1. S H A N I C E S A N D E R S O n 9 - S H O T A N A L Y S I S http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gedDJTPq70

2. The opening sequence to this film uses a sparse colour palette; sepia tones, black and red. The sepia tones connote the film to be eerie and dark. The red graphical blood splats which occur throughout, imply that the film will contain horrific incidents and a possible serial killer. The opening sequence focuses mainly on the number 23. We’re gradually introduced to this shot as it opens from a white fade. This shot shows the audience which film industry is promoting the film. The shot is of a blank page, with the small font of “new line cinema presents” in the bottom right corner, this suggests that it’s a file style background, including the font which appears to be in a similar font to a computer/ type writer which indicated the use of documents and computers.

3. The camera flicker through these clips fast and sharp, with the sounds of flickering through documents/papers in the background. Throughout the opening credits numbers are used to symbolise letters. For instance in this particular shot jim carrey’ name has been replaced with some numbers “J9M 31RR5Y”, as he is a well known actor when the audience get a first glimpse of the shot, it’s “JIM CARREY” however it’s not until it flickers again to full letters “JIM CARREY” that they realise they were replaced by digits. This engages the audience into paying more attention.

4. This shot in particular reinforces the title of the film “the number 23” and as it appears on the title credits, it allows the audience to become familiar with the typewriter font of the digits, creating an atmosphere of suspense for the audience. This then already leaves them questioning themselves on what significance this number has. “ The number 23” clearly stands out in this shot as it’s in red, whereas the surrounding numbers are in black. Both colours connotates a sense of danger, mystery, violence and death. The colour not only does the colour use clearly indicate death but the smearing of the blood on the title reflects brutality, this is a successful element as its creating an atmosphere of tension and death.

5. Historical facts are also included within the sequence which are relevant to the number 23; 'The Mayans believed the end of the world would occur on December 23rd of the year 2012' for example. And '2012' would also be relevant to the number 23. (20+1+2). the simplistic colour palette is used to establish a genre and tone. THIS IS A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SHOT AS, There was accusations that Hitler took his own life by shooting himself. In this shot the blood stain symbolizes a shooting, as it leaks across the page OVER THE HISTORICAL FACT “HITLER KILLED HIMSELF IN APRIL 1945 - 4+1+9+4+5=23”

6. Although this shot isn’t much but the number 23 in a red font towards the left side of the shot, it still seems rather effective in terms of all the audiences focus is on the digits (as they’re placed in a blank shot). It shot highly reinforces the name of the film, or allow the audience to think of the enigma of the film “why is the number 23 so special?” “How are all the events directly connected to the number 23?”

7. The historical fact of “the knights templar had 23 grand masters King Charles I was beheaded 3+0+1+6+4+9=23” is surrounded by the number 23. In this particular shot the blood reveals the missing words to the historical fact, which could suggest that during the film things become more understood after a killing or if time is wasted another death will occur.

8. “ through I walk through The valley Of the Shadow of death . . .” Psalm 23 This particular shot is highly effective as it is a passage out of the bible, before all the importance of the passage is crossed out with a black marker. The blood stains become more thin and watered down in this shot as does the “2323232323232323” text above the bible passage, the smudges symbolise tear/rain drops.

9. 2:38 into the opening credits the blood seems to take over the whole page/screen., gradually revealing the number”23”. This may suggest that the coincidence of everything adding up to 23 eventually takes over his everything. Furthermore as during the opening credits the shots gradually include more blood this may advocate that the further into the film, the more death are rapidly being made.