The document summarizes how two main characters, a mysterious woman and a dark figure, are represented in the opening of a psychological horror film. The mysterious woman is established as the vulnerable first victim through close-ups and body language. Her appearance fits stereotypes of pale, dark-haired, pretty female victims commonly seen at the start of horror films. The dark figure is only briefly shown at the end to build mystery as to its identity, wearing dark colors and looking away from the camera consistently with the antagonist role. Both characters fit conventions of representing the vulnerable female and mysterious threat typically seen in psychological horror openings.

1. How Does Your Media Product Represent Particular Social
Groups?
Within our psychological horror film opening, two characters are
introduced: a mysterious woman (protagonist/first victim), and a
dark figure (antagonist).
The intended role of the 'mysterious woman' in our
sequence is quickly established to our audience
throughclose ups and strategic camerawork, designed
to show viewers the mournful emotions of the
character, thereby providing an idea as to what her
fate may be by the end of the sequence. The
character’s lack of ‘action’ within the sequence also
connotes a feeling of resignation or acceptance that
gives the audience the impression that something
harmful is about to happen to her and representing
the typical stereotype of most female characters as
being vulnerable and weaker the male characters that
could be introduced.
Her appearance is stereotypical for the ‘first
victim’ within a horror film, as a vulnerable
female character with a pale complexion,
dark, long hair, and a pretty appearance,
making her appear young and helpless;
allowing the audience to make assumptions
as to her role in the sequence as it is a
convention to have a female as a more
vulnerable andinevitable 'first victim'at the
beginning of a horror film (examples of
female protagonists and victims can be
observed in psychological horror films such
as ‘Black Swan’, ‘Case 39’ and ‘Bug’).
The narration (voice over) also
manufactures the audiences’ assumption
that the protagonist is the supposed
antagonist’s first victim. The intended
narrator of the voice over is the ‘mysterious
woman’ seen on screen, and an extreme
close up of the letter in her hand makes the audience realise this. It also means that the
narrator’s discussion of their own death, is in fact the immediate death of the woman on
screen, which tells the audience her fate as a victim.

2. The antagonist of the sequence is seen for only a
brief few seconds at the end of the clip, with the
suspense of the soundtrack, narration and
camerawork all leading up to their inevitable
appearance at the end of the sequence. It is the
traditional convention of horror openings to
reveal the antagonist or ‘monster’ for only a brief
few seconds, and sometimes only in part (usually
at the very end of the opening). This works to
build enigma codes for the rest of the film and
engages the audience as to the identity andnature
of the antagonist.
The ‘dark figure’ (antagonist) of our production is shown wearing dark colours like black,
connotating the ‘bad guy’ in almost all genres, and informing the audience instantly of
the characters role as antagonist. Similarly, the character’s face is looking away from the
camera, hiding the identity of the person or ‘thing’ and creating further enigma codes,
stereotypical of a psychological horror, and building the mystery of the sequence.
The fact that our antagonist is shown to at least
‘appear’ human, is also a convention of a psychological
horror as, typically, the antagonists of psychological
horrors are often people instead of monsters; though
sometimes later reveal themselves to be something
‘more’.