then fades in and we are shown a close up of the ringing phone on a sofa side table.
· The close up of the phone directs the audiences focus onto it, therefore letting them know it plays an important part in the opening. The camera tracks the movement of the girl allowing us to watch her every move. Being able to see her every move engages us and lets the audience relate to her more. There is a tilted angle shot in the opening of the film, this could possibly represent the confusion of the girl due to the fact of the mysterious caller creeping her out.
· The lighting in the house is very normal. The sort of lighting you would expect to see in a house. This creates verisimilitude, and allows the audience to feel like they are actually in the house. The same applies for the clothing. She is wearing everyday clothing that you would expect to see. Also creating a sense of realism.
· The opening is set in the girl’s house in the middle of nowhere. The girl is getting ready to sit down and watch a film. Again, choosing to set it in a house allows the audience to relate to what is happening.
· The main character in the opening is the blonde girl (Drew Barrymore), she enters the film by picking up the phone. The “mysterious voice” is introduced when the blonde girl picks up the phone and asks who is there. Not knowing either of the main characters names at this point creates a sense of mystery.
· The equilibrium is established by the audience seeing an average American girl in her house getting ready to watch a film. This seems like a perfectly normal situation. And it is. Until she answers the phone.
· The enigma is posed when we hear the strange voice on the other end of the phone which gets us guessing as to who it could be. This really creates a mysterious atmosphere, and it builds up the tension almost instantaneously.
· The audience are drawn in by the creepy mysterious phone call and the innocent teen girl being drawn in by it. The audience feels compelled to find out who the voice is and keeps them watching and watching.
· Non diegetic sound is used at the start to create an instant creepy and scary atmosphere. It does this by sending out a blistering scream to really grab the audience’s attention. Also the non-diegetic heartbeat alerts the audience to the fact that there may be some high tension scenes to come.
· The word “Scream” appears in white letters then changes to red letters as we hear a non – diegetic scream. This connotes the white of a person’s skin being tainted with red blood from the person. A phone ringing then fades in and we are shown a close up of the ringing phone on a sofa side table.
· The close up of the phone directs the audiences focus onto it, therefore letting them know it plays an important part in the opening. The camera tracks the movement of the girl allowing us to watch her every move. Being able to see her every move engages us and lets the audience relate to her more. There is a tilted angle shot in the opening of the film, this could possibly represent the confusion of the girl due to the fact of the mysterious caller creeping her out.
· The lighting in the house is very normal. The sort of lighting you would expect to see in a house. This creates verisimilitude, and allows the audience to feel like they are actually in the house. The same applies for the clothing. She is wearing everyday clothing that you would expect to see. Also creating a sense of realism.
· The opening is set in the girl’s house in the middle of nowhere. The girl is getting ready to sit down and watch a film. Again, choosing to set it in a house allows the audience to relate to what is happening.
· The main character in the opening is the blonde girl (Drew Barrymore), she enters the film by picking up the phone. The “mysterious voice” is introduced when the blonde girl picks up the phone and asks who is there. Not knowing either of the main characters names at this point creates a sense of mystery.
· The equilibrium is established by the audience seeing an average American girl in her house getting ready to watch a film. This seems like a perfectly normal situation. And it is. Until she answers the phone.
· The enigma is posed when we hear the strange voice on the other end of the phone which gets us guessing as to who it could be. This really creates a mysterious atmosphere, and it builds up the tension almost instantaneously.
· The audience are drawn in by the creepy mysterious phone call and the innocent teen girl being drawn in by it. The audience feels compelled to find out who the voice is and keeps them watching and watching.
· Non diegetic sound is used at the start to create an instant creepy and scary atmosphere. It does this by sending out a blistering scream to really grab the audience’s attention. Also the non-diegetic heartbeat alerts the audience to the fact that there may be some high tension scenes to come.
The Shining - 18 (1980)
· The whole of the opening sequence is shot from a crane. The whole opening is from a long shot. The camera tracks the car up the mountain which helps the audience focus on the car itself.
· The non-diegetic sound track is an extremely creepy sounding song. It really creates a tense atmosphere and builds up suspense amazingly.
· The lighting used in the opening sequence is natural sunlight as the whole thing is filmed outside. This creates verisimilitude and senses of realism.
· The opening is set on a mountainside in Vermont, USA. Its outside and very open and with the car being the only moving object out there, allows the audiences to focus entirely on the car.
· The equilibrium is established by us just seeing an average car driving up the mountain side. This is seen as a normal situation, but this being a horror film, we expect something to happen.
· The enigma is posed by the eerie, creepy music suggesting that something may not be as normal as we think.
· The audience are drawn into the diegesis by focusing entirely on the car driving up the mountain. Also, the creepy music keeps them focused on the screen as if something is about to happen.
· The non-diegetic soundtrack really creates a tense and eerie atmosphere, and the thought that something is about to happen really keeps the audience engaged.
· The whole of the opening sequence is shot from a crane. The whole opening is from a long shot. The camera tracks the car up the mountain which helps the audience focus on the car itself.
· The non-diegetic sound track is an extremely creepy sounding song. It really creates a tense atmosphere and builds up suspense amazingly.
· The lighting used in the opening sequence is natural sunlight as the whole thing is filmed outside. This creates verisimilitude and senses of realism.
· The opening is set on a mountainside in Vermont, USA. Its outside and very open and with the car being the only moving object out there, allows the audiences to focus entirely on the car.
· The equilibrium is established by us just seeing an average car driving up the mountain side. This is seen as a normal situation, but this being a horror film, we expect something to happen.
· The enigma is posed by the eerie, creepy music suggesting that something may not be as normal as we think.
· The audience are drawn into the diegesis by focusing entirely on the car driving up the mountain. Also, the creepy music keeps them focused on the screen as if something is about to happen.
· The non-diegetic soundtrack really creates a tense and eerie atmosphere, and the thought that something is about to happen really keeps the audience engaged.
Halloween – 18 (1978)
· The majority of the opening scene is from the point of view of Michael Myers. This creates the mystery of what he looks like and keeps the audience guessing.
· There is a very creepy and mysterious non-diegetic soundtrack which is very eerie and creates tension.
· The opening is on a dark night, so the outside is dark. When the camera goes inside, there is just the house lighting, which makes it seem more realistic.
· The costume on the boy and the girl are just average 1970s clothing. This makes the characters seem more real to the audience.
· The opening is set in the house of the girl babysitter. This, again, creates a scene that the audience can relate to. This makes it all that more terrifying later on.
· The characters are introduced by Michael seeing them through his eyes. This is a good way of introducing them because it’s like we are seeing them ourselves.
· The equilibrium is established by us seeing a normal American house in an average neighbourhood. This makes us calm, but with the eerie music, we get slightly unsettled.
· The enigma posed is when we see Michael open a draw and pulls out a knife. This instantly unsettles the audience because we know that something bad is about to happen, as things usually do when a knife is wielded.
· The audience are drawn in because they want to know what is going on in Michaels head, and we get an idea of that when we see him pick up the knife. The music and the 1st person perspective really entice the audience because it’s something different.
· The non-diegetic music really creates and eerie tension and a mysterious atmosphere. This keeps the audience focused on what is going on and also keeps them on the edge of their seat.
· The majority of the opening scene is from the point of view of Michael Myers. This creates the mystery of what he looks like and keeps the audience guessing.
· There is a very creepy and mysterious non-diegetic soundtrack which is very eerie and creates tension.
· The opening is on a dark night, so the outside is dark. When the camera goes inside, there is just the house lighting, which makes it seem more realistic.
· The costume on the boy and the girl are just average 1970s clothing. This makes the characters seem more real to the audience.
· The opening is set in the house of the girl babysitter. This, again, creates a scene that the audience can relate to. This makes it all that more terrifying later on.
· The characters are introduced by Michael seeing them through his eyes. This is a good way of introducing them because it’s like we are seeing them ourselves.
· The equilibrium is established by us seeing a normal American house in an average neighbourhood. This makes us calm, but with the eerie music, we get slightly unsettled.
· The enigma posed is when we see Michael open a draw and pulls out a knife. This instantly unsettles the audience because we know that something bad is about to happen, as things usually do when a knife is wielded.
· The audience are drawn in because they want to know what is going on in Michaels head, and we get an idea of that when we see him pick up the knife. The music and the 1st person perspective really entice the audience because it’s something different.
· The non-diegetic music really creates and eerie tension and a mysterious atmosphere. This keeps the audience focused on what is going on and also keeps them on the edge of their seat.
Signs – 15 (2002)
· At the start of the opening sequence the camera shots are very fixed with not much movement. This connotes calmness and slow paced movement. The still camera shots end when we hear the little girl scream. This is a turning point in the opening because we now know something is wrong.
· There is very low toned music at the start which builds up tension right up until the scream. The scream is much exaggerated so we know it’s important and something the audience should focus on.
· The lighting is very soft which gives you that early morning glow. The lighting is also very natural outside which creates a good sense of realism.
· The main character is wearing bed clothes which show that he has just got up. The clothes are very normal so we feel comfortable with them. The other guy is wearing similar clothes as he has also just got out of bed. The children are wearing simple clothing which suggests that they are not a very wealthy family.
· The opening is set in the main characters house and in their crop fields. Using the crop fields really gets a sense of the unknown, and not knowing what is to come really creeps people out. This is a really effective thing to use.
· The two guys are introduced when they wake up. The first one gets up of his own accord but the second one is awoken by the girl screaming. The children are introduced when the 2 guys come looking for them in the crop fields.
· The equilibrium is established by the audience seeing a normal guy wake up on what seems to be a normal day.
· The enigma is posed by the audience hearing the girl scream. This makes the audience wonder why the girl is screaming and makes them want to keep watching in order to find out the reason.
· The non-diegetic sound at the start is used to create tension up until we hear the scream. The scream diverts the attention away from the main character and gets the audience guessing as to what it could be. This creates a mysterious mood and alot of tension.
· At the start of the opening sequence the camera shots are very fixed with not much movement. This connotes calmness and slow paced movement. The still camera shots end when we hear the little girl scream. This is a turning point in the opening because we now know something is wrong.
· There is very low toned music at the start which builds up tension right up until the scream. The scream is much exaggerated so we know it’s important and something the audience should focus on.
· The lighting is very soft which gives you that early morning glow. The lighting is also very natural outside which creates a good sense of realism.
· The main character is wearing bed clothes which show that he has just got up. The clothes are very normal so we feel comfortable with them. The other guy is wearing similar clothes as he has also just got out of bed. The children are wearing simple clothing which suggests that they are not a very wealthy family.
· The opening is set in the main characters house and in their crop fields. Using the crop fields really gets a sense of the unknown, and not knowing what is to come really creeps people out. This is a really effective thing to use.
· The two guys are introduced when they wake up. The first one gets up of his own accord but the second one is awoken by the girl screaming. The children are introduced when the 2 guys come looking for them in the crop fields.
· The equilibrium is established by the audience seeing a normal guy wake up on what seems to be a normal day.
· The enigma is posed by the audience hearing the girl scream. This makes the audience wonder why the girl is screaming and makes them want to keep watching in order to find out the reason.
· The non-diegetic sound at the start is used to create tension up until we hear the scream. The scream diverts the attention away from the main character and gets the audience guessing as to what it could be. This creates a mysterious mood and alot of tension.
Hannibal - 18 (2001)
· At the start of the opening sequence, we only hear dialogue so there are no camera shots but as it goes along, we slowly start to see the first shot coming towards us. This is a shot of three men, two sitting and one standing. The camera movement is very slow and therefore quite a calm atmosphere in the room. We then see close ups of the two men sitting down. This allows the audience to focus on them because they have important things to say.
· At the start there is just dialogue between two men talking about Hannibal Lector. This starts out as non-diegetic but we eventually see the two men when the camera zooms in. There is slightly low toned and eerie non-diegetic music in the background, which lets the audience know that something serious is being discussed.
· The lighting is very subtle and low. This creates a very tense atmosphere and we know that it is a serious situation. The lighting is dimmed to exaggerate the seriousness of the situation.
· The man sitting on the left is in formal clothing, which suggests he is laid back but is upper class. The man in the wheelchair is also in rather formal clothing which suggests he is important. The man standing is wearing a suit which indicates that he could be of some importance and power.
· The opening is in a room which looks very up market, as if it were a mansion of some sort. This shows that one of the characters is possibly wealthy.
· We are introduced to the characters when the camera zooms in and we see them talking in a room. The man standing does not talk much and therefore could possibly be an advisor to the man in the wheelchair. The man on the left and the man on the right are doing some sort of deal.
· The equilibrium is established by the audience hearing two men having what seems to be a normal conversation. This relaxes the audience but the sinister music tells them that something could possibly happen.
· The enigma is posed when we see the man on the left show the man in the wheelchair a box with Hannibal’s mask in it. This then suggests that something has happened to Hannibal or he has been caught.
· The audience are drawn in by the conversation between the two men. Having the conversation at the start of the film suggests that it could be of some importance.
· The non-diegetic conversation at the start gets the audience wondering who it is and where it’s coming from. This creates confusion among the audience and keeps them on the edge of their seat. The non-diegetic, eerie music also keeps the audience watching as they believe something is about to happen.
· At the start of the opening sequence, we only hear dialogue so there are no camera shots but as it goes along, we slowly start to see the first shot coming towards us. This is a shot of three men, two sitting and one standing. The camera movement is very slow and therefore quite a calm atmosphere in the room. We then see close ups of the two men sitting down. This allows the audience to focus on them because they have important things to say.
· At the start there is just dialogue between two men talking about Hannibal Lector. This starts out as non-diegetic but we eventually see the two men when the camera zooms in. There is slightly low toned and eerie non-diegetic music in the background, which lets the audience know that something serious is being discussed.
· The lighting is very subtle and low. This creates a very tense atmosphere and we know that it is a serious situation. The lighting is dimmed to exaggerate the seriousness of the situation.
· The man sitting on the left is in formal clothing, which suggests he is laid back but is upper class. The man in the wheelchair is also in rather formal clothing which suggests he is important. The man standing is wearing a suit which indicates that he could be of some importance and power.
· The opening is in a room which looks very up market, as if it were a mansion of some sort. This shows that one of the characters is possibly wealthy.
· We are introduced to the characters when the camera zooms in and we see them talking in a room. The man standing does not talk much and therefore could possibly be an advisor to the man in the wheelchair. The man on the left and the man on the right are doing some sort of deal.
· The equilibrium is established by the audience hearing two men having what seems to be a normal conversation. This relaxes the audience but the sinister music tells them that something could possibly happen.
· The enigma is posed when we see the man on the left show the man in the wheelchair a box with Hannibal’s mask in it. This then suggests that something has happened to Hannibal or he has been caught.
· The audience are drawn in by the conversation between the two men. Having the conversation at the start of the film suggests that it could be of some importance.
· The non-diegetic conversation at the start gets the audience wondering who it is and where it’s coming from. This creates confusion among the audience and keeps them on the edge of their seat. The non-diegetic, eerie music also keeps the audience watching as they believe something is about to happen.
