This opening scene from Nightmare on Elm Street establishes an unsettling atmosphere through its mise-en-scene, camerawork, and sound design. The industrial setting removes the audience from comfort and isolates the innocent female protagonist. Close-up shots of her fearful expression and the mysterious killer applying knives to their hands introduce the threat. As the girl wanders alone among machinery, the camera isolates and follows her to build suspense without revealing the source of her fear. Unusual sounds like the killer's heavy breathing and creepy keyboard music enhance the strange and frightening tone.

1. Nightmare On Elm
Street

2. Mise-en scene
 In this opening sequence an industrial and run down area is presented filled with steal leaking pipes
and other industrial equipment. This already isn't a comfortable setting, creating a relationship
between the audience and character as they have been taken out of their comfort zone. This creates
an unsettling feel and fear for the audience and character as their minds have been taken to an
unfamiliar, alien like surrounding.

 The unsettling feel to this opening sequence can also be built upon through the characters costume.
The first character we see is an unidentified person applying a glove of knives to their hands, we can
already tell that this person is dangerous and a threat. By the first character having knives upon their
fingers immediately tells the audience that this person is settled and familiar to these surroundings as
they are in control.

3. Mise-en scene
 In contrast to this first character an innocent girl is also shown in this
opening sequence wearing nothing but a 'nighty' which is in a complete
juxtaposition to the surroundings that she has found herself in. The
unsettling feeling is emphasized by the clothing the female is wearing as
the audience have no idea as to why the innocent young girl is walking
around in a dangerous industrial environment in something that you would
normally sleep in.

4. Camera
 The use of the directors camera angles also conveys the idea of fear and isolation
to the audience. The scene begins with a mysterious figure, we know that this
person is dangerous as an establishing close up shot is used as they are
assembling what appears to be his weapon.
The idea of isolation is portrayed through the next establishing shots as presented with
a young innocent girl who is seen isolated in her shadow at the end of a corridor. This
shot is conveying that she is isolated and extremely vulnerable as she is all alone in an
unfamiliar environment.

5. camera
 Following on from the previous establishing shots, the next shot used is a close up of the
young girls face showing with a fearful expression. This immediately shows the audience that
she is scared of the environment that she is in as she is isolated as she has been taken out of
her comfort zone.
After this close up of the girls face there is a mid shot of the same corridor but this time there is a
sheep 'running' across it. A comparison can be make between this sheep and the girl as the sheep
is also out of place and in a strange environment, this shot also reinforces the strangeness and
disorientation of this opening sequence.

6. Camera
 Moving on from the corridor we are then presented with the girl isolated
amongst the industrial setting through the use of mid to longer shots. A
raise in suspense and fear is created as no shot has been given to the
unknown person/creature that is chasing her. The sense of the unknown
is again creating a sense of uneasiness but is also foreboding what is
going to happen next. The camera in this scene has been operated
extremely well as it does a very good job isolating the innocent girl, going
into detail in such an unusual setting and also creates fear through the
use of the unknown.

7. SOUND
 The uneasiness and scary nature of this scene is also
portrayed through the use of sound. As we know at the start
of the seen we can see an u know person assembling what
appears to be a glove of weapons. The diegetic sound of
this unknown characters heavy breathing creates a creepy
vibe and the audience identify that this person is a villain as
they pant over their weapon showing that they are excited
over their evil plan. The non-diegetic sound creates a scare
factor as it uses a creepy keyboard sound which is done to
make the music sound futuristic and strange. The most
important use of sound in this opening sequence is definitely
the girls scream as it conveys violent and deathly imagery.