Analyse opening sequence of a film

The women in black

For analysis of an opening sequence of a film I have decided to use the film The
women in black, as the narrative of the movie is similar
to our production and the genre that the narrative is
based on is horror similar to ours. The women in black
were released not long ago in 2012 by a director called
James Watkins. The movies sequences were shown to
the audience through codes and conventions that have
been used. Firstly, in the beginning of the opening
sequence we are introduced to three small girls that suddenly look up with a blank
and shocked faces. Non diegetic sound is used for this scene such as creepy toy
sounds hat are very gentle and slow paceedto build up on the tension and to build
suspense for the audience. The score builds up as the
three girls gradually walk towards the window and jump
off which gives an instinct of what will happen next in
the next shot. Once they jump of the window more non
diegetic music is used such as screaming, crying and
shouting to build a connection with the three young girls
in the movie and the audience of sympathy. This was
used as a way of frightening the audience and makes them more engaged to the
movie with full attention.
The director uses diegetic and non diegetic sound build the dramatic affects and to
understand the slow motion editing that was used. This is of the main affects that are
important during a trailer as the narrative of the film is not given to the audience to
much as it will give away everything about the film when during a horror movie trailer
you want it to be left as a cliff hanger.

Maheen Hashmi

The editing that has been used is bringing an impact on

the audience while watching the trailer to The women in
black. The way the editing is done also creates a
impact on how the audience reacts towards the film for
example if the editing does not have a clean finishing
and if it is not sharp then the way that the message of
the movie is suppose to be conveyed to the audience
would not. Continuity editing was used throughout the scene as it was taken in a
nursery room with a slow pace effect.
The setting of where the opening sequences starts from is a nursery room where all
three girls are playing with their dolls. The costume that they are wearing are
dresses that was the fashion suing the 1800s style which also shows the audience
of when the movie was set. The colour of the dress is very dull and the design on the
dress is very simple and plain which shows the simplicity of the three girls. The
colour of the scene was very Graney as a colour affect has been added to it to
represent the horror as a Mise-en scene.
The cinematographer has filmed every shit carefully by using certain rules such as
the 180 degree rule followed by the codes and conventions of the movie. Extreme
close up shots were used of the dolls and cutlery that were used as a prop. This was
used in the opening sequences first few seconds to emphasise the small girls
playing like any other child. Medium shots were then taken to show the three girls
playing followed by a high angle from a point of view shot of someone looked down
on the three girls and looking possessed.

Maheen Hashmi