Research: Horror Film Opening Case Study 1 - Scream

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFCStOMqpfk

MICRO

There are close ups of the victim. the low key lighting is particulalry effective in establishing the sinister mood of the scene it also allows shadows to be cats over the victim. the diegetic sounds of the telephone dialogue show how the voctim becomes increasingly scared. The non-diegetic parallel music builds up suspense and tension leading to the victim being killed. the edits are slow paced and range between mid shots to close ups and the mise-en-scene reflects the open spaces and the isolation of the setting

MACRO

Iconography is present through a shot of the knives on the draining board in the kitchen. this foreshadows the weapon the antagonist will use and establishes the slasher sub-genre to the audience. the voctim is steretypically blonde and female and the setting is an isolated house in a rural environment

This is an effective horror opening as it builds suspense slowly using camera angles, music and dialogue. the sense of suspense is bulit up by the scary voice on the phone and as the scene progresses the antagonist is slowly revealed which shock the audience and makes them want to keep watching.