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Task 1 Task 2 Task 3
Maria Purpose/conventions MES
Jodie Camsam Sound Barthes Theory
Amy Editing Narrative Barthes Theory
Film Details
Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Year 2011
Director Drew Goddard
Main actors Chris Hemsworth
Kristen Connolly
Anna Hutchison
Fran Kraz
Jesse Williams
The teenagers
are getting
ready to go
on some sort
of vacation.
Conventions
1 There is usually a smart/sensible girl.
2 A group of teenagers go to a
retreat/holiday or some sort or place for
them to get away.
3 The teenagers are usually getting up to no
good.
4 There is usually a dumb/self centred slutty
blonde
5 There is usually a really cocky/arrogant man
that believes they know what they are
doing.
6 A new person to the group that has not
known everyone for very long.
Purpos
e
1. To thrill people by making the audience
wonder who the two characters in lab are
and what they are doing.
2. To keep people anticipated to want to
watch more by leaving enigmas.
3. Another purpose could be to introduce the
audience to the
enigmas/characters/themes or genre.
4. The last purpose could be to make the
company money because the more people
that like the opening sequence would lead
to more publicity, hence the reason the
audience would want to watch it in
cinemas which would make the company
more money.
Props
Costume • The costume the characters wear is casual and ordinary.
• In the picture on the left the character is wearing a hoodie and jeans.
• This could suggest that
the character is just a laid back ordinary guy.
• The character is holding a rugby ball.
• Which contributes to characters gender
that most men just like to play with balls.
• The character is just doing what any normal teenager would do.
Setting• The location is in the characters
bedroom.• This adds to the representation of horror
because the opening sequence usually starts off in a home.
• The character is at home and not out on the street which adds to her representation of being sensible.
• By the character being at home this could make it more realistic for the
audience.
Character • The characters look young which
contributes to the representation of
the genre horror.
• The characters add to the
representation of there personality
as there is usually blonde
dumb/slutty character.
• The girl on the right hand comes
across as ordinary teenager that
seems smart & sensible.
• The enigmas in the opening
sequence make you wonder why
the its just two girls & one guy.
The Lighting• The lighting is a mixture between high
key/artificial lighting & natural lighting.• The lighting is white• The colour white connotes innocence,
venerability & purity.• This creates a relaxed and calm tone.• Which relaxes the atmosphere &
audience
• This contributes to the genre because in most horror films they have a natural white light which is usually at the start of movies as things are going fine.
Todorovs
Todorovs theory (there
are 5 stages)
How it links to my opening
sequence
The first stage is the equilibrium.
When the audience see the two characters in the lab everything seems
fine/normal.
The second stage would be the disequilibrium
The women in the lab seems worried as she follows the two men around but they don’t seem to care that much
The third stage would be
recognition of disequilibriumWhen the group of
teenagers are going on vacation and one of the girls want to bring book but her does not allow her.
The attempt to repair the disequilibrium
One of the friends tries to convince the other the vacation will fun and should
be a time to have fun.
The new equilibrium The teenagers decide to pack up there stuff and go.
Camera shots
To clearly see graphic images, creates apprehension
Establishes scene to the audience
To show the setting in which they work
Camera angles
The low angle presents the
lady as being in control
The high angle instantly
portrays this man as vulnerable
and helpless, (which he is, as
later on in the film he gets
killed)
Pan
Zoom
Tilt
Pans across to
display the
area/location
Immediately
Introduces main
character
Creates
anticipation as
the audience
want to discover
where the
camera is going
Sound
Music is playing, that the characters cannot hear, only the audience can hear this there fore it is non - diegetic
Non – diegetic
Music starts of slow then starts to get faster and louder, which matches the vicious images this is volume control
Volume control
Mode of addressThe dialogue of characters seems informal, as there is use of swearing ( suggesting there young adults most likely of lower class)
Sound perspective
The characters voices are faint to demonstrate to the audience that they are further away.
SoundDiegetic sound
The sound of the car screeching, is diegetic as the audience and character can both hear it.
Non-Diegetic
The red title makes a loud crash sound as it appears on the screen, which is non diegetic.
Foley
Foley is used to create the sound of the skateboard rolling on the ground, which is a naturalistic sound effect.
Narrative theoryBarthes – semantic code
Red underwear is very sexy and seductive, Here red has connotations of being sensual
Red is the colour of blood which connotes danger and gore
The red clouds give a feel of aggression and fury
At the start there is bright red blood which is thick
and could symbolise that it is pure and new. The
pace of it is slow which contracts the different
pace of the teenagers as they move around fast. It
slides down the screen portraying that it is going
into something. The blood also has holes in it which
could suggest gun/bullet shots.
It looks like its
about to come
off the screen.This is an example
of the bullet hole.
The build up of the blood shows a gradual insight
into what we should expect and this creates
tension. It looks quite old fashioned with the Greek
drawing, this emphasises something symbolic and
cultural, as well as giving a view what we should
expect from the film.
This is an example
of one of the Greek
drawings.
Just before it cross cuts over to the other scene it
pans further down over the blood, and the lower
you go the more fire you see, this symbolises hell.
The special effects are used on the early beginning
part for the blood and fire, this is because it has to
look dramatic and realistic.
Its brighter orange
portraying fire and
hazard.
The rapid transitions into the typical day at
“work” contradicts the theme of death but
is argued that it creates more tension and
suspense as its not expected. It has an
surprised reaction from the audience as it
pops up at the most random time.
This pops up right after
the scene before.
The sudden shock of “Cabin in the Woods”
frightens the audience as the characters are
having a quiet conversation then it pops up so it
alarms you, this connotes that another shock could
creep up at any time. Also it is really in your face
like you can’t get rid of it.
The red font throughout emphasises danger and
death, also the fact the title is bold is more
hazardous.
When it goes on to the scene of the teenagers the
names of the people who helped produce the film
constantly appear and fade in an unexpected
random way, this could suggest that blood, and
death etc are going to be constantly haunting
them. This is emphasised by the red splats on the
names.
This is an example of
the blood splats on
the font.
The structure of the opening sequence starts with
blood and Egyptian drawings. Its non linear
because it doesn’t start from the beginning until
after the blood part. It has quick transitions when it
changes from one scene to the next. The cross
cutting is unexpected as it happens so quick and is
quite jumpy.
Enigma-This opening creates enigma right at the start when it
has Egyptian paintings in the blood. In addition when it goes
on to the two men at work it makes us as an audience wonder why they are they and who/what they work for.
Action- The codes of behaviour are as if they don’t care,
when he is talking to the lady and he drives off without
finishing the sentence.
Semantic-the characters of the teenagers are normal and
typical as they are getting ready to go on a trip. The location
where they are leaving from seems like a normal city.
Symbolic- the symbolic code could be where the teenagers
are living at the start, there are trees which could symbolise
the forest. The male in the couple is clever whereas the
female seems like a bimbo.
Cultural- the cultural meanings could be the Egyptian
drawings at the start as they seem old fashioned and have a
specific meaning.
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