- Main characters
- Location
- Sound
- Limited detail
- Enigma
The opening sequence I have analysed is from the original film 'Halloween' which was made in 1978 (see below).
Narrative -
The narrative of a film is very important as this is what the film is going to be about, and where you can build ideas of what techniques you can use to make your film effective. The narrative in this film is based upon the events that happen at Halloween, which is why the film is called 'Halloween'.
Firstly, we see an old detached house, of which we see a boyfriend and girlfriend kissing, through the shot of the window. This gives us the impression that it is an everyday situation, giving viewers something to relate to and suggesting to them that nothing is going to happen. We then see a handheld camera shot from the point of view of the killer, of him (we assume it is a he), walking through the open back door and into the kitchen, where he picks up a knife. We then watch as he walks up the stairs and into the girls bedroom where he picks up the clown mask, which is the main piece of iconography used, along with the knife. The next part of the clip is where the killer attacks the girl, of which we only see minimal detail, through the eye holes of the mask. It is then revealed to us that the killer was the little boy, which creates an enigma which is misleading as we do not believe it was him.
This narrative is very conventional to the thriller genre as it uses many of the aspects I thought a thriller should contain, such as enigmas (created from the realisation of the boy being the killer) and it engages the audience (from the sound used and cinematography etc).
Cinematography -
Point Of View shots are used throughout in this clip to build suspense. The first time the POV shot is used is at the very beginning when we see the image of the front of the house. As we do not know who this person is the audience begin to feel uneasy as we are seeing everything from their perspective, which at the moment is them lurking in the shadows at the front of the house, which gives us the impression that we are trespassing. The audience therefore connect to this character as they feel uneasy about him as they they think he shouldn't be there. The emotions the viewers experience are at a loss because they don't know who to blame these emotions on, and so when we find out the killer was the little boy, the effect of the shock is heightened.
When using POV shots in the opening scene, it becomes clear to us that we are seeing things from the criminals perspective. This is made clear to us when we see a knife being picked up (see frame opposite).This builds suspense as normally we would see things from the perspective of the victim, but by allowing us to see what the killer sees is unusual and makes us feel even more sympathetic to the victim as she has no clue as to what is about to happen. The audience feel on edge as they also don't know what to expect and so are left anxiously waiting. At this point in the clip, we do not know why the killer has picked up the knife or who he wishes to use it on. It helps audience to feel negatively about this unknown person creating a connection, but at the same down draws some emotional distance between the viewers and the killer.
Another POV shot we see is when the killer puts on the clown mask which is one of the main pieces of iconography in this opening sequence. We can then only see the scene through two eye holes making it seem like we are wearing the mask (See frame opposite). This builds tension and creates an intimate atmosphere between the audience and the killer, as it is, as if we are now the killer. It engages the audience as they can only see minimal details of the scene, and so are left wondering what is going on. This creates a sense of enigma, and also helps to keep the identity of the killer hidden, which is very conventional to the thriller genre. The use of the hidden identity throughout this clip keeps the audience engaged as they are constantly guessing who this person is, and figure who they feel so negatively towards.
Handheld camera work is used all the way throughout the clip, but is mainly noticeable between 2:10 to 2:30 (of the second clip), which is the scene where the killer walks up the stairs. A handheld shot is used to create jerky and unsteady images to produce a sense of urgency and chaos. In this opening sequence, the use of the handheld camera work makes it difficult for the viewers to make out what is going on. It puts the audience into the 'shoes' of the killer which makes the killers emotions reflect onto the audience. The 'shaking' could represent the urge and the obsession the killer feels to kill the girl, and represents him as being slightly psychotic which is also very conventional to the thriller genre. This makes the audience feel slightly obsessed as to what is going to happen. Handheld camera shots are very conventional in thriller films as it helps to build suspense.
At the very beginning of the opening sequence, after the credits have been shown, the camera technique of 'zooming in' is used to help to engage the audience. It tells the audience that the house that has been zoomed in on should be what they are focused on and this foreshadows that something bad is going to happen inside this house, which makes the audience feel on edge. At the end of the opening sequence, zooming out is used into a high angled shot of the house and some of the characters. (See frame above). This is used to create distance between the audience and the scene. It helps to emphasise the enigma they are left with, which allows the audience time to think about what they have just witnessed. It also makes the audience eager to find out what happens next.
When zooming out we are left with 3 characters on screen, which are the 2 parents and the little boy whom we have just found out was the killer. The facial expressions shown by the parents tells us that they are in shock having just found their little boy with a knife. This emotion is reflected onto the audience as they too feel shocked and so immediately connect with the parents. However, this high angle could also portray the parents as being victimised as they do not yet know that their son has killed their daughter, and so their is a sense of dramatic irony as the viewers already know this. They therefore feel sorry for the parents, which shows that they have connected with them within the few seconds they are on camera for.
Editing -
Towards the end of the opening sequence, a 'Straight Cut' is used which can be seen from 3:45 to 3:47 (of the second clip). A straight cut is a change of shot from one viewpoint or location to another, which may be done to change the scene. In this clip, a straight cut is used to change from the viewpoint of the killer/little boy (POV shot), to an overall view of the boy and his parents in front of the house (high angled shot). This is done to build suspense and emphasises the effect of the enigma as we see the little boy is the killer. This editing technique is used a lot in thriller films to quickly change the scene to keep the audience engaged, and to allow the scene to flow.
In this opening sequence, there is mainly a continuity of editing used . This is because the suspense is made through other conventions of the thriller genre, such as the cinematography, sound or the actual events we see in the scene. The editing techniques used, therefore helps to exaggerate the suspense and tension built from the continuity of the handheld and POV shots, and the effect that the enigma creates. It helps the scene to flow, and gives the audience the impression that the edits are motivated by the events in the reality on screen.
Sound -
There are many different sounds used in this opening sequence. Some of them are listed below;
Firstly, there is the non-diegetic soundtrack played during the opening credits. It is a non-diegetic sound because it has been added on afterwards in the editing stage. This soundtrack quietens at the end of the opening credits, and the sound blends into the non-diegetic sound of the kids chanting, which can be heard from 2:07 to 2:23 (Of the first clip). The chant we hear is a stereotypical chant that kids do on Halloween night, which is made clear when it ends with them saying 'Trick-or-Treat'. This creates an enigma as to what the film will be about. The audience know from this chant and the title that the film will be about Halloween night, but normally, we associate Halloween with kids dressing up and having a little bit of harmless fun. We would not associate the kids chant with a normal thriller story such as a murder and so this keeps the audience guessing.
Silence in any thriller is used to build tension, and so the use of it between 2:23 to 2:43 (of the first clip) does exactly that. Although it is not completely silent, all we can hear is the noise from the fire-flies which tells the audience that the house is set near a forest which is very conventional to the thriller genre. This period of almost-silence builds tension as it is used with the camera technique of zooming in, which helps to engage the audience and draw in their attention to what is about to happen.
When the killer is walking up the stairs there are several different sounds used. There is the non-diegetic sound of the suspense building soundtrack, which has a high pitch to create tension. It makes you focus on what is going on and fastens the pace of the scene. There is also the use of the parallel sound of the clock (non-diegetic), which is matched with the sound of the footsteps (on screen sound). The sound of the clock could have been used to suggest that the girls life is coming to an end; it is almost as if the clock is counting down the seconds until her death. This along with the soundtrack helps to bring the scene to its climax. It could represent the increasing pace of the viewers heartbeat as the tension and suspense built makes them feel on edge, and gives the scene a jumpy atmosphere. When the killer reaches the top of the stairs and we see the girl, we immediately realised what the knife is for and all our emotions are focused on the victim as we begin to feel very sorry for her, which shows that the audience have connected to the female through the actions of the killer.
Characters (representation) -
When we watch any film, it depends on how the characters are presented which determines how we react to them. In this film there are four main sets of characters; The killer, The couple, The parents and the boy (which we don't know if he is the killer or not).
Firstly, we do not know who the killer is, due to the limited detail shown and the hidden identity from the mask. This immediately creates a sense of mystery, which builds suspense and makes the audience feel on edge as they don't know who the killer is. It also makes the audience feel more sympathetic towards the victim, as they know she has no way of knowing who the killer is and so cannot protect herself. The way the killer looks into every room before finding the female victim, suggests to the audience that not only is he obsessed with killing the girl, but possibly that he does not know where the girls bedroom is and so makes us believe that the little boy is not the killer. Having watched the clip, the audience have time to reflect on the events they have just seen through the zooming out, which allows them to subconsciously list all the things that makes them believe that the boy was not the killer, as they desperately want him to be innocent.
The couple in the scene are presented as being totally oblivious to what is going on around them, which suggests that they are supposed to be the victims, and so this would make their portrayal very stereotypical to the thriller genre. For example, when the killer is about to go upstairs, the boyfriend comes down the stairs and literally walks straight past the killer. As well as this, the back door is left wide open for anyone or anything to come through it. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it portrays the couple to be very gullible, as they are allowing danger to walk into their own home, which makes it very clear to the audience that they are the victims. However, it also makes audience think they are stupid and as they watch its almost like they want to shout at the screen saying 'how did you not see him' etc, which many people do when watching thrillers.
The parents are briefly in the opening sequence at the very end. They have missed what has happened inside the house, and are left staring at their son who is wearing a clown costume and holding a knife. Their facial expressions show us that they are confused, which helps to emphasise the confusion the audience feel.
The little boy is dressed in a clowns costume which is very stereotypical of a boy his age at Halloween. This presents him as being completely innocent, which is why at the end of the clip, the audience are left feeling confused as he is holding a knife, suggesting he is the killer. However, without the knife, the boy looks completely innocent, which is what they audience want him to be.
Conventions -
There are many conventions used throughout this opening sequence and I have listed some of them below.
In most thriller films, the killer is portrayed as being mysterious and normally hides his/her identity. In this clip, we do not know who the killer is due to the consistent POV shots and the mask used. The hidden identity makes the audience feel worried for the victim as we do not know what the victim is to expect, and so the audience is left anxiously waiting.
There is normally a common theme of obsession with the killer which has been used since the 1940's in Hitchcock's films. It is shown in this opening sequence by the way the killer looks into each room before going up the stairs to kill the girl. It is a way of indicating to the audience who the killer is, so they can react to what the killer does.
During the opening there are 2 pieces of iconography used, which are the knife and the mask. The knife is conventional to the thriller genre as all killers normally carry a weapon, and the mask is conventional as it helps to hide the killers identity. The mask also emphasises the fact that it is Halloween and so could foreshadow that the killer is about to scare somebody, making the audience tense up and prepare to be scared.
Low-key lighting is used in this clip to create shadows and hide the detail in the scene. It is conventional to thrillers as it leaves the audience on edge as it builds suspense.
There is a female victim which is very conventional to the thriller genre. She is portrayed as being oblivious to her surroundings which tells the audience that something bad is going to happen to her. The victim in any thriller is stereotypically always a young blonde girl, so when the audience see her, they sense that she is going to die.
In this clip, enigmas are created such as who is the killer? and What are his intentions? This is conventional to thrillers as it creates the 3 S's which are Surprise, Shock & Suspense. For example, one of the enigmas is of the boy being the killer. The dialogue is what is misleading as the couple say the little brother is around the house somewhere, but if he is the killer then why would he enter through the open back door of his own house? Also, the killers POV shots look too tall for the little boy to be the killer. It leaves the audience deliberately confused and questioning what they have just seen, and also building up their own evidence as they want the boy to be innocent as he is only a child.
Having analysed the opening sequence of this film, I have learnt that you can use as many conventions in a thriller opening sequence as you wish to, and you shouldn't limit yourself to only using the stereotypical conventions such as the low-key lighting. This opening sequence inspired me and gave me some ideas for my own thriller clip. Thinking about my own narrative, the setting of the detached house surrounded by forest is the same for my narrative, and so I will definitely be keeping this if I am to use my narrative as my final clip. The clips use of hidden identity all the way throughout inspired me as even after the possible identity being revealed, the audience are still not convinced. This gave me an idea that perhaps I don't have to tell the audience who the killer is at all, and instead I can leave my opening clip with a big enigma which will leave the audience guessing.
Point Of View shots are used throughout in this clip to build suspense. The first time the POV shot is used is at the very beginning when we see the image of the front of the house. As we do not know who this person is the audience begin to feel uneasy as we are seeing everything from their perspective, which at the moment is them lurking in the shadows at the front of the house, which gives us the impression that we are trespassing. The audience therefore connect to this character as they feel uneasy about him as they they think he shouldn't be there. The emotions the viewers experience are at a loss because they don't know who to blame these emotions on, and so when we find out the killer was the little boy, the effect of the shock is heightened.
When using POV shots in the opening scene, it becomes clear to us that we are seeing things from the criminals perspective. This is made clear to us when we see a knife being picked up (see frame opposite).This builds suspense as normally we would see things from the perspective of the victim, but by allowing us to see what the killer sees is unusual and makes us feel even more sympathetic to the victim as she has no clue as to what is about to happen. The audience feel on edge as they also don't know what to expect and so are left anxiously waiting. At this point in the clip, we do not know why the killer has picked up the knife or who he wishes to use it on. It helps audience to feel negatively about this unknown person creating a connection, but at the same down draws some emotional distance between the viewers and the killer.
Another POV shot we see is when the killer puts on the clown mask which is one of the main pieces of iconography in this opening sequence. We can then only see the scene through two eye holes making it seem like we are wearing the mask (See frame opposite). This builds tension and creates an intimate atmosphere between the audience and the killer, as it is, as if we are now the killer. It engages the audience as they can only see minimal details of the scene, and so are left wondering what is going on. This creates a sense of enigma, and also helps to keep the identity of the killer hidden, which is very conventional to the thriller genre. The use of the hidden identity throughout this clip keeps the audience engaged as they are constantly guessing who this person is, and figure who they feel so negatively towards.Handheld camera work is used all the way throughout the clip, but is mainly noticeable between 2:10 to 2:30 (of the second clip), which is the scene where the killer walks up the stairs. A handheld shot is used to create jerky and unsteady images to produce a sense of urgency and chaos. In this opening sequence, the use of the handheld camera work makes it difficult for the viewers to make out what is going on. It puts the audience into the 'shoes' of the killer which makes the killers emotions reflect onto the audience. The 'shaking' could represent the urge and the obsession the killer feels to kill the girl, and represents him as being slightly psychotic which is also very conventional to the thriller genre. This makes the audience feel slightly obsessed as to what is going to happen. Handheld camera shots are very conventional in thriller films as it helps to build suspense.
At the very beginning of the opening sequence, after the credits have been shown, the camera technique of 'zooming in' is used to help to engage the audience. It tells the audience that the house that has been zoomed in on should be what they are focused on and this foreshadows that something bad is going to happen inside this house, which makes the audience feel on edge. At the end of the opening sequence, zooming out is used into a high angled shot of the house and some of the characters. (See frame above). This is used to create distance between the audience and the scene. It helps to emphasise the enigma they are left with, which allows the audience time to think about what they have just witnessed. It also makes the audience eager to find out what happens next.When zooming out we are left with 3 characters on screen, which are the 2 parents and the little boy whom we have just found out was the killer. The facial expressions shown by the parents tells us that they are in shock having just found their little boy with a knife. This emotion is reflected onto the audience as they too feel shocked and so immediately connect with the parents. However, this high angle could also portray the parents as being victimised as they do not yet know that their son has killed their daughter, and so their is a sense of dramatic irony as the viewers already know this. They therefore feel sorry for the parents, which shows that they have connected with them within the few seconds they are on camera for.
Editing -
Towards the end of the opening sequence, a 'Straight Cut' is used which can be seen from 3:45 to 3:47 (of the second clip). A straight cut is a change of shot from one viewpoint or location to another, which may be done to change the scene. In this clip, a straight cut is used to change from the viewpoint of the killer/little boy (POV shot), to an overall view of the boy and his parents in front of the house (high angled shot). This is done to build suspense and emphasises the effect of the enigma as we see the little boy is the killer. This editing technique is used a lot in thriller films to quickly change the scene to keep the audience engaged, and to allow the scene to flow.
There are many different sounds used in this opening sequence. Some of them are listed below;
Firstly, there is the non-diegetic soundtrack played during the opening credits. It is a non-diegetic sound because it has been added on afterwards in the editing stage. This soundtrack quietens at the end of the opening credits, and the sound blends into the non-diegetic sound of the kids chanting, which can be heard from 2:07 to 2:23 (Of the first clip). The chant we hear is a stereotypical chant that kids do on Halloween night, which is made clear when it ends with them saying 'Trick-or-Treat'. This creates an enigma as to what the film will be about. The audience know from this chant and the title that the film will be about Halloween night, but normally, we associate Halloween with kids dressing up and having a little bit of harmless fun. We would not associate the kids chant with a normal thriller story such as a murder and so this keeps the audience guessing.
Silence in any thriller is used to build tension, and so the use of it between 2:23 to 2:43 (of the first clip) does exactly that. Although it is not completely silent, all we can hear is the noise from the fire-flies which tells the audience that the house is set near a forest which is very conventional to the thriller genre. This period of almost-silence builds tension as it is used with the camera technique of zooming in, which helps to engage the audience and draw in their attention to what is about to happen.
When the killer is walking up the stairs there are several different sounds used. There is the non-diegetic sound of the suspense building soundtrack, which has a high pitch to create tension. It makes you focus on what is going on and fastens the pace of the scene. There is also the use of the parallel sound of the clock (non-diegetic), which is matched with the sound of the footsteps (on screen sound). The sound of the clock could have been used to suggest that the girls life is coming to an end; it is almost as if the clock is counting down the seconds until her death. This along with the soundtrack helps to bring the scene to its climax. It could represent the increasing pace of the viewers heartbeat as the tension and suspense built makes them feel on edge, and gives the scene a jumpy atmosphere. When the killer reaches the top of the stairs and we see the girl, we immediately realised what the knife is for and all our emotions are focused on the victim as we begin to feel very sorry for her, which shows that the audience have connected to the female through the actions of the killer.
Characters (representation) -
When we watch any film, it depends on how the characters are presented which determines how we react to them. In this film there are four main sets of characters; The killer, The couple, The parents and the boy (which we don't know if he is the killer or not).
Firstly, we do not know who the killer is, due to the limited detail shown and the hidden identity from the mask. This immediately creates a sense of mystery, which builds suspense and makes the audience feel on edge as they don't know who the killer is. It also makes the audience feel more sympathetic towards the victim, as they know she has no way of knowing who the killer is and so cannot protect herself. The way the killer looks into every room before finding the female victim, suggests to the audience that not only is he obsessed with killing the girl, but possibly that he does not know where the girls bedroom is and so makes us believe that the little boy is not the killer. Having watched the clip, the audience have time to reflect on the events they have just seen through the zooming out, which allows them to subconsciously list all the things that makes them believe that the boy was not the killer, as they desperately want him to be innocent.
The couple in the scene are presented as being totally oblivious to what is going on around them, which suggests that they are supposed to be the victims, and so this would make their portrayal very stereotypical to the thriller genre. For example, when the killer is about to go upstairs, the boyfriend comes down the stairs and literally walks straight past the killer. As well as this, the back door is left wide open for anyone or anything to come through it. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it portrays the couple to be very gullible, as they are allowing danger to walk into their own home, which makes it very clear to the audience that they are the victims. However, it also makes audience think they are stupid and as they watch its almost like they want to shout at the screen saying 'how did you not see him' etc, which many people do when watching thrillers.
The parents are briefly in the opening sequence at the very end. They have missed what has happened inside the house, and are left staring at their son who is wearing a clown costume and holding a knife. Their facial expressions show us that they are confused, which helps to emphasise the confusion the audience feel.
The little boy is dressed in a clowns costume which is very stereotypical of a boy his age at Halloween. This presents him as being completely innocent, which is why at the end of the clip, the audience are left feeling confused as he is holding a knife, suggesting he is the killer. However, without the knife, the boy looks completely innocent, which is what they audience want him to be.Conventions -
There are many conventions used throughout this opening sequence and I have listed some of them below.
In most thriller films, the killer is portrayed as being mysterious and normally hides his/her identity. In this clip, we do not know who the killer is due to the consistent POV shots and the mask used. The hidden identity makes the audience feel worried for the victim as we do not know what the victim is to expect, and so the audience is left anxiously waiting.
There is normally a common theme of obsession with the killer which has been used since the 1940's in Hitchcock's films. It is shown in this opening sequence by the way the killer looks into each room before going up the stairs to kill the girl. It is a way of indicating to the audience who the killer is, so they can react to what the killer does.
During the opening there are 2 pieces of iconography used, which are the knife and the mask. The knife is conventional to the thriller genre as all killers normally carry a weapon, and the mask is conventional as it helps to hide the killers identity. The mask also emphasises the fact that it is Halloween and so could foreshadow that the killer is about to scare somebody, making the audience tense up and prepare to be scared.
Low-key lighting is used in this clip to create shadows and hide the detail in the scene. It is conventional to thrillers as it leaves the audience on edge as it builds suspense.
There is a female victim which is very conventional to the thriller genre. She is portrayed as being oblivious to her surroundings which tells the audience that something bad is going to happen to her. The victim in any thriller is stereotypically always a young blonde girl, so when the audience see her, they sense that she is going to die.
In this clip, enigmas are created such as who is the killer? and What are his intentions? This is conventional to thrillers as it creates the 3 S's which are Surprise, Shock & Suspense. For example, one of the enigmas is of the boy being the killer. The dialogue is what is misleading as the couple say the little brother is around the house somewhere, but if he is the killer then why would he enter through the open back door of his own house? Also, the killers POV shots look too tall for the little boy to be the killer. It leaves the audience deliberately confused and questioning what they have just seen, and also building up their own evidence as they want the boy to be innocent as he is only a child.
Having analysed the opening sequence of this film, I have learnt that you can use as many conventions in a thriller opening sequence as you wish to, and you shouldn't limit yourself to only using the stereotypical conventions such as the low-key lighting. This opening sequence inspired me and gave me some ideas for my own thriller clip. Thinking about my own narrative, the setting of the detached house surrounded by forest is the same for my narrative, and so I will definitely be keeping this if I am to use my narrative as my final clip. The clips use of hidden identity all the way throughout inspired me as even after the possible identity being revealed, the audience are still not convinced. This gave me an idea that perhaps I don't have to tell the audience who the killer is at all, and instead I can leave my opening clip with a big enigma which will leave the audience guessing.
This post demonstrates a good understanding of what the codes and conventions are of a thriller film. You have analysed the opening sequence to Halloween well and you have included some excellent examples to support the points that you have made. The points that you have included, on the micro elements, also helps to establish the conventions.
ReplyDeleteTo develop this post, you need to-
1) Consider the relationship between the characters and the audience
2) Discuss your summary points, in further detail. By considering your opening sequence and what you would like to include, based on the inspirations that you have gained, from your Halloween analysis.