2. The Woman In Black
We will analyse different film opening sequences
to ensure that our film opening will convey the
same conventions of thriller. By doing this, the
audience can identify our genre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=1UZC-tzbm8k
3. The Woman In Black: Mise- en-scene
• The props that are used in the opening scene are china dolls, a
teapot and tea set. As they are fragile it represents the children in
the scene and suggests that something will be broken.
• A hair brush is also used when the child brushes the dolls hair. This
could portray that the young girls have a motherly instinct. However,
the fact that they stand on the dolls and crush them gives us a
negative view of what's going to happen later in the film.
• The costumes were Victorian suggesting the film was set in that era.
• The lighting is slightly dim which implies mood which will be
experienced further on in the the scene.
• At the end of the opening scene, the audience see a glimpse of the
evil character- they are dresses in black which symbolizes death.
4.
5. The Woman In Black: Camera
work
• As the film starts a close up a girl pouring 'tea' into a tea cup for her
dolls falsley fooling the audience into thinking nothing is wrong.
• When the first bad event happens in the opening, the girls look at
the camera as if they are looking at something, they then look to the
window and walk towards it. Due to this, the girls in the scene
looked as so they were told to jump out of the window by someone
or something.
• As the girls walk up to the window match on action is used by
showing an inside perpesctive and then outside pespective showing
a medium shot to highlight the girls dazed expressions.
• At the end of the opening sequence, the camera shows n over the
shoulder shot of the 'Woman in black' looking at the emty room and
then fades. This enhances that she is the villian as she is looking at
the damge she has caused.
6.
7. The Woman In Black: Editing and
sound
• There is no dialouge in the opening scene but the music
that plays throughout starts off high pictched but as the
tension builds, the music starts to slow down and
towards the end church bell sounds are introduced with
an echo of the notes. The music is used to intruige the
audience and frighten them as it is haughnting and
chilling.
• After the girls jump our of the window, a sream followed
by "my baby" is heard which is upsetting for the
audience. The word "baby" further stresses the theme of
inocence.
• When the audience see the three windows, the sky
outside is very bright wich could represent heaven.
• At the end of the opening scene, there is a slow fade so
the audience can understand and absorb the event that
took place in the sequence.
8.
9. The Woman In Black:
Representation
• The characters in the scene were three young girls
suggesting they were inocent and the fact that they died
in the first scene suggests that the same event may
happen to other characters in the film.
• As the girls in the film were so young, the audience are
shocked that they are killed emphasising that the
character shown after is evil.
• The girls are all shown to be playing with dolls together
highlighting that they are all accepted in their friendship
group.
• There is a juxtaposition in the opening scene as the girls
represent inocence and the 'Woman In Black' represents
death, therefore showing that their will be a battle with
good and evil in the the film.
10. Todorov's narrative theory
• The opening scene of 'The Woman In Black'
follows the first three rules of Todorov's theory;
1.At the begining of the scne there is an
equilibrium as there are three girls playing
happily with their dolls and tea set in what
seems a normal room in a house.
2. In the middle, another of Todorov's conventions
are obeyed as the equilibrium is broken when
the girls jump out of the window.
3.Finally the third rule is followed as the disruption
in the scene is recognised when somebody
screams as the secne closes.
11. Propp's character theory
• The types of chracters the audience are introcuced in the
opening scene according to Propp's character theory
are:
• The villian who is quickly shown but not clearly. This is
because the camera shows her from behind and the shot
of her is a medium close up so only part of her was
shown. This gives the audience a sense of mystery and
builds the tension.
• The other character in the opening sequence are the
victims but none of the other characters were revealved.
This could be to ensure the audience were gripped
because the victims were very young so they may feel
that is even that the gero is more important. Later in the
film the villian will eventually battle against the hero and
the hero will reintroduce order if Propps character theory
was followed.
12. Barthes codes of narrative
• Hermeneutic/ enigma code:
Intruige is created in the opennig sequence of 'The Women In Black' due to
the enigma code. Clues are given to the audience in regards to who or
what the caused the events in that scene, however they are not fully
revealed.
• Proairetic/ action code:
This code is also used as there is action in this part of the scene. This is
shown when the girls in the scene jump out of the window.
• Symbolic code:
The symbolic code was demonstrated in the first scene because; when the
girls are harmed due to the villian it highlights that good vurses evil will
be carried through the film. Also, the villian was wearing black which has
connotations of death.
• Referential:
Historic events of which 'The Woman In Black' plot is based aroundbecause
the opening scene is based in a room in a old house sugesting that it
could have a sinister past.
