Ben Fellows

Opening Sequences Analysis

Target Audience
and how does the
sequence meet
their needs?

Camera angles,
and why are they
used?

Areas of Mise en
Scne, and why
have they been
used?

What is the genre,

and what codes
and conventions
are there?

Types of framing,
and why it is
important?

The Woman in Black:

The genre of this film is Horror, and it is shown in the film with the use of sound. As the antagonist is
unseen, you dont know what is expected, and so they have had to use sound to portray the severity of the
situation. There are deep and slow sounds/ambience that gives the viewer a level of suspense when
watching.
The target audience that I believe this film has been aimed at is adults; however, it is classed as a 12. I
believe that the film was created for both male and female viewers because they both can relate to having
children, and the pain they may feel if the children were to die. Even though there are no scenes of violence
or props that could inflict pain or damage, the opening scene gives the idea of pain and suffering. This
means that the film was created for mystery and suspense, as the scares are not always visual. It meets
the audiences needs because it is intense when in conjunction with the music, and it leaves the viewer with
a sense of despair. After seeing the fall of the children, the viewer is shocked and wondrous as to what
influenced them to jump from a window. It meets the genre because it gives the viewer the fear of the
unknown this is because you do not see the antagonist.
Some of the angles that were used in the opening scene are close-ups, wide shots, and a single
establishing shot. The close-ups are used to bring detail to what is in frame. The viewer concentrates on
what they can see, and so close-ups are effective. It features the three girls, and the game that they are
playing together. It is there to represent that they are happy with what they are doing, and how peaceful it
is. The wide-shot was used to show the whole scenario as it played out. This means that as the girls
jumped from the window, you see how they disregard their toys and their game, to do something that was
influenced by someone else.
In this opening sequence, props were the most used section of Mise en Scne. This is because they were
in a childrens bedroom; they are usually filled with toys and games. Another area of Mise en Scne that is
shown in the opening sequence is costume. The children are in a dress, and each dress has a different
design, however they look like the same dress. The dresses also looked to be old, or seemed oldfashioned, this could mean that the film was set in the past, and that the spirit is old and has been living in
the house for many years. High-key lighting has been used to create a contrasting effect. Horrors are
scarier at night; however, this scene was made to be frightening in the day. Makeup has not been used on
the children; however, this is expected, as they are too young for it.
The genre of this film, is horror most of all. Some codes and conventions of horror are low-key lighting
this is used to create an eerie feeling for the viewer, as they cannot see all that is happening in frame.
Unseen antagonist the antagonist (usually the killer) is unseen by the viewer. This makes the antagonist
even spookier for the viewer. An unseen antagonist has been used in this opening scene, as the woman in
black (demon). Isolated locations the use of a setting, which is far away from civilisation or other people,
makes the whole scene or scenario a lot tenser, as the viewer knows that there is no hope for the victim. I
believe that the children are in a large house that is on private land, and far away from a town or city.
The type of framing that has been used in this sequence is one that shows what the people are doing and
every prop that they do use, is placed correctly so that the viewer may notice it. It is done in this way so that
you get a constant view on what the children are doing. It stays like this up until the demon possesses the
children, and then it has close up shots on the toys in which they then disregard (4).
The music seems like it would be from a childrens toy; however eventually becomes quite sinister it does
this by the light tone being lowered, and the music becomes darker. If you were personifying a song, you

Ben Fellows
would say it sounds sad. The background music is non-diegetic, however, there are things that the
characters in the scene are using, in which are making noise when touched and played with (1), and those
sounds are diegetic. The attention to framing is detailed in the opening scene of this film. This is because
there are objects that the children are playing with, they are small (2) and show meaning at different points
of the sequence. When the camera focuses on the objects, you know that they have significance. In this
case, the camera focuses on the play cups and plates, as once the transition of the children occurs, the fun
and enjoyable game is lost, and the cups and plates are smashed (3). This shows the normality is over, or
that is has been shattered from the childrens minds. The title of the film is represented as if someone has
drawn on a steamy window; it also looks like it is a black version of blood (5). This relates to the genre and
the name of the film because the name represents the colour, which is black, and the genre is horror, which
is why they have made is smear like blood.
I think that the narrative of the opening sequence is that happiness and calmness can easily be taken away
by the mysterious spectre which is The Woman is Black. She is a demon of terror, so much that she can
take over the minds of children and allow them to kill themselves. I think that the opening scene has a
narrative, in that it shows how the children were playing nicely together, and the demon came and
possessed them, which changed the feel for the scene - from happy to demonic.
Screenshots to illustrate:
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

The Cabin in the Woods:

This film is categorised as a Horror film, however the opening sequence does not show this in any way
other than the blood in the opening titles. The sounds are calm and there are no scares of any sort.
I think that the target audience, in which this film is aimed at is mainly adults. However, it is classed as a
15-rated movie. I also think that the film was made for both genders, male and female, as there is no
gender dominance. I do not think that the opening scene meets the Horror genre, because there is nothing
frightening or scary for the viewers, and there is only diegetic sound. Some camera angles that are used in
the sequence are close-ups, wide shots, and establishing shot. The close-up shots are used to bring

Ben Fellows
attention to the characters which are in conversation, as it keeps you focused on what they are saying
instead of looking elsewhere. The wide and establishing shots are used to show the location that they are
in, which is an office building. The close up shot may have been to bring attention to some of the details
that the characters are talking about in conversation. There was also a wide-shot when the camera was
showing workers walking down a corridor. This gave a good view of all of the workers bodies, and showed
whereabouts they were, meaning the area of the building that they were in. This allowed the viewer to
concentrate on both the characters and the location.
The areas of Mise en Scne that have been used in the sequence are costume, props and lighting.
Costume has been used in a way that keeps continuity; as everyone in the shot is dressed in smart clothes,
again which represents that they are in a place of work. There are also random costumes that are used
when in the house of the main character. She and her friends are wearing casual teenage clothes, which
implies that they are not at work or need to be anywhere and that they can currently do as they please, and
this gives the audience something to relate to the characters with. Props have been used, as there are
common office supplies on desks, and desk chairs. Also for one of the actors, there is a clipboard this
adds to the fact that they are in a working office building with real work and documents that need to be
completed as a part of their daily lives. The light shines on props in the house, and one of them is a
textbook, which implies that the character has an education, or could still be in education. It represents that
she has a normal life. Lighting is important and has been made to be very bright. This is so that everything
is visible, and it could be to show how modern the office building is. After the office shot, there is are scenes
in a house, and it looks like the light source is daylight. Makeup does not seem to be used in this sequence.
There are no defining moments when you think that a person has makeup on, they are all clean of makeup.
However I would imagine that further into the film, makeup has started to be used when the characters are
started to be frightened by an antagonist, or affected by him. This could have been blood.
As stated in the The Woman in Black, codes and conventions for a horror film are very specific. However,
only a small amount of them are represented in this opening sequence. Those are low-key lighting, which is
shown at the beginning of the scene where the titles are shown; however, it is all computer-generated
effects. The low-key lighting is used in the opening titles because it adds to the VFX and makes them feel a
lot more tense, even though they are not scary. In addition, the use of blood, which is also shown at the
start of the scene, this must have been used in the opening scene to give a brief sense of thrill to the
viewers, for a while, there are no more scenes of blood or gore. There is also the use of an isolated
location, even though it is not shown in the opening sequence. The title The Cabin in the Woods would
imply that there is a small cabin, in the middle of a wood that is far from a town or city.
Sound is used in the sequence for many small things. There is the use of the coffee maker sound at the
beginning of the first scene, as it symbolises the office canteen environment. Then there are the usual
background sounds, which are non-diegetic. These sounds include the noise of workers talking and office
equipment like printers and office stationery. There are also the slightly faint sounds of the blood in the
intro/opening titles. These are to give life to the blood that has been created with VFX. These sounds add
effect to the transitions, so that there is suspense instead of silence.
The use of framing that is shown is to show who the workers are, and where they are. In this opening
sequence, the attention to framing shows the characters and what they are wearing, and where they are.
By looking at the screenshot (3), you can see that they are workers, because they are dressed smartly. You
can also see that they are in a canteen, because of the vending machine, and the cupboards that are
surrounding. By looking at the screenshot (4), you know that the area they are in is big, as there are a lot of
buggies parked on the ground, and the camera is zoomed out so you can see the whole of the room.
The titles have been displayed at the start of the sequence in a way that represents blood and gore. By
this, I mean that the titles and background of the scene are formed from VFX, which has been made to look
like blood. In the background, there are strange images that may or may not show the presence of a ghost
or demon. This could mean that the antagonist is a demon. The opening titles are connected to the genre
as they use blood to reveal them. In horror films, blood is something someone would expect to see. When
the blood forms into the text, all of the letters are capitalised (1), and this could be to emphasise the power
of the antagonist. The titles are shown in a dark and red colour (similar to blood), and the positioning of the
titles are just off the centre of the frame, but this is so you can see the demonic artwork behind.

Ben Fellows
I think that the opening sequence creates a narrative, which shows the daily lives of the main characters;
but one that is mediocre. I think this because it is not specific, and only creates a sense for the characters
current objective in what they are doing.
Screenshots to illustrate:
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

A Nightmare on Elm Street:

The genre for this film is also Horror, and it is portrayed by the use of sinister music, and violence between
the main antagonist and another character who is victim to him. I believe that this film was made to target
adults, because it shows scenes of violence and gore, which would not be suitable for children, or anyone
below the age of 18. The opening sequence meets the target audiences needs because they are watching
a film that may frighten them, and this is what is expected from a horror film. This film offers this in the
opening sequence, as there is a woman who is searching an eerie basement, and it gives people the fear
of the unknown. The intended target audience is adults, and you see one adult, which is the main character
in the opening sequence.
Camera angles that have been used throughout this opening sequence are few. At the start of the
sequence, there are a series of close-ups. These focus on the creation of a handheld weapon so that you
know what danger the antagonist presents. There is also a long shot, which is used to show the main
character running through a tunnel in low light. It was used to show the length of the tunnel, and to
establish the characters location to the viewer. There are also several over the shoulder shots, which show
the protagonists point of view at a distance. This shot was used to make the viewer feel like the killer was
behind the protagonist. This creates suspense and worries the viewer, because they cannot see the killer.
Mise en Scne has been used throughout this opening sequence. The setting of the opening sequence
varies between four places. One being the creepy workshop at the start of the sequence - which is the
antagonists main hideout. Another being the long tunnel that the main character runs through, another one
being the maintenance room, which is where most of the suspense builds up, and then finally, the main
characters bedroom when she awakes from her nightmare. The bedroom was used to imply that the
character was asleep, and that the whole thing was a nightmare. Throughout the opening sequence, the
lighting has mainly been low-key, and this is because they are in an underground area, which was meant to
hide the killer, and it goes with the genre of the film. It was most probably used to increase the level of

Ben Fellows
suspense for the viewers, as it highs the fear of the unknown. Costume has also been used in the opening
sequence, however only the main character wears a costume. Her costume is her nighty (3), that she
would normally wear in bed this again relates to the fact she is in a nightmare. However because the
scene was made to look like she was in a nightmare, she wears her sleepwear. The character does not use
any props in the opening sequence.
The only instance of special effects in this opening sequence is the introduction, and the titles that are
shown above the video. The VFX are blood and the way the images are revealed from beneath the blood.
The codes and conventions for the horror genre are: low-key lighting which is used to create an eerie
feeling for the viewer, as they cannot see all that is happening in frame. It has been used in the tunnels in
one of the first scenes, and in the maintenance room where the light is dark and red. Unseen antagonist
the antagonist (usually the killer) is seen by the viewer in short bursts, which is why you only see scary
hands at the start, and not a face or body. This makes the thought of the antagonist scarier for the viewer.
Isolated locations Isolated locations is the use of a setting, which is far away from civilisation or other
people, makes the whole scene or scenario a lot tenser, as the viewer knows that there is no hope for the
victim. In this case, you think that the tunnel is isolated, because you do not see how she got into it. This
may or may not have been used as the scene was supposed to be a dream, and so they had not needed to
set this type of code and convention.
Sound is used from the start of the sequence, until the end. Most of the sound is non-diegetic as you
cannot see where the sounds are coming from, however there are small parts which are diegetic like
dialogue and the buggies engine. At the start, you hear the sounds of steam and pressure being released.
There is also the sound of the weapon being made by the antagonist. All of the sounds are meant to apply
knowledge to the viewer, as if they hear this sound again at another point in the film, then they may start to
think of the killer, therefore becoming frightened. There are also screams from the main character, which
again apply fear, because this is what you think of when someone is scared of something. There is no
background music in the sequence; however, there is a lot of silence. This is because she is in a nightmare
and has no one to talk to.
Framing was used in this sequence to set the scene of the character. At the beginning of the sequence, you
see the main character running through a tunnel (2). All that is in shot is the character and the tunnel she is
running down. This sets the scene for the viewer as they now know the eerie location that she is in,
however they dont know why she is there. Another scene shows the antagonist creating a weapon (1) in
what looks like a workshop. The attention to framing is used to show the tools and tables in the
background.
Titles were used in the opening sequence, and they were large and bold. The use of the font made the film
feel less scary, as it is fun, in a sense. Other than that, the main logo for the film appears on screen in a
bold font (4), and it was coloured in red, which could represent blood, and bring a small amount of
suspense. The titles are not really connected to the genre of the film, as they do not look scary to the
viewer. The word Nightmare looks like it has been cut out of the background with a knife, or the glove that
the antagonist has created later on.
The opening sequence creates a narrative near the end. This is because near the end of the sequence, the
main character wakes up from her nightmare, as you only know that the whole scene was a nightmare after
she had woken up. If the nightmare was cut out of the film, then it would feel like the plot was started too
early in the film. However, the viewer does not know this until the scene switches and you see her wake up.
It could be trying to show the viewer that the killer can place nightmares into his victims. This may be to
scare the character, which in turn, could scare the viewer. The only other part of a narrative, is the fact that
the antagonist creates the weapon, in which he will use in the future of the film.

Ben Fellows
Screenshots to illustrate:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)