Horror movies aim to scare and entertain viewers through themes involving mystical creatures, serial killers, ghosts, and other disturbing subjects. The author analyzes the opening sequences of three horror films, noting their use of camera shots, editing, sound, settings, victims, and other conventions to build suspense and fear. For their own opening sequence, the author's group challenged some conventions by using teenagers instead of children, balancing diegetic and nondiegetic sound, and not including typical props or costumes.

1. Aminat Olajide

2. Here are a few facts about Horror movies:
• The themes found in horror movies are in order to
scared and entertain viewers. This type of genre tends to
centre around things out of the ordinary, abnormal or
forbidden. Some the theme include:
• Mystical Creatures
• Murderers/Serial Killer/Psychopaths
• Ghosts
• Vampires
• Children
• Haunting
• Faith/Religion

3. My group has analysed 3 horror opening sequences of our choice. I look at the opening
sequence of Scream, The Woman in Black and The Last Exorcism 2. Looking at these
opening sequences , there are many examples of forms and conventions that make it a
horror movie such as:
• Mix of diagetic and non diagetic sound to start with, which helps build up suspense.
• Camera shots of may varieties such as extreme close ups, panning shots, point of view
shots, low angle shots etc. are commonly used in horror movies to make the audience
feel more involved and to express fear of characters.
• Editing transitions such as fast paced zooms into disturbing elements e.g. in
Scream, zoomed into a female character who was hanged on a tree.
• Mise-en-scene elements included costumes for characters that are usually non existent
such as vampires, ghosts etc.

4. • Horror movies tend to have a fragile female as the victim and males as the source of
danger.
• The time of the day that Horror movies are commonly filmed at is at sunset
or in the middle of the night.
• Locations that are usually used are a large house, an open field/park,
abandoned warehouse and many more.
• Frightening Props e.g. Knife
• Costumes
• Tend to involve things that are socially seen as innocent e.g.
children, dollies/toys, angels etc.

5. How has this opening sequence had an influence on our own media product or have we
challenged the forms and conventions shown in the clip?
My group included a mix of various camera shots such as extreme close ups, usual close
ups, long shots, wide shots etc. We also filmed out opening sequence in a park which is a
outdoor and natural setting. For our characters, we had females portraying as the victim.
Diagetic and Non Diagetic sounds were used in out opening sequence in order to create
the horror genre effect. For example, a creepy thunder sound was used when the killer
appeared out of nowhere.
The elements that this opening sequence portrayed:
• Close Up Shots
• Long Shots
• Outdoor Setting
• Female Victim
• Props – Knife
• Costume – Grim Reaper
• Combination of Diagetic and Non Diagetic sounds

6. The elements that were portrayed in The Woman in Black- Opening Sequence:
• Majority of the clip had non diagetic sounds
• For a small amount, diagetic sound (dialogue) was used.
• Various camera shots such as wide shots, two shots, point of view shots etc.
• Setting/Location is in a Victorian household.
• Costumes - clothing that was worn in the Victorian times.
• Main Characters – Children (Little girls).
• Simple cuts were used numerous of times.
• Eye line match edit also used in the clip.
How has this opening sequence had an influence on our own media product or have we
challenged the forms and conventions shown in the clip?
My group challenge this opening sequence quite a lot. We did not used children as the main
characters but we did have teenagers. Also, the setting of the opening sequence was
completely different to our as this was sent in a house. Our opening sequence had a equal
balance of diagetic and non diagetic sounds which therefore goes
against the forms and conventions of The Woman in Black
opening sequence.

7. Here are some examples:
• For mise-en-scene, fake blood was included in the film project to show the theme of
gore in our opening sequence. Also, for our location, my group and I chose a park that
had a big open field and we filmed in the dark to compliment the genre. We also
followed the commonly used victim of a female and a male as the antagonist.
• As far as camera shots, there was a wide range used in our project such as extreme close
ups of the main characters’ faces, point of view shots to show the audience what is
being looked at and various panning shots that help build up suspense and allow the
audience to follow the scenes.
• For sound, we used diagetic sound at the beginning of the film while the titling was
shown. We also used it in the middle of the film where a character gets taken by the
killer. The non diagetic sound of screaming is included in the opening sequence.

8. • In elements of mise-en-scene, no weapons such as knives, guns
etc were used as props in our opening sequence. We also did not
used the typical killer costume and our killer was simply in a pair
of jeans and a hoodie. The only identifiable prop that was used
was a mobile phone.