The document analyzes the opening sequence of "The Sixth Sense" through its use of mise-en-scene, editing, sound, and camerawork to build suspense and uncertainty. It discusses how the female character's costume, the dark basement setting, and slow pacing create a sense that she is vulnerable and not alone. Non-diegetic sounds and camera angles hint at something watching her from behind. The sequence leaves the audience with questions about what may happen next and wanting to know if there is truly something threatening in the basement.

1. THE SIXTH SENSE OPENING SEQUENCE ANALYSIS

2. MISE-EN-SCENE
• The mise-en-scene is used effectively in ‘The Sixth Sense’ the reason for this is
that it gives the viewer an uncertain way about what will happen the female
character and what the film is about. The characters costume also gives us the
idea that she has clearly only gone downstairs into the basement to get a drink,
as we can see that the character Is wearing a dress which contrasts with the fact
that she is in a dark and abandoned place gives us the idea that she may be at
party and what she is wearing. The use of low key lighting is also effective to
show that the character and to make the audience question why she has gone
down there at the begging of the opening sequence. The location she is in also
makes it look like the character is out of place and almost vulnerable with the way
that she acts it makes it clear that she feels as if she is not alone in the basement

3. EDITING
• The editing in ‘The Sixth Sense’ gives it an supernatural setting to make the
audience feel uncertain about what could going on. We can see this from the
beginning where the titles are coming up and we can see that the writing is white
and the background is black which gives the audience an idea that there will be a
lot of contrast in the events that may occur. The fact that the female is wearing a
dress and is downstairs in the abandoned basement makes the audience feel
uncomfortable about what could happen next, one of the reasons being that it
looks extremely dark in the basement and darkness is normally associated with
danger. The editing is also slow paced which gives it the emphasises the idea that
the women is clearly not alone in the room.

4. SOUND
• At the start of ‘The sixth Sense’ non diegetic sound is used, which builds up from a
quiet, very slow and high pitched sound to a much louder and faster sound, however
closer to the end of the opening sequence, the sound track gets quieter and slows
down again. The change in the pace of the soundtrack and also the change in rhythm
helps to build up the suspense that the audience will feel throughout the film. At the
start of the opening sequence when ‘The Sixth Sense’ appears in the screen the
audience are able to hear a high pitched sound of strings to indicate that the film will
be quite jumpy and almost give a sense of a paranormal atmosphere, which gives the
audience the sense of uncertainty about what could happen. Also when the light bulb
flickers on we are able to hear a diegetic sound of the door opening, this is weird to
the audience as throughout the start of the opening sequence they have only hear
non-diegetic sound.

5. CAMERAWORK
• In ‘The Sixth Sense’ when the female character walks into the basement we are
able to see straight away that she is not alone. This is shown clearly from the long
shot taken from behind the wine rack, this gives the audience an idea that there is
someone or something watching her. This is used to make the viewer feel
uncomfortable as they feel like the women is vulnerable as she is not able to see
that there is something watching her. A tracking shot is also used a she is looking
for the wine, this is used to reinforce the fact that she is being watched and give
the viewer the impression that every move she makes there is something
watching her and that she is clearing in danger.

6. QUESTIONS
• Is there something watching her?
• Why is she dressed for a special occasion?
• Why is she alone in the basement?
• If there is something watching her what could it be?
• What happens next?

7. WHAT WE CAN LEARN
• From the opening sequence in ‘The Sixth Sense’ we are able to see that there is a
clear sense of a paranormal atmosphere from the sound all the way through to
what it is trying to show, we can also see a vulnerable women which appears in
the opening sequence, and through the camera angles used the audience are
being shown her every move which gives the idea that the female character is
being watched.