This document discusses conventions of film openings and horror film openings. It notes that film openings often include close-ups, diegetic and non-diegetic music to set the mood, credits, and lighting effects. Horror film openings commonly use fast panning shots, fast editing, settings like small towns or old houses, characters like victims and killers, props like weapons, and creepy non-diegetic sounds and music. The document also analyzes the opening sequence of the horror film "Dead Silence," noting its use of repeating titles and abrupt changes in non-diegetic music.

4. Conventions of a film opening:
• close-ups
• Background music (diegetic and non) that link it to the genre
• Credits
• Specific lighting e.g. dark or light to set the mood
• Some film opening take you straight into the film introducing
characters and plot however some don’t.
• Credits stating how they actors are and what character they played
Conventions of a horror film:
Shots & editing:
• Fast panning shots
• Fats paced editing
Locations/setting/mise en scene:
• Small towns
• Past scenes e.g. back to a murder scene
• Church or graveyard or old house/mansion
• Someone usually dies
Characters:
• Victim e.g. young defenceless girl
• Killer/murder
• Supernatural creature
• A range of weak and strong characters
Characters:
• Victim e.g. young defenceless girl
• Killer/murder
• Supernatural creature
• A range of weak and strong characters
Props:
• Murder weapon e.g. knife
• Transport e.g. car or train
• Costumes e.g. a hat or bag or a victims personal belonging
(non) diegetic sounds and music:
• Doors and floorboard creaking
• Heavy breathing
• Footsteps
• Screams
• Creepy daunting music
• Animals making noise e.g. howls
Beginning & ending of horror films:
• Start and end finishes with a creepy song that most the time is very
repetitive
General other conventions:
• Supernatural elements
• Victim being overpowered by a stronger individual (usually the bad
guy or killer)
• Struggles/battles – mental and physical

7. I watched the opening sequence of Dead Silence, I recorded all the titles and text that
appeared in the 03:10 sequence.There were a total number of 25 titles within the time
frame of 03:10. the director has two set titles nearer the end of the opening sequence
at 02:59 and 03:10, this is to show the importance of the director. However the phrase
‘perfect doll’ also has two set titles, moreover this emphasises that the phrase is
extremely important and shouldn’t be ignored. Universal Picture also had two set
titles too which shows the importance of the company behind the film. In addition I
also mapped out pout how the non- diegetic sound is fast from 01:06 then right
before the end of the opening sequence of the film the sound (music) abruptly stops.
It starts up again slowly like it did in the beginning of the opening sequence with a
slow, quiet non-diegetic song that repeats itself, then finally it gradually decreases in
volume ad fades away.

8. Dead SilenceOpening Sequence
I’ve collected nine shots fromYouTube and watched them, I took screenshots of the images and
uploaded them straight onto the PowerPoint.The opening doesn’t give much away, its creepy
and keeps the audiences attention throughout however whilst keeping the plot hidden.

9. It’s a very good film opening as it’s a long introduction to the film providing many names of
the actors in the film as well as companies and producers. In addition it also gives away some
conventions of a horror film, such as:
• Creepy non- diegetic music giving away that it’s a horror
• Fast editing
• Lighting colour FX which consists of whites/blacks/blues and shadows