Analysis Of Opening Techniques[1]
- 1. Analysis of Opening Film Techniques Employed Film Techniques Examples of typical film techniques used and why– Illustrate your findings with references to actual onscreen moments. Titling – colour, font style, Many slasher films represent the genre of the film through over image or black, titling. Often the letters are red and the background black. timing, credits For example in both ‘It’ and ‘Scream’, the background is presentation etc black and the letters are red. However, ‘Scream’ has a short cramped font, representing perhaps a trapped motive in the film. ‘It’, however, has a font, which is very long, thin and jagged, which symbolizes the genre of the film. However, sometimes titles are super imposed on top of a background of location. For example ‘Sleepaway Camp’ introduces the location in which the film is set whilst the titles are shown on screen. Camera Movement Often the camera follows the victim, as the director wants (panning, tracking, crane the audience to sympathise and side with that character. shot and crabbing etc) In ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’, the camera follows the victim as she runs via using tracking camera movement. Framing of Shot CU emphasizes the importance of certain objects and (CU, MLS, ELS etc) certain facial expression and dialogue in films. Scream uses a CU of the phone as it rings which ultimately enhances the meaning of the phone ring and the audience senses a taboo in answering the phone. Camera Angles (high and Low angle shots are used when making the character low angles etc seem confident and dominant. In scream, low angle shot is used for the woman as she answers the phone. She seems dominant over the conversation at this point through the use of the camera angle and the dialogue she uses on the phone. Selection of mise-en- Many horror/slasher genres contain objects such as a scène including colour, knife, chainsaw, or hammer to kill their victims. In figure, pops, lighting, ‘Halloween’, the boy uses a hammer to kill his first victim. objects, location and The location of the killing in slasher films is often in setting; remote or isolated. This is represented in ‘Halloween’ as he kills his first victim in a forest when they are all alone. The effects the audience as the victim has no hope and is weak under the killer for there is nowhere to go, and no
- 2. one to turn to. Editing directions Jump cuts are often used in slasher films to make the (Match cuts, jump cut, audience suddenly switch scenes. ‘Nightmare on Elm reverse shots etc) Street’ uses a jump cut when the victim is running to when she wakes up. This tells the audience that the girl was dreaming. Sound techniques In scream, the sound of a phone ringing is used when the (diegetic, non diegetic, title comes into view. This indicates the phone is silence, dialogue significant in the film before it has even started. A woman’s scream is also heard when the title fades. However, music is a significant factor (especially in old slasher films) to create a feeling in the audience. In ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’, the same eerie music and sounds are used when introducing the villain and the victim. A sound bridge is used in ‘Candy Man’ when introducing, and relating, the main character to the murderer. As she puts on her makeup, the camera jumps to newspapers being printed headlining ‘Unsolved Murders’. The sound bridge connects the woman with the unsolved murders in some way, which stimulates the audience to feel anxious and tense. Actor’s positioning and Many horror films use solemn and monotonic positioning movement of characters in order to create an eerie atmosphere. In ‘The Others’, the three old people stand solemnly at the door and their movement is very graceful, almost gliding, when they walk through the house. The director has used movement (as they can also walk through walls) to represent the characters as being ghosts.