This document analyzes the opening title sequences of two films: the student's own horror film "Learning to Die" and the movie "The Cabin in the Woods". It examines both openings through a nine frame structure showing different shots. For the student's film, each shot is described in terms of establishing setting, characters, and creating suspense and isolation to engage the audience. Common horror film techniques like slow build up, the unknown, and vulnerability of characters are discussed. The analysis then compares techniques used in "The Cabin in the Woods", such as dark colors, mystery of plot, and sense of realism, that also aim to heighten fear.

1. QUESTION 1
IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR
MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP
OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF EXISTING FILM
OPENING TITLE SEQUENCES?
By Belinda Olenloa

2. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF TWO NINE FRAMES. ONE IS FROM MY GROUPS HORROR
FILM OPENING AND THE OTHER IS FROM THE MOVIE ‘THE CABIN IN THE WOODS’:
CABIN IN THE WOODS
These nine frame structures have been created to show how the opening of
a film has been constructed. They show 9 different camera shots and how
they are put together in order to appeal to the audience to and engage
them within the films narrative so that the viewer continues watching the
film after the opening. I will now analyse these two selection of frames.
LEARNING TO DIE

3. NINE FRAME ANALYSIS OF OUR OPENING SEQUENCE
The first frame is a pan of the college and shows
our production name which we did to get brand
recognition so the first thing our audience relates
with the movie is our company. We also wanted
establish the setting and time so the audience
get a better understanding of the movie which is
common for horror movies..
The second shot is of our main character
Dwayne. There is no dialogue as we just
wanted to show that he is in detention and
hint that he has a rebellious attitude, by
using the camera angle that is a close up of
his feet shows that he may also think highly
of himself. This is done to establish
narrative which is also common. Typical in
horror movies
The third frame is to establish the characters
situation. It shows a divide between the teacher
and a student which represents age and also
ethnicity. The behind the shoulder shot typically is
used to show mystery which heightens the
sensation of fear and anticipation that something
bad is going to happen for the audience.
We used a extreme
long shot that shows
Dwayne walking and
the lights flickering.
We used this a to
show the isolation
that he is in which
again suggests that
something bad is
about to happen to
the audience. This is
used in horror films
as nothing is
happening for a long
time which then
allows something big
and shocking to take
place which scares
the audience.
Whereas these next two
shots are at a side
angle and a mid shot of
Dwayne. Here we have
shown good continuity
with Dwayne which is
typical as the audience
as opening tend to build
up slow to create
anticipation and fear for
the audience. Notably
he changes into his
jumper then coat, we
wanted to establish his
costume as baggy
clothes which connote
rebellion and lower
class which establishes
a typical representation
of out character to be
cocky and rude.
However in horror films
victims are typically
seen as vulnerable and
weak.
This shot is a close up of Dwayne. It’s the
first time that we see the true fear on his
face after he has just ran into the
classroom. Both him and the audience
don’t know what is outside which is
typical as it creates suspension allowing
the audience to connect with Dwayne by
putting themselves in his position.
This shot is shown from outside the
classroom. No one is around which
establishes isolation and plays on the
common fear that people have of being
trapped and having no one around to save
them. This type of realism is typical for horror
movies because they increase the intensity
from the film which engages the audience
more into the narrative.
This is our final shot
of our opening. It
shows Dwayne’s feet
dragging across the
floor but the
audience doesn’t
learn what happened
to him or who is
dragging him. 
This creates the fear of the
unknown which is typical in
all types of horror films.

4. NINE FRAME ANALYSIS OF OUR OPENING SEQUENCE
Similarly to our opening this film starts
very dark only showing the colours red
and black. This is because these colours
connote danger, blood and horror which
heightens the sensation of fear for the
audience.
The purpose and the storyline for the characters
isn’t instantly established to the audience which
foreshadows that the context of the film has a
mystery element to it. It starts in media res which
foreshadows that an issue can occur any time
inviting the audience to guess what is going to
happen after the opening scene.
The title of the movie occurs at the end of
the sequence unlike ours which occurs at
the start of the opening. We did it to create
excitement and suspension for the audience
whereas in this movie the plot in unknown to
the audience until the last shot of the
opening scene.
The location of the movie is a medical office. It
is a normal set which shows a sense of
realism in the storyline which is common for
horror films as it makes the more scary
because the audience can then easily put
themselves in the characters shoes.