How to analyse an opening sequence

1. Home Learning Feedback
1. Horror conventions map on blog
2. Lighting experimentation and write up on
blog
3. Poster codes and conventions analysis
4. Film industry exam essay practice

2. Horror Film Openings:
Research/ Analysis of the
conventions of an opening sequence

3. Learning Objective
To identify the codes and conventions of horror
opening sequences

4. What should an effective horror opening do for
the audience?

5. Aims/ Main Task
You are going to sit in groups today in order to
share your ideas.
Task: Watch three horror opening sequences and
identify how different aspects of film language are
used to achieve effects.
From this, we can say something about the codes
and conventions of horror opening sequences.

6. MACRO and MICRO elements of
film language
MACRO -
• GENRE
• NARRATIVE
• (REPRESENTATION)
MICRO –
• CINEMATOGRAPHY
• SOUND
• EDITING
• MISE EN SCENE
• SPECIAL EFFECTS

7. Five Key Areas
• Genre
• Narrative
• Character
• Atmosphere
• setting

8. Camera shots
• Close-up (and extreme close-up
• Mid-shot
• Long shot
• Wide (long) shot (often establishing shot)
• Low angle shot
• High angle shot
• Birds eye view

9. Camera movement
• Pan (side to side)
• Tilt (up and down)
• Whip pan
• Crane shot
• Tracking shot
• It’s important students practise identifying
these shots and link to their developing
knowledge of genre and narrative.

10. Editing
• Students often find editing a difficult concept to
discuss but basically analysing editing is about:
• How it changes the pace of the narrative
• What the editing technique used tells us about
where the narrative is.
• Lots of techniques to use but most common –
• STRAIGHT CUT
• FADE
• DISSOLVE
• Others – wipe, jump cut

11. Sound
The world of the film as we see it on the cinema screen
is known as the DIEGETIC world.
• DIEGETIC SOUND is sound that is part of the film
world.
• NON-DIEGETIC sound is sound that is not recognised
as part of the film world – e.g. voice over,
background music
• PARALLEL SOUND – sound which compliments the
visual image.
• CONTRAPUNTAL SOUND – sound which does not fit
with the image but helps to create new meanings.

12. Sound & Genre
• Elements of sound reveal key aspects of genre
to an audience
• Sound is important in informing us about the
time in which a film is set or the kind of action
we can expect
• Certain types of music have become
synonymous with particular genres

13. Sound & Narrative
• Voice overs allow us to see things from a
particular character’s point of view
• They are often used to introduce and ‘round
up’ the narrative
• SOUND BRIDGES aid continuity as sound from
one sequence carries on into the next

14. MISE EN SCENE
MISE EN SCENE
Lighting & Colour Facial expressions and
body language
Costume, hair
& make-up
positioning of
characters &
objects within
the frame

15. LIGHTING & COLOUR
• Is used to create mood and atmosphere
• Positioning of lights creates different effects
• High key lighting
• Low key lighting

16. Making Notes
Sequence 1 Sequence 2 Sequence 3
Camera Shots and
angles
Camera Movement
Editing
Sound
Mise en scene
After each sequence, I will give you time to discuss ideas with your group and make
notes before playing it through once more.

17. Horror Opening Sequences
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k2gsEI34CE
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSynIrRl2i0
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z_XetLZlqc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQLxrTokX-w

18. Summary
Research Question: What are the codes and
conventions of horror opening sequences?
Typical elements – codes (in the camera work,
sound and editing), and conventions ( typical
representations, e.g. female victim and male
stalker/ killer)

19. Individual Task
Pick one of these sequences and write a more detailed
and in-depth analysis for your blog.
Write your analysis on paper to hand in but make sure a
copy also goes into the research section of your blog.
You could embed the clip and analysis of use Mrs
Dearing’s lesson to learn a new tool to use for this.
Due Friday 21st November

20. Structuring your Analysis
1. Introduce your film, including the date, sub genre, brief
explanation of the narrative, effects/ main aims of the
opening sequence.
2. Plan to cover each aspect of film language from today’s
lesson, and also what you have already learnt about the
conventions of film openings from Ms. Hunt’s lessons.
3. Summarise the overall impact and effectiveness of the
opening sequence.
Remember to use the technical terminology!

21. You will be editing your preliminary task in
Thursday’s lesson.