The document provides an analysis of the openings of three horror films: Scream (1996), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), and an unnamed third film. It summarizes key elements of each opening, including narrative structure, characters, settings, camerawork, sound, and how they set up conventions of the horror genre and build tension. The opening of Scream introduces the main character Casey and her threatening phone calls from an unknown man. A Nightmare on Elm Street shows the creation of Freddy Krueger's glove and his pursuit of Tina in a dream, leaving clues that the events may not be a dream. Generic conventions like isolation, curiosity, and weapons are also discussed.

1. Horror Film Openings
Macro and Micro analysis of three horror film openings.

2. Scream (1996)
Scream is a slasher horror film that was directed by Wes Craven.
The film opens with the title of the film, accompanied with non-diegetic sound before the text enlarges and cuts to the first
scene of the movie: a close-up of a home phone ringing. A girl answers the phone, Casey Becker (portrayed by Drew Barrymore),
and chats with a man who she deems has rung the wrong number. She hangs up on the mysterious man and goes to walk away,
but the phone rings once again. She answers the phone once more and it is the man once again saying that he wants to
apologise for falsely ringing her and she hangs up.
There is then a shot showing a swing swaying from a branch outside her house, alluding to the notion that someone may have
been looking in. Then the scene changes again to Casey making popcorn in her kitchen when the phone rings again. On the
phone to the man once more, Casey reveals she is going to watch a scary movie which sparks interest from the man as he asks
which is her favourite movie. The conversation progresses, the man asks whether she has a boyfriend to which she lies, and
then asks her what her name is so he can ‘know who [he’s] looking at’. This comment gets Casey on edge and she looks outside
to see if she can see the mysterious caller and hangs up on him.
The man rings again and Casey hangs up. The next time the man rings his tone shifts from being calm to being aggressive and
threatens her. This causes Casey to run around the house, locking all of the doors in a fluster. She asks what the man wants
from her and he replies ‘to see what your insides look like’, to which Casey hangs up and begins to cry.
The doorbell goes, startling Casey and she says she’s going to call the police. As soon as she picks up the phone, it rings again
and she screams, answering the phone to none other than the creepy man. She begins to threaten the man, saying that her
boyfriend would be displeased to know that he was tormenting her, but the man doesn’t seem to care, asking whether his name
is Steve. Her face goes wide and she asks how the man knows the name of her boyfriend, but the man only replies by telling her
to turn on the patio light.
The constant mystery surrounding who the man is, why he is tormenting the girl and what he may say or do next keeps the
audience watching and on edge. It is the mystery and tension surrounding the opening scene that initially grabs the audience,
and the slow build up that eventually leads to Casey’s death.

3. Generic Conventions and Characteristics
A few of the horror/slasher conventions are employed during the opening of the film. Firstly, there is the idea of isolation. The
main character of the scene, Casey, is alone in a large American house as her parents have gone out for the night. Additionally,
it is even referenced by the killer himself that they are ‘out in the middle of nowhere’, confirmed by the fact that the
detached house is surrounded by woods.
Secondly, the scene occurs at night time, where the darkness outside links to the concealment and danger found within the
scene. Casey cannot see the killer and the fact that it is dark outside doesn’t help the matter, adding to the ambiance.
The idea that the victim is a teenager also conforms to the conventions of horror films, as they are usually presumed to be dim-
witted and naïve. The naivety of Casey is shown when she makes all the wrong decisions, like still picking up the phone even
though she knows who’s going to be on the other end and talking to them even though she has no idea who they are. This then
links into the stereotype of her character being the ‘dumb blonde’, proven to be a deliberate point where the killer references
her as ‘blondie’ on the phone.
The idea of ‘sin equals death’ is also employed where after the man on the phone seemingly shows interest in her, she flirts
back and, when prompted, admits that she does not have a boyfriend. However, this was a lie and she later confesses that she
does in fact have a boyfriend as soon as she finds out the man’s real intentions with her.
Lastly, a frequently utilised device within horror films is the telephone and there is constant reference to such an object
throughout the opening scene. The fact that the person on the other end of the phone can only be heard and not seen creates
enigma, where the audience want to find out who the owner of the voice is.

4. Narrative Structure
The narrative structure of the opening of Scream is linear as we follow Casey as she slowly discovers that the man on the other
end of the phone hasn’t dialled the wrong number and is, instead, closer than she thinks. Throughout the scene we are able to
see the way her attitudes change from a flirtatious tone to one of pure terror at the end.
According to Todorov’s narrative theory, although the clip is only short, it can be seen that the equilibrium and, arguably, the
disruption are shown in the first five minutes.
The movie opens with Casey going about her normal day, getting ready to sit down with a horror film at home by making
popcorn as the telephone rings—quite a normal occurrence. The mood of the film then starts to shift as the caller doesn’t
appear to leave Casey alone which, at first, seems like a flirtatious gesture as the man on the phone appears interested with
Casey and she returns that interest. The mood then completely shifts as soon as Casey gathers the notion that the caller may be
outside, watching her during their conversation which puts her on edge. Finally the disruption of the equilibrium occurs once
the caller begins to threaten her, making her move frantically around the house trying to keep the caller out. Unfortunately
these events eventually lead to the character’s death, concluding the disruption, which then sparks off into the beginning of
the film.

5. Audience
The main target audience of the film is teenagers to young adults that fall into the 15-24 age bracket. This is evidenced by the
fact that the main character of the film is also someone who fits this age range, and therefore is someone that the audience
can relate to which, ultimately, makes her inevitable death more shocking on the audience. As well as this in the United
Kingdom the film has been rated 18, showing that due to the themes showcased in the film, it is not intended to be shown to
people below the age of eighteen. Due to this, according to Rubicam’s four C’s, they would most likely belong to the Aspirer
category as the naivety of young people inspire them to want to increase their self worth. Additionally, this would therefore
place the intended audience into the C2-D social grading, as they would most likely relate to the characters portrayed in the
film, such as students.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, the opening to Scream plays with the idea of safety needs that the audience would
be familiar with. The film effectively takes away the security and freedom from danger that the main character Casey should
be experiencing and therefore creates heightened anxiety with the audience as they fear for the girl they’re watching on
screen. The idea of love and belonging is also there as Casey’s family are not around her and Casey’s boyfriend gets kidnapped
by the killer and is taken away from her before her eyes. The audience could sympathise with this as they may have recently
left home or are regularly left home without parental supervision as well as the fact that they may have a significant other and
feel sympathy for Casey’s character as well as added tension.

6. Mise-en-scene
Location:
The opening scene of the film is set in a large American suburban house that seems to be quite isolated from main civilisation
as woodland seems to wrap around the property. The house seems furnished in light colours with white walls, which could link
to the innocence of its inhabitants. The fact that the house appears ordinary shows that it could belong to anyone, and
therefore could be relatable to the audience as it could very well happen to them.
Lighting:
The lighting at the beginning of the scene is warm and bright, achieving orange and white tones, whereas as the scene
progresses, the lighting changes to colder blue tones and there is less lighting on the subject, giving the scene a darker feel,
mimicking that of the night time outside.
Costume:
The main character, Casey, wears casual light coloured clothes. The jumper she wears is yellow, which could connote happiness
and positivity, contrary to the events that unfold during the scene. This therefore shows the innocence of the character,
however the fact that Casey isn’t quite wearing white could show that she’s not completely innocent as she does commit a ‘sin’
during the scene.
Props:
The main prop used throughout the first scene is the telephone(s) that Casey answers to talk to the killer on. Through the use
of the prop mystery and tension is created as it is the only way we know about the killer at first. The next prop is the popcorn
packet Casey uses. The camera keeps focusing on it as the tension rises, getting bigger as it does so, almost as a visual
representation of the tension as it builds. Finally the knife is an important prop that Casey touches in the first five minutes of
the film as, later on, she is murdered by a similar weapon, as well as the obvious slasher connotations it emblems.
Movement of actor(s):
At the beginning of the scene, Casey moves slowly naturally about her house, however by the end of the scene she is moving
frantically with jagged motions. She is jumpy and walks slowly backwards with trepidation.

7. Sound
The title sequence of the film is accompanied by the non-diegetic sounds of a phone ringing, a heart beating, a woman
screaming and finally the sound of a blade. It is evident that this combination of sounds foreshadow the events of the first
scene, all before the film begins.
The diegetic sound used throughout the opening scene, besides the dialogue between Casey and the man on the phone that
drive the story along, adds to the atmosphere of the film. The main sound used is the ringing of the phone as this is later used
to create tension as we know as viewers that every time the phone rings, the killer is looking in on Casey. It is also used at one
point as a jump scare for the main character. There are also crickets heard in the background that get louder with the shots
that out outside, this can allude to the fact that Casey is isolated in her location, as you are more likely to hear them in a more
rural setting. The sound of the popcorn popping as it cooks can also be heard, linking to the idea of rising tension, as it gets
louder as the tension rises. A dog bark can also be heard once Casey finds out that the man on the phone is watching her, the
fact that the dog barks links to the fact that something moved to stir it. Finally, in the first five minutes of the film, the
doorbell rings which emphasises the point that she is not alone, and is also used to create anxiety with a jump scare.
The first instance of non-diegetic sound is when Casey first realises that the man on the phone is watching her, the sound of low
instruments can be heard that signifies her sudden realisation that something is off. After this point the music kicks in, creating
tension as the scene takes its course. As the scene reaches its pinnacle, music stabs (violins and harsh drums) can be heard and
there is a gradual crescendo that mimics the anxiety the main character feels to emphasise the tense atmosphere.

8. Camera
The first shot of the film is a close
up of the telephone, which shows it
is a prop that plays an important
role in the build up to Casey’s
death.
The second time Casey answers the
phone, there is a canted angle,
showing that something not quite
right is going on.
After the second time Casey hangs
up, the camera lingers on a shot of
the door, again with a canted angle,
giving the effect that something may
be outside. The fact that the door is
out of focus makes you look beyond—
outside.
Linking to the shot above, there is a
slow tilt down from a tree, revealing
a swing tied to its branch that is
slowly swinging. This tells the reader
that someone might have been on
the swing to make it teeter.
The camera slowly tracks Casey
around the kitchen as she is on the
phone a third time to the killer and
then comes stationary on a shot
where Casey aimlessly messes with a
knife which could link to
foreshadowing.
The close up of the popcorn rising as
its being cooked is a visual
representation of the tension
building within the scene.
The camera keeps Casey centre
framed as it tracks her walking from
a warm lit area to a cold lit area,
denoting change in atmosphere.
Camera moves shakily as a point of
view shot of Casey looking outside
with trepidation. Helps to set the
scene and show how isolated she is.

9. Camera
Close up of Casey locking the door
reassures viewer that she’ll be safe,
however this is paralleled after the
opening five minutes when she
opens the door again.
---
Close up of the popcorn about to
burst shows that the pinnacle of
tension is imminent.
---
Camera remains relatively static as
Casey goes to ring the police, only to
be scared by the phone ringing as
soon as she picks it up. Could show
entrapment as killer is honing in on
her.
Camera slowly tracks out of the
doorway where as Casey steps away,
moving deeper into the house. As the
doorbell has just gone, the shot
creates tension as the audience will
wonder whether someone will come
through the door.
Camera slowly tracks in on Casey’s
face to show the emotion she feels
as a result of the killer’s torture
down the phone. It highlights her
vulnerability and the extremities of
the situation.

10. Editing
The film opens with the title of the film, pulsing red before turning completely red and enlarging to fade out, this foreshadows
the danger and death that follows throughout the film.
The pace of the film appears quite slow throughout the opening five minutes, this helps to build tension as the editing pace
does not reflect the events occurring on screen, therefore leaving the audience to believe that things seem too perfect and
that danger is imminent.
There are a few cuts to point of view shots that allow the audience to sympathise with the main character, as they are seeing
the events play out through her own eyes. Consequently, the audience feels the same sense of insecurity Casey does as, to
begin with, they never see the threat Casey faces, but they know its impending.

11. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a slasher horror film directed by Wes Craven.
The starting of the film displays a title sequence on the bottom half of the screen and a scene on the top, where a man is seen
assembling a contraption from metal, accompanied by heavy breathing. It is revealed that the man is forming a leather glove
with talon-like spikes at the end—the infamous weapon used by Freddy Krueger. The title of the film is displayed and then cuts
to Freddy’s hand piercing a sheet of linen and slowly ripping down as screams can be heard.
The scene shifts to a girl, Tina, running away from a completely white area down a dingy, wet corridor. Krueger calls her name
and his laugh echoes as she seems confused. She gets frightened as a lamb runs down the corridor, and so runs deeper into the
mysterious building. Tina is chased around a factory by Krueger, although she is unaware of it and continues to explore the
factory with slow curiosity.
Krueger drags his claws along a metal pipe to get Tina’s attention, and then, like the shot previously seen, draws his hand down
a sheet of linen, startling Tina and getting her to start running away. She ducks into a small groove—a dead end—where she
feels she has hidden from Krueger. She screams, though Krueger was not behind her. She goes to investigate whether he had, in
fact, been chasing her, but he jumps up behind her, causing her to wake up.
Tina wakes up with a scream, causing her mother to come entre, asking whether she is alright. Tina says it was just a dream, to
where her mom disagrees, pointing out four slashes in her sleepwear. She grabs the cross that hangs above her bed and presses
it to her chest, lying down before the screen ends.
The scene creates intrigue as the viewer is left wondering whether it actually is a dream or not, and if it were a dream, how
did the character Tina get those slashes on her chest? Many questions are left unanswered and, ultimately, the viewer wants to
find out Tina’s fate.

12. Generic Conventions and Characteristics
The opening to A Nightmare on Elm Street follows two of the main conventions of the horror genre: isolation and curiosity kills.
The sequence follows Tina as she walks, alone, through a factory. As she moves deeper into the location, she further isolates
herself. Her explorative nature and the fact that she allows herself to explore links to the stereotype of ‘curiosity kills’.
Krueger’s makeshift hand breaks conventions of the slasher rules, however the nature of the weapon also conforms as it links to
the idea of having a sharp object as the murder weapon—a twist on a common conformity.
There is clear iconography at the end of the opening scene as Tina grabs a crucifix that hangs above her bed, which connotes
Tina’s religious affiliations. Additionally, the fact that the clothes Tina wears and the fact that her bedroom, though dark, has
light coloured furniture and walls alludes to her innocence, so that it is more shocking when she gets attacked.

13. Narrative Structure
The opening sequence seems to follow a non-linear narrative structure as just before Tina enters her dream, a shot can be seen
of Krueger’s weaponized hand piercing a sheet of linen which mimics that of a shot found later on, when Krueger does the same
thing to instil fear in Tina. The rest of the opening sequence, however, is linear as we first follow Krueger creating his infamous
glove and then we follow Tina as she traverses the factory.
The opening of the film, according to Todorov’s Narrative Theory, adheres to the ‘Equilibrium’ stage as although there is a
modicum of the ‘Disruption’ stage, where Krueger infiltrates Tina’s dream and chases her until she wakes up, the normality of
life is established. Tina wakes up from her dream and her mother comes in asking whether she is alright, therefore the scene
has a sense of normality and the events the audience have just watched appear normal, as the main character has simply had a
nightmare. However, it is evident within the context of the film that it was not just a casual nightmare, and therefore leads to
foreshadow the evildoing Krueger participates in for the rest of the film.

14. Audience
The intended audience of the film is primarily older teenagers and young adults with an age range of 15-24. This is evident as
the main characters of the film are students which is who the people fitting this age bracket would most relate to. This is
further alluded to as the age rating of the film is an eighteen in the United Kingdom (R in America) as a result of the more
mature context found within the entirety of the film. Consequently, the social grading that the target audience would link to is
C2-D, as they are reflective of students and pre-family audiences. Additionally, according to Rubicam’s four C’s, the audience
would most likely fit into the ‘Aspirers’ bracket as they aim to better themselves.
According to Manslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, throughout the opening to A Nightmare on Elm Street the safety needs are toyed
with as the idea of security and freedom from danger are challenged. It is thought that you are the safest in your home,
especially at night, however this conformity is shattered as Krueger attacks his victims from the security of one’s dreams. This
factor would have a lingering affect on the audiences mind as they are still at a stage where they are susceptible to nightmares
due to the hyperactiveness of their imagination.

15. Mise-en-scene
Location:
The majority of the opening sequence is set in what appears to be a factory. The location has a dark, dingy feel about it,
making the audience feel uncomfortable when Tina traverses the abandoned industrial setting.
Lighting:
Inside the factory, the lighting is dark and appears cold with a blue tint. Once Tina is seen inside the corridor as she enters the
factory, she walks away from a very over lit, vibrant white area that connotes the move from safety into danger. As Tina
wonders around the factory, getting closer to Krueger, the lighting changes to a warm orangey red, which could imply that she
is getting closer to the danger and can also foreshadow the fire she stands by near the end of her dream sequence. The lighting
in Tina’s bedroom is dark and seems to be coming from the right, casting half of Tina and her mother’s face in shadow.
Costume:
Krueger is dressed in dark colours, a stereotypical indication that he is the bad guy as he is seen throughout the starting of the
film to be in shadow. He wears a hat which casts a shadow over his face which alludes to concealment. Tina, on the other hand
wears a white nightgown which exemplars innocence and vulnerability.
Props:
The main prop shown throughout the opening scene is Krueger’s glove which represents danger and horror, as on each finger is a
long blade that is used to cut into Tina’s nightgown. Another important prop is the crucifix that Tina has in her bedroom that
she holds to comfort herself. It shows that she is religious.
Movement of actor(s):
At the beginning, Tina moves with a explorative trepidation as she is in a new location

16. Sound
The film opens with the diegetic sounds of heavy breathing amid sounds of pulsing air as it is released from somewhere within
the factory that the scene appears to be set in, hence creating intrigue and an unsettling atmosphere. Many sounds of working
tools, like a hammer on metal and a blowtorch, follow as Krueger creates his infamous glove—important as it links to the main
murder weapon. Screams are heard just after the title sequence and are cut off as the shot switches to Tina, entering her
dream world. A male voice is heard calling Tina’s name, which unsettles the audience as it is unclear where or who it is coming
from. After this, a bang is heard, following the sound of a sheep bleating, which adds to the peculiar dreamlike quality the film
exerts. A distant laughter can be heard as Tina traverses the factory, along with the mechanical sounds from the machinery
being struck from no discernible locations, giving Krueger an omnipresence which alludes that Tina is not alone and is being
tormented; played with. The heavy breathing returns just before Krueger finds Tina, when a high pitched scream echoes as she
is thrust awake.
The first non-diegetic sound accompanies the heavy breathing heard at the beginning of the opening as high pitched strings
play, alluding to the fact that something is off. Other mystical sounds play in the background, accompanying the music that tell
the viewer that there is a supernatural element going on. This occurs throughout the majority of while Tina is exploring the
factory, aiding the sense of dangerous curiosity. When Krueger starts catching up with Tina, there is use of synchronous sound
especially before Tina wakes up, there is silence until Krueger jumps up behind her and a warping sound is heard, almost
indicating that she is waking up suddenly.

17. Camera
A high angle shot of Krueger assembling his
infamous hand together with a multitude
of tools adds more emphasis on the
object.
Many close ups on the instruments he uses
to create the bladed glove he uses again
emphasises its importance.
A static shot of Krueger equipping the
instruments he has just made shows that it
is a part of him and an integral object.
A close up of Krueger’s hand slicing the
linen foreshadows what happens later on
(Tina’s nightclothes being ripped) but also
shows the severity of the weapon he has
just created. The low angle also gives it
importance and dominance—the weapon
should be feared.
A close up on Tina as she enters her
dream shows the emotion she feels,
surveying the opening to the factory,
and with her back to the light, show her
traverse into danger.
The static wide shot shows the length of
the room Tina has to run down and
shows how she distances herself from
the safety of the white light, into the
blue dark.
An over the shoulder shot again
reiterates this change as Tina turns
around after hearing a strange noise.
The entrance/exit is seen in the
background and already seems too far
away
A close up of half of Krueger’s face adds
mystery and tension as the audience
both wonders who he is and it is evident
he is a character of interest. The angle
also suggests he is the antagonist.

18. Camera
High angled shot of Tina as she
explores the factory. The angle shows
that she is inferior and therefore links
to vulnerability.
The wide shot tilts down from Tina
above to show the shadow Krueger
lurking below. This gives an unsettling
ambiance and shows that Tina is being
watched/followed by a mysterious
figure (Krueger).
The camera tracks Tina as she walks
around the factory. Her back is always
to the camera, alluding to the fact that
she is being followed or stalked.
The shot seems like a continuation of a
similar shot shown previously. It again
shows the severity of Krueger’s weapon
and links to what happens to Tina
shortly afterwards—the ripping of her
nightgown.
The camera tracks Tina in such a way
that it seems like a point of view shot
from someone following her, which
builds tension
There is a shot reverse shot of a close
up of Tina screaming and then nothing
in front of her
Although Tina moves in this shot, the
camera doesn’t move and keeps the
same framing until Krueger jumps into
frame, and it becomes evident why the
camera did not move.
The extreme close up on Tina shows
the reaction on her face after waking
up. The camera is angled in such a way
that a crucifix can be seen in the
background, linking to Tina’s religious
infatuation.

19. Editing
The film opens with the logo of the film company (New Line Cinema) flashing in red and black on the screen. This choice of
colour links to death and danger and could act to foreshadow the events of the film ahead.
The pace of the beginning of the film is slow where Krueger assembles his infamous glove in what seems to be a small montage.
The scene is windowed above the credits, enabling the whole scene to be visible and not hidden under text—showing that it is
important.
The title of the film then flashes on the screen with the word ‘Nightmare’ coloured red, foreshadowing that the danger occurs
in the victims nightmares.
The pace of the rest of the opening of the film is quite slow, enabling tension to build with some quick cuts between shots of
Krueger that aid the jumpy temperament of the scene, and the elusive nature of Krueger around the setting until he catches
Tina at the end.

20. It Follows (2014)
It Follows is a mystery thriller horror film that was directed by David Robert Mitchell.
The film opens with a shot looking down a typical American suburban street. The camera then pans to a house in the middle of
the road, where a girl can be seen running out, dressed in summer clothes and heels. She runs a short way down the street to
where a woman taking shopping out of her car asks if the girl is okay. The girl then replies simply by saying ‘yeah’. After the
woman sees no threat to the girl, she leaves and the girl’s dad comes out of the house off screen, asking what she’s doing. The
girl—Annie—says that she is fine and begins running back in the direction of the house again, always looking over her shoulder.
She goes back into the house, her dad asking worriedly after her. The camera lingers on the house before Annie comes back out,
getting into the family car. She backs off the drive, driving away. Inside the car, Annie ignores a phone call, looking over her
shoulder. It is evident she is trying to get away from something.
The scene shifts to Annie sitting alone on a beach at night, the headlights from her car illuminating her and a few waves lapping
behind her. Her phone rings and she answers it this time. She talks to her dad on the other end of the line, telling her how
much she loves him and apologising for not being the best daughter. A shot of her abandoned car is shown before the scene
changes to morning. Annie is lying on the beach, evident that she has been murdered overnight, her body having been
mutilated.
The whole opening sequence of the film proves to create intrigue and make the viewer want to watch on. Many questions are
left unanswered after the opening scene as to who or what Annie was running from, why she was being targeted and how she
died at the end.

21. Generic Conventions and Characteristics
The opening to It Follows adheres to a few of the stereotypes found within horror films. The character Annie, although starting
off in a populated suburban area with her family and neighbours, she gets in a car and drives away to a secluded beach, thus
conforming to the idea of isolating the victim, which is what she becomes as the opening comes to a close.
The beginning of the film is also set at night, which is a usual temporal setting used in horror films as it alludes to concealment
and danger.
In context to the whole film, however, the idea that ‘sex equals death’ is fulfilled as the supernatural entity that follows Annie
only attacks people as a result of them having sex with someone else who is ‘infected’ with a curse.

22. Narrative Structure
The narrative structure of the opening of the film is linear as we watch as Annie runs away from her home, driving to the beach
to where she mysteriously gets murdered at the end. The fact that we are able to follow Annie to her inevitable demise where
it seems she has done nothing wrong, making the unseen entity that follows and murders her seem even more a threat.
According to Todorov’s Narrative Theory, it is evident that from the beginning of the opening, the disruption of the equilibrium
is already on its course as the main character of the scene seems distressed and is running away. Not long afterwards, Annie is
found dead, therefore finalising the initial disruption.

23. Audience
The anticipated audience for the film appears to be young adults found in the latter half of the 15-24 age bracket, as these are
the people most likely to relate to the nineteen year old protagonist and the themes presented are most likely to relate those
in that age bracket. Additionally, the rating of the film is 18 in the United Kingdom, hence solidifying this judgement. As a
result of this, this pre-family audience further link to the social grading of C2-D, as they link closest to students and those just
going into work. This would therefore place the target audience into the ‘Aspirers’ category according to Rudicam’s.

24. Mise-en-scene
Location:
The beginning of the scene is set on a regular American suburban road, outside Annie’s own house. This makes the fact that
Annie is running away from something seem unusual, as your home is supposed to be an emblem of comfort, immediately
showing that something is awry. The second main location is the beach she inevitably dies at. Usually seen as a romantic or
serene setting, all conformities are wiped away as she dies there.
Lighting:
Set just as the sun is about to set, the lighting is moderately dark. In the car, night is fully upon the character and only her face
and shoulder are lit as she looks behind her. On the beach, the car casts an orange-yellow glow over Annie, leaving the
surroundings pitch black, making her seem completely isolated. One shot of the car, with the red taillights on the trees, could
connote danger as this is, presumable, where the threat is residing. Additionally, this is in the shot seen just before she is found
dead. Once she is found dead, the lighting is a muted blue colour, seeming cold, which could reflect the fact that she is dead.
Costume:
Annie wears white summer clothes: a thin top and shorts, which could be taken as slightly revealing. The colour of her attire
suggests innocence, though the style of clothing suggests otherwise. She also wears a pair of heels that don’t match her outfit.
This could link to the fact that she has left her house in a hurry and therefore threw of the first, and easiest to put on, pair of
shoes she could find.
Props:
Not many major props are used at the beginning save the car that is used to take Annie to the new location and cast light on
her while at the beach. The second being the phone Annie takes with her and talks to her dad on, accepting the fact that she is
about to die.
Movement of actor(s):
At first, Annie moves in a hurry, running away from a threat that the audience cannot see, creating intrigue and tension. At the
end of the opening sequence, however, Annie is sitting down, not moving. It can therefore be interpreted that she has given up
or found out that there is no point in running away.

25. Sound
At the beginning of the film, the diegetic sounds that are heard are of birds tweeting as the sun sets on an American suburban
road. This links to the tranquillity and normalcy of a peaceful evening, which makes the fact that Annie runs out of her house
even more impactful and out of place. The sound of her heels can be heard on the floor as she runs, emphasising the quickness
of her movement. Her breaths are also heavy and ragged, highlighting the fact that she is in distress.
Off screen, a door creaks open telling the viewer that someone else has left the house, and we find out through dialogue that it
is her father who has exited the house, however he seems calm which creates suspicion as Annie is evidentially distressed in
comparison. Police sirens can also be heard in the background showing that it is a populated area and could also foreshadow the
danger that happens at the end of the scene. Additionally, off screen a dog can be heard barking, this again adds to the
neighbourhood feel but can also link to a disturbance—the first inclining to an entity.
As Annie runs away, her phone rings and she ignores it in the car, and then answers it, a tool to build tension and also show that
Annie accepts her death as she uses it to say goodbye to her dad. As she is speaking on the phone, the wind is howling in the
background, breaking the otherwise quiet location; adds to the unsettling feeling given by the isolated location.
The non-diegetic sound begins once Annie leaves her house, starting with music stabs and drums. The sound then crescendos as
she runs in the circle, back towards her house. The tones in the music allude to a supernatural presence as it is low-pitched and
ethereal. Once Annie leaves her house again, the music changes, becoming quicker paced, allowing the tension to rise as the
music almost mimics the sound of a ticking clock, effectively counting down the time until her inevitable death.

26. Camera
An establishing wide shot of a
typical American suburban
neighbourhood.
The camera pans to the house,
following Annie as she runs out,
establishing that she is the focal
point and something is wrong.
The camera tracks forwards as
Annie moves backwards, keeping
her framed as she distances
herself from whatever threat
she faces.
Once again, the camera follows
Annie as she runs back into her
house. Making a small amount of
space seem larger than it
actually is and adds to the
tension, as she returns to where
she originally escaped from.
The camera moves back to its
original position and remains
static, watching as the car
drives away—Annie is distancing
herself.
The over the shoulder shot
shows that Annie is constantly
aware of something behind her,
that something is following her.
The wide shot shows how Annie
is now isolated and feels
insignificant in the frame.
The centre framing of Annie
with dead space either side
shows insignificance, though she
finds comfort in herself.

27. Camera
The wide shots almost acts as a
point of view of Annie, looking
out at where she has come
from—as though something is
there.
The high angle mid shot shows
that something has happened to
Annie and reveals that whatever
she was looking for in the last
shot has clearly got to her.
A parallel to the shot of her
alone on the beach, the static
shot lingers on what happened
to Annie, causing the viewer to
wonder what happened to her
and what she was running away
from.

28. Editing
The editing in the beginning of the film is quite scarce. The first shot of the film lasts for around one minute and fifty seconds
before cutting to another long length shot, building tension. The pace quickens at the end, where three shots are quicker in
succession that show the change from day to night and Annie, dead, on the beach. The last shot lingers on Annie, allowing the
audience time to process what they have just seen and to show the severity of the threat that is no doubt going to continue
throughout the movie.
At the end, CGI is used to make it appear that Annie’s leg had been bent completely backwards with blood everywhere. Again,
this is used to show the scale of the power the entity who murdered her wields as it would be quite hard to cause an injury like
that.