1. Step outline for film opening of
Genre:
Description of action
Timings
There is a blank, black
0:00-0:05
screen appears with
nothing on show, only
darkness can be seen.
Mise-en-scene
The whole
screen is black.
The screen quickly flashes
a faint red colour; there is
still no writing or evidence
of any other setting.
0:06-0:07
The faded red
colour on the
screen looks like
a drop of red
blood, or water,
smoothed out
across the
screen. The
colour of red
could connote
danger.
The screen then switches
to a framed image of 4
people hung on a tree,
the image looks as if it is
being recorded from a
tape as it is unclear and
also jolts a lot, the four
people are remaining still
however a sharp
weapon in the tree is
moving up and down like
a soaring motion.
0:08-0:28
A large garden
is shown, and
there is a large
tree that is in the
centre and the
audience focus
a lot of their
attention on it.
Most of the shot
shows greenery
within the
garden such as
Sound
A haunting sound
can be heard of
wind blowing and
the sound of
crickets, suggesting
that it is based
outside.
The sound of wind
has gone and now
rather than the
sound of crickets,
only a sound of
faint crackling can
be heard which is
disorientating is still
relatively scary.
It begins with the
remaining
crackling sound,
and then a high
pitched element is
added to it which
sounds like a
soaring motion,
which would make
sense as you can
see a sharp
weapon frantically
Camerawork
There is no
camerawork
involved, as
the screen is
just black.
The camera
shows a faint
colour of red,
which looks
liquidised, it is
only shown for
1 second and
the camera
makes this
sudden
appearance
jumpy for the
audience as it
makes it
happen so
quickly.
The camera
focuses
effectively on
only the
relevant
footage that
needs to be
shown, and
also creates
the effect of
an old
camera’s
Editing
The black screen
has been put
together with the
sound effects
skilfully in order to
make the audience
feel scared.
The editing has
been done well to
show the redness in
only a second, it
literally appears on
the screen and
then disappears in
a flash, which is
effective editing
skills, making the
audience jump.
Typography
There is no writing
on the screen in
this part, just a
fully black screen.
The footage of the
garden has been
effectively edited
into a frame to
make it look like an
old recording, the
sound has also
been edited well
into the shot to
make it match up
to the action, for
example the
There is no writing
in this shot still,
simply just an
image of the
bodies hanging
from the tree.
There is no writing
here, just the
colour of red
displayed on the
screen.

2. The 4 people hung from
the tree are all slowly
lifted up, they can be
seen struggling as they’re
legs frantically move, as
they are rose up into the
tree a branch on the
right of them falls down
simultaneously.
0:29-1:00
The words “Sinister”
quickly flash at the
bottom of the screen still
with the garden and
hung bodies in the
background, it then
disappears and the
screen goes black and
1:01-1:02
trees and bushes
and grass, there
is also a frame
around the
image that
suggests the
audience is
being showed
fairly old
footage.
The garden is still
the main focus
with the large
tree in the
middle in which
the four bodies
are hanging
from, this time a
branch can be
seen falling
down
simultaneously
on the right of
them. What can
be seen in this
shot is the same
as what can be
seen in the
previous 50
seconds.
The garden is still
the main focus
with the large
tree in the
middle in which
the four bodies
are hanging
from, this time a
moving in the tree.
footage with
the shaky
image
surrounded
by a frame.
soaring sound
comes in just as the
audience can see
the weapon in the
tree moving.
The sound stays
relatively exactly
the same as it has
been with a faint
crackling sound
and wind blowing,
giving the
impression that the
natural noises of
the outside are
what can be
heard.
The camera
remains
positioned
filming the
garden and
showing the
four bodies
hanging from
the tree, it is
still relatively
shaky
footage
suggesting
that it is an
old strip from
a polaroid
recording.
The sound has been
merged with the
shot/footage well
as it makes the
audience feel as if
they are actually
outside, furthermore
the branch
simultaneously
falling as the bodies
are lifted is effected
and goes well
together in unison.
There is no writing
in this shot still,
simply just the
footage of the
bodies hanging
from the tree and
being lifted up.
The sound remains
exactly the same
as it previously has
been with the faint
crackling and wind
blowing noise.
The camera
remains
positioned
filming the
garden and
showing the
four bodies
hanging from
The writing
effectively appears
in the shot because
it does not change
from what it was
previously, and it is
also unexpected.
The sound also still
The only writing in
the shot is the
words “sinister”
which are white,
relatively big and
look as if they are
drawn on with
chalk.

3. the sequence ends.
there is white
writing at the
bottom of the
screen
underneath the
bodies saying
“sinister” looking
as if it has been
drawn on with
chalk. After this
the screen
vividly turns
black.
the tree, and
the shakiness
of the
recording
stops as the
writing
appears at
the bottom of
the screen. As
it appears,
the camera
does not
move to
focus on it.
ties in well with the
shot in the frame.