Woman in black
(0.10 -1.44 minutes)
Introduction to the film/Brief background
The first movie opening I have chosen is a Horror,Woman in Black (2012).Directed by James Walkins, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Janet McTeer, made in Hammer films and Creek pictures studios.Based on a young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals. The film was budgeted $17,000,000 and gaining an estimated $20,000,000 for the opening weekend, the biggest amount earned in USA for a Hammer film.As for the critical reception the film received 65% approval by Rotten Tomatoes, based on 171 page reviews, with an overall rating of 6/10.The film was also won the 'Top Box Office Film' in 2013 and was nominated for both the 'Satan Award' and the 'Empire Award' also in 2013.
Film's Narrative for the Opening scene
In an Edwardian era English village, Three young girls sitting, laughing, playing with dolls, until a sound disturbs them (antagonist/villain),, walk trance-like to a window and jump to their death.
The narrative is not clear in the opening with little evidence of protagonists, yet allows the audience to have some kind of insight into the antagonist , showing clear representation on the movies genre, 'Horror'.This is done by the use of non-diegtic sound of a harmony by a child which increases in volume by the end of the scene.
Representation
Characters/Social groups and Mis en scene- There are three young girls, dressed formal, all appear civilized and from the higher/upper class.All these connotations are delivered by both there mannerism and costumes.
They also seem well disciplined and preserved, showing there standard and class.
Props-This shot of the china prop also gives clear representation of the era it is set in, as well as the denotation of the gold rim around the crockery, which again adds to the idea of wealth and class, with gold being associated with only the wealthy.
Costumes-The Mis en Scene also helps audience can also infer the era and class of the characters through the costumes used.All three girls appear to have long elegant flocks in light pastel colours , commonly associated with the Edwardian times, around 1930 to the early 40's.
Accent- there is no knowledge of their accent's in the opening scene, as no narrative is expressed, apart from laughter.Yet their costumes and body language gives connotations of formality and stratification, therefore we can infer their accent, stereo typically, would be well-spoken English.
Makeup- The characters all have a very neutral makeup palette, with little to no makeup.
Sound- Non-diegietic sound is used to help create tension and to add to the eerie atmosphere.Such as the bells, which give off a negative vibe, suggesting an alert or danger.This immediately draws the audience in, showing drama and tension, encouraging them to watch on.
The silence when the girls were detracted which also helps add to the tension and atmosphere, giving connotations of the movies genre, Horror, due to the sense of unknown and danger.This in turn helps engage the audience , providing them with little knowledge on the danger ahead of them, encouraging them to continue watching.
Location- The opening scene was located in a Edwardian room, which was easy to identify, due to the features and props used, such as wooden floor boards, beams and old windows.This helps the audience infer that this movie is set in the 1930's , but we are unable to see denotations of the area, whether it's urban or rural.Yet I can infer that the film might be set in a rural settlement, as stereo typically horrors are, yet due to the opening scene having only shown one room, the current whereabouts of the location is unknown to the audience.
The weather is, again, unclear from the opening, because the windows do not deliver any signs of the climate, but the lighting suggests that the day either at dawn or dusk, as the it appeals to be partly dark, with a grey gloomy filter.
Sound
Non-diegetic sound is used at the beginning of the opening scene to help engage the audience and to add tension and build up the atmosphere, this alone encourages the audience to continue watching.
The use of Incidental music of a piano and chimes throughout the scene adds tension, making the audience more involved and entices them to watch the events and actions unfold.
This incidental music changes half way through the scene (0.46 seconds) to a more intense chime, of what could be recognize as a church organ, as this sound is heard the characters become distracted and freeze in thought, appearing fearful, making the overall tension increase and gives the audience a representative of danger and fear, as the volume increases.
Incidental music is also used to show the sound of the china breaking, which adds to the idea of the destraction being dominate and in control, perhaps a representation of a ghost or paranormal creature, either way it is presented as a negative and forceful subject, and with it not being shown draws in the audience. Making them want to watch more to gain further knowledge of the dominant subject.
The opening of the windows are also emphasized, with loud creaks to show and enforce on to the audience the danger and abnormality of the characters actions.
(0.35+ seconds) A non-diegetic sound of screaming and depression is used, by a female.I can infer from this that the sounds added were referring to the Mother of the young girls, the line 'My babies!', was also used after the screaming, reinforcing the my thought of a mother figure grieving.This adds emotion to the clip, engaging the audience, making them want to seek the killer of the deaths and wanting to know the reasons behind the characters actions.
The the non-diegietic sound of screaming also helps to deliver the opening, with a Horror genre film stereo-typically having a crisis/event from the past at the beginning of the movie.This therefore follows a conventional horror movie, with the idea of danger and fear from the start.Providing the audience with knowledge of the genre in the first few minutes.
Mood/Atmosphere
The mood throughout the scene is very much eerie and tense, as both the sound and movement of the characters increases.Due to a dark filter the atmosphere seems gloomy and dead, which again follows a conventional codes of a horror movie.It also gives the audience ideas on the location, with a dark filter, it makes the location/setting seem isolated and alone, adding to the tension.The music, of course, plays a huge part in the atmosphere of the scene, with the volume increasing as the danger build,making the audience more aware of the danger approaching the characters. Along side this, the props also impact the mood of the scene, with props such as, anticeic, often linked to horror, with connotations of paranormal creatures and witchcraft.
Titles/Typography
There are no titles or typography used in this opening scene.
Camera shots/Movements
Close-up's are used on several props such as the teapot and doll, which help show the eerie of the film and also gives representation of the characters wealth and class.With many in that time frame, being unable to afford toys or extra comforts, which helps the audience immediately establish the characters wealth.
Mid-shots are used, which show the characters costumes, and provides a overlook of their body language towards the subject.
An extreme long shot is used at the end of the scene, showing the window from the other side of the room, this helps the audience take in recent events and shows a perspective away from the trauma and screaming.
Panning was also used to show the setting/room the characters were in and the environment the scene was set in.
The narrative is not clear in the opening with little evidence of protagonists, yet allows the audience to have some kind of insight into the antagonist , showing clear representation on the movies genre, 'Horror'.This is done by the use of non-diegtic sound of a harmony by a child which increases in volume by the end of the scene.
Representation
Characters/Social groups and Mis en scene- There are three young girls, dressed formal, all appear civilized and from the higher/upper class.All these connotations are delivered by both there mannerism and costumes.
They also seem well disciplined and preserved, showing there standard and class.
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Costumes-The Mis en Scene also helps audience can also infer the era and class of the characters through the costumes used.All three girls appear to have long elegant flocks in light pastel colours , commonly associated with the Edwardian times, around 1930 to the early 40's.
Accent- there is no knowledge of their accent's in the opening scene, as no narrative is expressed, apart from laughter.Yet their costumes and body language gives connotations of formality and stratification, therefore we can infer their accent, stereo typically, would be well-spoken English.
Makeup- The characters all have a very neutral makeup palette, with little to no makeup.
Sound- Non-diegietic sound is used to help create tension and to add to the eerie atmosphere.Such as the bells, which give off a negative vibe, suggesting an alert or danger.This immediately draws the audience in, showing drama and tension, encouraging them to watch on.
The silence when the girls were detracted which also helps add to the tension and atmosphere, giving connotations of the movies genre, Horror, due to the sense of unknown and danger.This in turn helps engage the audience , providing them with little knowledge on the danger ahead of them, encouraging them to continue watching.
Location- The opening scene was located in a Edwardian room, which was easy to identify, due to the features and props used, such as wooden floor boards, beams and old windows.This helps the audience infer that this movie is set in the 1930's , but we are unable to see denotations of the area, whether it's urban or rural.Yet I can infer that the film might be set in a rural settlement, as stereo typically horrors are, yet due to the opening scene having only shown one room, the current whereabouts of the location is unknown to the audience.
The weather is, again, unclear from the opening, because the windows do not deliver any signs of the climate, but the lighting suggests that the day either at dawn or dusk, as the it appeals to be partly dark, with a grey gloomy filter.
Sound
Non-diegetic sound is used at the beginning of the opening scene to help engage the audience and to add tension and build up the atmosphere, this alone encourages the audience to continue watching.
The use of Incidental music of a piano and chimes throughout the scene adds tension, making the audience more involved and entices them to watch the events and actions unfold.
This incidental music changes half way through the scene (0.46 seconds) to a more intense chime, of what could be recognize as a church organ, as this sound is heard the characters become distracted and freeze in thought, appearing fearful, making the overall tension increase and gives the audience a representative of danger and fear, as the volume increases.
Incidental music is also used to show the sound of the china breaking, which adds to the idea of the destraction being dominate and in control, perhaps a representation of a ghost or paranormal creature, either way it is presented as a negative and forceful subject, and with it not being shown draws in the audience. Making them want to watch more to gain further knowledge of the dominant subject.
The opening of the windows are also emphasized, with loud creaks to show and enforce on to the audience the danger and abnormality of the characters actions.
(0.35+ seconds) A non-diegetic sound of screaming and depression is used, by a female.I can infer from this that the sounds added were referring to the Mother of the young girls, the line 'My babies!', was also used after the screaming, reinforcing the my thought of a mother figure grieving.This adds emotion to the clip, engaging the audience, making them want to seek the killer of the deaths and wanting to know the reasons behind the characters actions.
The the non-diegietic sound of screaming also helps to deliver the opening, with a Horror genre film stereo-typically having a crisis/event from the past at the beginning of the movie.This therefore follows a conventional horror movie, with the idea of danger and fear from the start.Providing the audience with knowledge of the genre in the first few minutes.
Mood/Atmosphere
The mood throughout the scene is very much eerie and tense, as both the sound and movement of the characters increases.Due to a dark filter the atmosphere seems gloomy and dead, which again follows a conventional codes of a horror movie.It also gives the audience ideas on the location, with a dark filter, it makes the location/setting seem isolated and alone, adding to the tension.The music, of course, plays a huge part in the atmosphere of the scene, with the volume increasing as the danger build,making the audience more aware of the danger approaching the characters. Along side this, the props also impact the mood of the scene, with props such as, anticeic, often linked to horror, with connotations of paranormal creatures and witchcraft.
Titles/Typography
There are no titles or typography used in this opening scene.
Camera shots/Movements
Close-up's are used on several props such as the teapot and doll, which help show the eerie of the film and also gives representation of the characters wealth and class.With many in that time frame, being unable to afford toys or extra comforts, which helps the audience immediately establish the characters wealth.
Mid-shots are used, which show the characters costumes, and provides a overlook of their body language towards the subject.
An extreme long shot is used at the end of the scene, showing the window from the other side of the room, this helps the audience take in recent events and shows a perspective away from the trauma and screaming.
Panning was also used to show the setting/room the characters were in and the environment the scene was set in.
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