In what ways does your opening sequence use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real opening sequences?
- 1. In what ways does your opening sequence use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real opening sequences? Previous to filming for our opening trailer we visited a couple of locations to review the area. After visiting 2 different sites (roadside location and the woods) we decided the most effective and suitable location for our filming was Sulham Woods. We decided to visit the area in the afternoon in which was a suitable time as the sun was just setting. This created a sense of suspicion due to the dull lighting. The woods location was conventional as it reflected the horror genre; this was through the eerie atmosphere the cloudy sky created. The area was derelict and therefore it seemed the perfect location to base a horror opening sequence as it made our scene feel more edgy as it reflected the loneliness and vulnerability of female protagonist, Katie. Likewise, in the horror film ‘The Blair Witch Project’ the main location is in the woods. This is because the location is deemed to be spooky and therefore making the characters susceptible to danger. In The Blair Witch Project the protagonist is also a vulnerable female girl. Our opening sequence follows horror genre conventions as the setting is usually isolate or in a small community. Sometimes in horror films the setting is somewhere with a dark past or a mysterious history. Thus we chose the woods location as we believed this site had a mysterious past and therefore emphasized the horror genre. Lighting also helps to give a darker/sinister atmosphere to a piece. The use of low key lighting is commonly used in horror films to create dark shapes and shadows. Most commonly, the innocent character is presented in brighter lighting to portray their purity. Likewise in our sequence we presented our protagonist Katie in bright lighting to emphasize her pure personality.
- 2. We used extreme close up shots in our opening sequence as it emphasized the characters personalities and increased the tension in the scene. We chose to do a close up shot of the antagonist (Alex) as it emphasized his sinister personality. Also it created a scene in which Alex had control of what was happening, he held the power of controlling the situation. Likewise, we did a close up shot of our protagonist (Katie) as it emphasized her innocence and belittled her control she has in the situation. From the close up shots the audience would be able to relate to the situation as they could understand how vulnerable Katie is. Moreover it highlights the jealousy of Alex as he is careless of the fright he is causing upon Katie. In the shot of Katie the background is dull and therefore reinforces the horror genre. She is perceived as extremely susceptible as she is in this dark, misty area alone and clearly being targeted. The shot is quite washed out thus the audience can depict that something bad is going to happen. In our camera shots we followed conventions to ensure we achieved a successful horror genre opening sequence. We did this by using the generic evil antagonist in which watches over the young, innocent teenage girl. Horror opening sequences usually have an element designed to frighten or unsettle the audience. This may involve an evil character appearing out of nowhere unexpected to the audience. In our opening sequence we included this generic horror convention. We did this by having our antagonist, Alex appear unexpectedly and be seen as targeting young protagonist Katie. This may be seen as a shock to the audience, as in the close up shot Alex is smirking therefore emphasizes his unsettling personality. Furthermore, we used wide shots which presented the location to the audience. This created verisimilitude as the audience could understand what was happening in the sequence and understand the location. We also used a low shot which intensifies the scene. As we filmed from a low angle it made the footstep and thuds louder and thus speeds up the pace of the action. From a low angle the audience may feel isolated and trapped therefore it foreshadows what may happen later on in the film.
- 3. In our opening sequence our antagonist (Alex) wore all dark clothes which emphasized his evil personality. As most of his clothing was black it connoted to the audience that he was a villain and was up to something suspicious. The Horror genre uses dark colours to portray a more sinister feel. These colours usually include red and black which link closely to blood, evil and danger. Therefore Alex’s costume colours connote a sense of danger to the audience. In contrast Katie wore light, pure colours. She was dressed in the typical fitness outfit in which presents the typical young girl that is taking care of herself. Katie is dressed in the colour blue which connotes consciousness and intellect. Therefore Katie is perceived as a natural, clever young girl. However she is conscious of what is around her and thus becomes suspicious when she finds the necklace. Also, Alex used a mobile phone in the sequence which showed to the audience he is a generic teenager whose life revolved around technology. When Alex used the phone to take a picture of Katie it was a revelation to the audience. The audience could understand Alex’s psychopathic personality and that he was determined to get revenge on Katie. For instance, in Scream Casey uses a phone therefore it could show that generic teens are a major part of horror films. This is because they are vulnerable in society or are easily influenced by others around them. Furthermore, psycho Alex is wearing dark glasses in which he believes he can hide his identity behind. Also the dark glasses add to his dark personality, increasing the tension in the scene. A main prop in our opening sequence is the stolen necklace. This necklace is Katie’s which went missing whilst she was at school one day. However when she goes for a run in a completely different location she find the necklace there. This necklace has been placed by antagonist, Alex and is the main revelation within the opening sequence. It builds up great tension in the sequence.
- 4. In a horror opening sequence there is generically a form of victim of is subject to the monsters/ evils/ villains madness/ tortures. There is often some sort of villain typically seen in films such as saw, human centipede or Sweeny Todd. This person is the creator of evil. Generically, there is always one form of monster whether this is a ghost, psychopath, stalker or demon. In our opening sequence our villain was a psychopath who stalked Katie the victim due to jealousy. The characters are conventional to the horror genre as stereotypically the male is the evil character whereas the female is perceived as weak and vulnerable. Therefore in our sequence we had Alex target, vulnerable Katie. Furthermore the characters are teenagers, thus they are stereotyped as careless and overdramatic. Therefore we used Alex as a villain as he is the stereotypical overdramatic and careless teen. He is stalking Katie and determined to get revenge all because he is jealous of Katie taking his brother away from him. To the audience this is seen as pathetic and typical behaviour from teenagers. Moreover, Katie is the typical blonde teen thus she may be perceived as the ‘dumb blonde’. The audience may encounter her as ridiculous as she is oblivious to the entire situation. In our opening sequence we used non- diegetic sounds. This was through the use of background music and Foley sounds. We used sharp high pitched sounds when something was revealed to increase the tension. For example when Alex’s face was first revealed the sound level increased to speed the scene up and make the audience feel on edge. Typically in horror films screeching violins are used to heighten suspense and terror. In horror films music is very important to create an atmosphere and create a powerful impact. Music in horror films allows creating unforgettable and thus makes it more enjoyable. For example in the film ‘Psycho’ the soundtrack is fast, frightening and powerful. Bernard Hermann used string instruments to highlight the speed and intensity in the movie. Likewise in our opening sequence we used string instruments as it is an effective way of creating sharp unique sounds which make the audience jump or feel on edge.
- 5. Our opening sequence used Levi Strauss theory of binary opposites. This was through the use of good and evil and high shot and low shot. Binary opposites are frequent in horror films as they usually contrast between good/bad and sanity/ insanity. In my sequence Katie was the sane and good character whereas Alex was the insane and bad character. Innocent vs. Evil Low shot vs. High shot
- 6. Our opening sequence used Levi Strauss theory of binary opposites. This was through the use of good and evil and high shot and low shot. Binary opposites are frequent in horror films as they usually contrast between good/bad and sanity/ insanity. In my sequence Katie was the sane and good character whereas Alex was the insane and bad character. Innocent vs. Evil Low shot vs. High shot