The opening sequence of the film establishes tension through graphic images of blood and fire with Greek drawings. It then cuts abruptly to two men in a lab and their casual demeanor increases unease. The titles that reference the filmmakers appear with splashes of red, symbolizing the blood and death to come. Finally, it introduces typical teenage characters preparing for a retreat, juxtaposing normalcy with the disturbing earlier imagery through its nonlinear storytelling.

2. Task 1 Task 2 Task 3
Maria Purpose/conventions MES
Jodie Camsam Sound Barthes Theory
Amy Editing Narrative Barthes Theory

3. Film Details
Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Year 2011
Director Drew Goddard
Main actors Chris Hemsworth
Kristen Connolly
Anna Hutchison
Fran Kraz
Jesse Williams

5. Conventions
1 There is usually a smart/sensible girl.
2 A group of teenagers go to a
retreat/holiday or some sort or place for
them to get away.
3 The teenagers are usually getting up to no
good.
4 There is usually a dumb/self centred slutty
blonde
The teenagers
are getting There is usually a really cocky/arrogant man
5 ready to go that believes they know what they are
on some sort doing.
of vacation.
6 A new person to the group that has not
known everyone for very long.

6. Purpos
e
1. To thrill people by making the audience
wonder who the two characters in lab are
and what they are doing.
2. To keep people anticipated to want to
watch more by leaving enigmas.
3. Another purpose could be to introduce the
audience to the
enigmas/characters/themes or genre.
4. The last purpose could be to make the
company money because the more people
that like the opening sequence would lead
to more publicity, hence the reason the
audience would want to watch it in
cinemas which would make the company
more money.

7. Props • The character is
holding a rugby ball.
• Which contributes to
characters gender
that most men just
like to play with balls.
• The character is just
doing what any
normal teenager
would do.
Costume • The costume the
characters wear is
casual and ordinary.
• In the picture on the left
the character is wearing
a hoodie and jeans.
• This could suggest that
the character is just a
laid back ordinary guy.

8. Setting
• The location is in the characters
bedroom.
• This adds to the representation of horror
because the opening sequence usually
starts off in a home.
• The character is at home and not out on
the street which adds to her
representation of being sensible.
• By the character being at home this
could make it more realistic for the
audience.

9. Character • The characters look young which
contributes to the representation of
the genre horror.
• The characters add to the
representation of there personality
as there is usually blonde
dumb/slutty character.
• The girl on the right hand comes
across as ordinary teenager that
seems smart & sensible.
• The enigmas in the opening
sequence make you wonder why
the its just two girls & one guy.

10. The Lighting • The lighting is a mixture between high
key/artificial lighting & natural lighting.
• The lighting is white
• The colour white connotes innocence,
venerability & purity.
• This creates a relaxed and calm tone.
• Which relaxes the atmosphere &
audience
• This contributes to the genre because in
most horror films they have a natural
white light which is usually at the start of
movies as things are going fine.

11.  Todorovs
Todorovs theory (there How it links to my opening
are 5 stages) sequence
The first stage is the When the audience see the
equilibrium. two characters in the lab
everything seems
fine/normal.
The second stage would be The women in the lab
the disequilibrium seems worried as she
follows the two men around
but they don’t seem to
care that much
The third stage would be When the group of
recognition of disequilibrium teenagers are going on
vacation and one of the
girls want to bring book but
her does not allow her.
The attempt to repair the One of the friends tries to
disequilibrium convince the other the
vacation will fun and should
be a time to have fun.
The new equilibrium The teenagers decide to
pack up there stuff and go.

12. Camera shots
To show the
Establishes scene setting in which
To clearly see graphic
to the audience they work
images, creates
apprehension

13. Camera angles
The high angle instantly
portrays this man as vulnerable
and helpless, (which he is, as The low angle presents the
later on in the film he gets lady as being in control
killed)

14. Pan Pans across to
display the
area/location
Immediately
Zoom Introduces main
character
Creates
Tilt anticipation as
the audience
want to discover
where the
camera is going

15. Sound
Volume control
Music starts of slow then starts to
get faster and louder, which matches
the vicious images this is volume
control
Non – diegetic
Music is playing, that the characters
cannot hear, only the audience can
hear this there fore it is non - diegetic
Mode of address
The dialogue of characters seems
informal, as there is use of swearing (
suggesting there young adults most
likely of lower class)
Sound perspective
The characters voices are faint to
demonstrate to the audience that they
are further away.

16. Sound
Diegetic sound
The sound of the car
screeching, is diegetic as the
audience and character can
both hear it.
Non-Diegetic
The red title makes a loud crash
sound as it appears on the
screen, which is non diegetic.
Foley
Foley is used to create the
sound of the skateboard rolling
on the ground, which is a
naturalistic sound effect.

17. Narrative theory
Barthes – semantic code
The red clouds give a feel Red underwear is very
of aggression and fury sexy and seductive, Here
red has connotations of
being sensual
Red is the colour of
blood which connotes
danger and gore

18.  At the start there is bright red blood which is thick
and could symbolise that it is pure and new. The
pace of it is slow which contracts the different
pace of the teenagers as they move around fast. It
slides down the screen portraying that it is going
into something. The blood also has holes in it which
could suggest gun/bullet shots.
It looks like its
about to come This is an example
off the screen. of the bullet hole.

19.  The build up of the blood shows a gradual insight
into what we should expect and this creates
tension. It looks quite old fashioned with the Greek
drawing, this emphasises something symbolic and
cultural, as well as giving a view what we should
expect from the film.
This is an example
of one of the Greek
drawings.

20.  Just before it cross cuts over to the other scene it
pans further down over the blood, and the lower
you go the more fire you see, this symbolises hell.
The special effects are used on the early beginning
part for the blood and fire, this is because it has to
look dramatic and realistic.
Its brighter orange
portraying fire and
hazard.

21.  The rapid transitions into the typical day at
“work” contradicts the theme of death but
is argued that it creates more tension and
suspense as its not expected. It has an
surprised reaction from the audience as it
pops up at the most random time.
This pops up right after
the scene before.

22.  The sudden shock of “Cabin in the Woods”
frightens the audience as the characters are
having a quiet conversation then it pops up so it
alarms you, this connotes that another shock could
creep up at any time. Also it is really in your face
like you can’t get rid of it.

23.  The red font throughout emphasises danger and
death, also the fact the title is bold is more
hazardous.
 When it goes on to the scene of the teenagers the
names of the people who helped produce the film
constantly appear and fade in an unexpected
random way, this could suggest that blood, and
death etc are going to be constantly haunting
them. This is emphasised by the red splats on the
names.
This is an example of
the blood splats on
the font.

24.  The structure of the opening sequence starts with
blood and Egyptian drawings. Its non linear
because it doesn’t start from the beginning until
after the blood part. It has quick transitions when it
changes from one scene to the next. The cross
cutting is unexpected as it happens so quick and is
quite jumpy.

25.  Enigma-This opening creates enigma right at the start when it
has Egyptian paintings in the blood. In addition when it goes
on to the two men at work it makes us as an audience
wonder why they are they and who/what they work for.
 Action- The codes of behaviour are as if they don’t
care, when he is talking to the lady and he drives off without
finishing the sentence.

26.  Semantic-the characters of the teenagers are normal and
typical as they are getting ready to go on a trip. The location
where they are leaving from seems like a normal city.
 Symbolic- the symbolic code could be where the teenagers
are living at the start, there are trees which could symbolise
the forest. The male in the couple is clever whereas the
female seems like a bimbo.
 Cultural- the cultural meanings could be the Egyptian
drawings at the start as they seem old fashioned and have a
specific meaning.