2. Group names & Responsibilities
Task 1 Task 2 Task 3
Ingrid Purpose/Conventions MES Narrative Theory
Jhané CAM SAM Sound Narrative Theory
Fatou Editing Narrative Narrative Theory
3. Film Details
Genre Horror
Year 2004
Director Zack Synder
Main Actors Sarah Polley, Ving
Rhames, Mekhi
Phifer
7. Purpose of the opening sequence
The purpose of this opening sequence is..
To leave an enigma to the audience of
what might happen to the people being
attacked by the zombies
It‟s kind of a trailer of the film, leaving
the audience wanting more and more
It gives away of what might happen in
the film
8. Conventions
General conventions of Conventions in Dawn of Similar films
genre the Dead
1. Conflicts Death The last house on the left
2. Innocent death Possession Paranormal activity
3. Suspense Science lab The Amazing Superman
4. Usually shot in an Transformation Hulk
urban setting
5. The hero is always the Authority in charge Batman
only one to be able to
solve the problem
9. Camera Shots, Angles and Movement.
The Camera section has been split up
into three categories:
Shots
Angles
Movement
10. SHOTS
How did these people get to
this mental state?
What happened?
Are they suicidal?
What caused this?
Is this contagious?
Expressing facial
expressions and the
reactions to the
problem.
In the open sequence close ups were
presented which added to the enigmas
and expressing facial expressions.
11. Angles
This shows a dominant image
which the character plays as the
characters look as if they have
confidence and control over
there issues.
There are canted/oblique and low angles presented In the opening
sequence of the film and therefore can create or show higher
authority from another characters, therefore making them feel of a
lower status or self esteem in the film.
12. Movement
The camera movements presented which I have spotted are zoom and panning
The camera zoomed right into the mouth to express the
use of blood presented and potentially highlighting the
torture.
Panning is presented as the news reporter reports to the mass public the actions
taken out to solve this deathly issue. The panning presented causes more tension
and adds gravity and depth to the wording/reporting.
13. Mis-en-scene LIGHTING
This is natural
lighting.
In this screen grab, you can
notice that the lighting used is a
low key artificial lighting.
This is a natural
lighting, however it
seems like it has a low
key lighting as well.
However, when ever a zombie
appears, it seems like there‟s
sort of a red tone on the
lighting.
14. Mis-en-scene: Character
Term Screen grab and Annotation
Representation The image shows a man transforming
into a zombie. However, the lighting
with a red tone connotes death; for
him turning into a zombie it
represents death.
Body language The body language of the character beside is
more of an authority body language. Just by
the way he‟s standing up and looking towards
the other characters demonstrates that he‟s in
charge.
Costume
The costume the zombies wear is all
torn and stained from blood from their
victims. It looks really dirty and ripped.
Props The circled area are camera‟s
and microphone, showing the
position the characters play in
the film. E.G. being a news
reporter or being in authority.
16. Diegesis
Diegetic Non-Diegetic
• The Characters within the scene can hear him • The sound coming from the zombie overlays the
• The murmuring coming from the reporters interviewer talking
• When the zombies are attacking they‟re screaming • Whilst it is transitions, the sound effects of the
• The characters can hear the gunshots going off zombies encounter that only the audience can
• The soldiers shooting the guns within the field of hear
vision
•Its not within the field of vision, but only to the
audience and not the characters
• Again within the field of vision, the zombies are • The score music drowns the diegetic
encountering their attack
• The characters are encountering the attack
17. Continuity Editing
Sound Bridge
Whilst these clips are You hear him continuously
flowing and transitioning being questioned until it
into each other, you hear gets to the actual clip,
that male character is where you see who is he.
being interviewed
This can be effective because its Also its effective because the
creates enigmas.. Who is continuous editing matches his
speaking ? What are they talking speech and what he‟s talking,
about etc.. giving the audience a small insight
for what they should expect.
18. Continuity Editing
A B A
• As they transition they show how time goes
• The eye line match cut is effective because you want to know in shot
A what he‟s looking as you have a small glimpse of what it is
• Shot A in the last glimpse, shows from the point of view of the camera
19. Pace
Mid paced but it gradually gets faster
This creates enigmas
The quick cuts affects the audience as it
thrills them and also gets them
questioning
Most of the shots are short and efficient
20. Time
• Each of these shots are shown in an abstract form,
differentiating the times that are passing.
• It also shows that the different times that have taken place
throughout the cuts
• This type of time is a “story time”
• The time is being stretched therefore showing the different
segments that are taking place within the cuts/shots.
21. Cutting (Cutaway)
• By the vital pieces of information you know that the film will
be based on zombies.
• The pictures above show that human race and their cells
are being contaminated by whatever the disease is.
• This could effectively answer the audiences enigmas as to
why and what is causing the disruption throughout the
sequence.
22. Transition
Cross cutting is shown through the cuts.
It goes from one cut to another with no
special transitioning.
The pace is quick and fast.
This builds the enigmas as to what it is
that‟s happening
23. Special Effects
• The special effects is in a TV format, connoting the reality of the
cuts
• With the use of this effects this also shows that its non-diegetic
• There‟s also a touch of colour filter. Some of the shots had a
red/orange tone to it.
• This connotes that a symbolism of death, violence, danger,
aggression etc
24. Sound
The category sound is split into three elements:
Diegetic sound
Non-diegetic sound
Sound effects
25. Diegetic sound
Diegetic sound are sounds of which is in the characters world and therefore
can potentially effect the character or their actions. Diegetic sounds were
presented throughout the opening sequences.
A prime example of this are:
The praying/chanting at the The man seen to be a
beginning of the sequence. man in higher class (and
of a higher status)
answers questions from
the worried public and
publicity.
26. Non-diegetic sound
Non-diegetic sounds are sounds of which only the audience can
hear. This can also be used as a narration into a movie of over
voices.
This is presented in the film with the over voice , added
music and score music.
27. Sound effects
Sound effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds
and are added on top of imagery. Again, many are
presented throughout the opening sequence including
between transitions.
Sound effects were added such as
1. Zombie scream
2. Natural sounds inputted
3. Gun shot
4. Heart beating
5. Scream
6. Tv crackle
28. Other …
Other Sound effects were added and created in many
specific ways such as:
1. The use of sound bridging –between various clips shown
2. Volume Control- the soft
music was altered to be like 3. Dialogue (American Accent)-
background music to focus on interviewing the news
the words being said. reporter/president.
29. Barthes Theory
Barthes theory ;
The audiences experience of the narrative involves
ANTICIPATION and EXPECTATION of a resolution to
disruption/conflict; Barthes theory of codes of encourage the
audience to seek answers and clues to make them anticipate
outcomes.
These „codes‟ were identified as:
Enigma Code
Action code
Semantic Code
Symbolic Code
Cultural Code
30. Barthes-Enigma Code
Enigma codes are narratives set up as puzzles to be solved
portraying a sense of mystery to engage the audience within a
particular sense or sequence.
Images such as the ones portrayed makes the audience questions
like:
How did they get into such state? Is it air-born? Is it deathly? Are
they dead or alive? Can they recover? Etc.
31. Barthes-Action Code
Action Codes are codes of behaviour which leads the audience
to expect certain consequences based on other films or genres
and their conventions.
Opening title sequence-Dawn of the Dead- 2004
Horror Films
Action- A possessed/infected person is held
down on a hospital bed.
Assumption- The nurses and doctors are going to use
the captured person as experiments to try and cure or
resolve this problem.
32. Barthes- Semantic Code
Semantic codes shows connotative meanings of characters, objects,
locations etc.
The same features are presented in iconographic features and experience
about these denotations and connotations.
An example of this would be:
Romance Horror
Red in romance films are Red in Horror films are deathly.
seductive.
33. Barthes-Symbolic Code
Symbolic codes can be seen as binary opposites. Symbolic
features often signify oppositions and create juxtapositions.
For example: Short and Tall, Day and Night.
In this case, it’s between the sane people who are not infected
and the people who are infected and therefore turned to
zombies.
The „zombies‟ The normal and sane
people.
34. Barthes: Cultural Code
Cultural codes are outside the text and often refers to things within popular
culture within historical events.
An example of this would be the health during the times of the war period and
therefore there was a fascination about keeping alert and the constant watch
of the news.
35. Narrative - Structure
The opening sequence is structured in a non linear
format.
Its not a whole narrative but its an enigma
It is presented in segments, showing the changes
in time and the locations
36. Enigmas
Why is this person like this?
What caused this?
How did they become like ?
Were they contaminated ?
37. Narrative Theory –Propp
Propp‟s theory couldn‟t be applied to our
opening sequence as many of his features
hadn‟t taken place within the opening
sequence
38. Narrative theory
Cameron
Cameron‟s theory couldn‟t be linked into this opening
sequence because:
• It doesn‟t have split screens or flash backs or flash
forwards
