Analyse Opening Sequence: Media Studies Pixx Productions Ayan Magudia

Media studies
Pixx Productions
Ayan Magudia
Analyse Opening Sequence

The film belongs to the horror film genre. The
audiences generic expectations of the film are
meet instantly in the beginning of the film, as we
see a creepy looking house, its dark, raining and
the tradition of trees with no leaves on is present
to give it a really scary feel. The text does conform
to the characteristics of the genre as there are two
teenage girls alone in a house and they are
messing around telling each other scary stories
and naturally in horror films, these stories unfold
in the film.
Mise-en-scene conveys meaning in the opening
sequence by using the typical characters, locations, props and themes to give the audience an
understanding for the story. The two girls are also in school uniform showing their youth and
venerability. There is a shot in the opening sequence when the phone rings and the camera zooms in
on the clock, focusing on the time that the clock is showing, emphasizing the significance of the
situation. There is also another zooming in shot where one of the characters faces is focused on to
show the afraid expression on her face showing the terror in her eyes. There are many shots
throughout the opening sequence where camera shot, size angle and movement is important as
they all create tension and suspense. We learn through non-verbal language and dialogue that the
characters used for the opening are looking for a thrill, and they are young, and easy targets for the
audience to put themselves in the same position as the target audience are of a similar age. The
director also uses blurring of the background so you focus on the character in the shot, and there is
also a part when an image is reflected very quickly in a blank TV screen making the character jump,
adding to the tension of the film.
There is no narration in the opening sequence; there is only set dialogue from the two characters.
Once we get further into the opening sequence there is a lot of tension and suspense, this is shown
in the deep breathing of the character and the expression on her face. Tension is created and
maintained by a lot of jumpy things happening in a short space of time. There are effects used, like
water seeping out of the bedroom and the flash of images witch create suspense and tension
throughout, and keep the audience looking out for the next fright. There is also a part where the
character is walking up the stairs and the camera slowly pans backwards towards the room with the
water seeping out from under the door, she also takes a long time to open the door adding to the
question of whats going to be behind it.
The social groups represented in the opening sequence are young teenage girls, as they are the only
two characters we see in the opening of the film, this is shown in the fact that they are home alone
and exposed. The ideological discourse evident in the film is that certain people may view the film
differently because of their certain beliefs, and as there are unnatural things involved may mean it is
Media studies
Pixx Productions
Ayan Magudia
viewed differently because of those beliefs. Semiotics as a framework shows how representation is
constructed as we look at the situation that the two characters are in, and the signs and symbols
used in the opening sequence which gives us an idea of what the characters are like and by the way
they act, and also a insight into the rest of the film.
The target audience for the film is mostly aimed at younger people who want to get scared, and
have a thrill from watching. The possible audience readings for the film are that, even though its
made up, this could be real and because its set in a house with normal props and characters, it
makes it all the more realistic for the audience. As a teenager myself, and the characters I can see
are also teenagers, I can put myself in their perspective and think what would I do, even though its
fictional. I think many people at a similar age to myself would enjoy watching the film, as it can be
fun to get scared and have that thrilling feeling which is there from the opening. The ideology
present in the film is that there is obviously evil of some sort present within the film , and us as
humans are scared of this. This makes the film have a scary and unknown feeling and makes the
audience have views that the story involves supernatural things, and things that are not familiar to
everyday life.
There is no star in the opening of the film, but normally it would be important to use a star as it
brings in the audience to watch the film. The film is and industrial film, and has been produced by
DreamWorks pictures. DreamWorks is a major Hollywood studio who produces and distributes many
different films. There were many ways in which the film was marketed, TV advertising, before film
adverts in the cinema, billboards and magazine advertising, are all used to boost ratings and bring
the audience in. In the opening I would say that it is hard to see a particular institutional context as
you only see two teenage girls; however you could say that the teenage girls are the social group
involved just by looking at the opening sequence. It is a also good to have teenagers in the film , and
to have them as your target audience, as they are a loyal audience who have the time and the
money to go and buy the DVDs and watch the film at the cinema.

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