The document analyzes the opening scene of the film Scream, focusing on the use of mise-en-scène elements like clothing, lighting, and setting to build tension and establish characters. The white clothing of the female protagonist Drew Barrymore emphasizes her vulnerability, while her black-cloaked attacker represents evil. As the scene progresses from light to dark areas, a sense of fear and tension is created. Establishing shots also set the conventional suburban family home setting to create an unsettling tone.

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SCREAM opening sequence analysis

2.  When watching the opening of
'Scream', The very first thing that
stands out to me is the use of white
clothing on the female Protagonist
character ,Drew Barrymore. The use of
the characters white clothing
immediately emphasizes sympathy,
and vulnerablity towards her
character, and the increasingly
worsening of the situation she was in.
This was emphasized when the
mysterious killer attacked her. In
contrast the female character the
killer was dressed in a black, dark,
cloaked clothing. The contrast in the
characters clothing represents the
two parallels of good and evil".
Furthermore, when the innocent
victim is attacked, the blood
produces a contrast with the white
clothing and creates a much more
dramatic effect, than if the clothing
were to be a darker colour.

3.  The clothing is also used to create stereotypes. A perfect
example of Stereotypes in this opening, can be seen where
the female's boyfriend was dressed in jeans, and a football
jacket, to portray his ‘jock’ status. Typically the alpha male.

4.  The use of the Popcorn popping from the beginning to end
represents how quickly events and situations can't unfold when
the popcorn starts vigorously popping shows how it's gradually
adapting to the current events.
The most important and significant use of mise-en-scène is definitely the use of the
phone from start to finish. Something as simple as a household phone is the first thing
the audience sees, and therefore gives a clear idea of the situation that's is about to occur.
The phone is used throughout the whole of the opening scene, especially up to the
female character's death where the phone is used by the female characters parents ,as
they find out what is happening to their daughter.

5.  Tension is built up in this scene thought the directors use lighting
within the scene and change the mood in the scene when characters are
in darkness. When the female character moves from the light and bright
kitchen, to the dark corridor, as the conversation on the phone
worsens, vulnerability is created, and fear for the audience, as well as
the characters as the scene unfolds.

6.  Establishing shots are used to establish to the audience a location and
the strange things that happen there. The location that is used is big
white house in the suburbs, a typical conventional location for a horror
genre. The big white house is conventional because the house appears
ordinary , and everything comes across as peaceful and safe. This shot
presents a traditional family home with a rope swing, implying that a
child has or is living there. This adds the eerie feel of the films opening.

7.  In scream tracking Is used to show that the
victim is unaware of what is going on and gives
the affect that she is being followed. Panning is
also used to show what she's looking at, for
example in the garden scene it shows where
and what she is looking at, it also shows her
feelings, if the camera pans fast she is nervous
and if it pan slow she is calm.
Tracking
Fast panning