Insidious Film Opening Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1e1feo4DUk

Conventions of film openings

In film opening we expect to see:• The genre being made clear• Key characters established• Music• Intro / some text/ narration• Titles – key personnel/film name/ film production

company• The film location• Enigma

Conventions in Insidious film opening:

• Genre made clear by the music and the slow edits in the film opening.

• Music is eerie helping emphasise the genre• Titles – film production company, actors, film

name etc.• The film location is a empty house being a

convention of the horror genre.• A lot of enigma

Insidious (2010)Insidious is a film, from the makers of Saw and Paranormal Activity, about a family who have recently moved into there idyllic new home. When tragedy strikes their young son they begin to experience things that no one can explain. Before long, their lives are turned upside down and when forced to seek help they discover the truth that it isn’t the house that is haunted it is something a lot worse. Director: James WanWriter: Leigh WhannellMain actors: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty SimpkinsGenre: Horrorbbfc rating: 15

At the start of the opening we see a young child in bed, sleeping. We then get led through the house and see a shadow in the window, and then we get close to the shadow which turns out to be a ghostly woman. We then see the title of the film and go on to another location. At the other location we get show all the different rooms in the house. In most of the shots we see a ghostly happening or a shadow of some sort.

Summary of the film opening

Mise-en-Scene

Props-The grandfather clock is featured quite a lot in the opening of Insidious showing it is important. The clock fits the conventions of a horror film

Costume- In the opening of Insidious we don’t see any people other than the ghostly figures, we mainly see shadows. When we get a close up on the woman holding a candle, she looks as if she is wearing a dark veil and dark old-fashioned clothing, suggesting she is evil.

Lighting- Throughout the opening the lighting is low key suggesting it is mysterious, also in some shots there is only a certain part of the room highlighted and the rest is black, showing the importance of the certain place also suggesting something is hidden. This links to the conventions of the genre horrorActors- We only see a picture of the main characters in a family photo. In the photo they look to be a happy family, smiling and all in pale clothing suggesting their innocence. However the adult male in the photo isn’t smiling and has a very stern look on his face, suggesting he isn’t as innocent as first thought. He is holding his family quite close showing he is protective.

Make up- When we see the woman’s face close up, she is quite wrinkly and pale, showing her age , the area around her eyes is very dark suggesting there is more to tell.

Setting- The location of the opening is the family home of the main characters, the audience sees all the different rooms, because it is in black and white it is fairly spooky and uncomfortable. In the rooms we can see that the family has just moved in as there is cardboard boxes.

EditingThe editing is quite slow, giving the audience a chance to take it all in and a sense of enigma.

After every shot there is a fade out from one shot and another fade into the next making it look mysterious, also when we go into the next shot it is unfocused suggesting confusion within the house.

The film opening is in black and white apart from the beginning giving a sense of unease. The connotations of black is evil and mystery and the connotations of white are purity, goodness and innocence giving the idea that in this film there will be a clash of good and evil.The titles are in red, red in this format connotes danger/blood/ gore.

There is a long shot on the grandfather clock down a corridor, we can only make out the clock. There is then a jump cut bringing us closer to the clock with a flickering glow around it suggesting it is significant but why? Links to the conventions of the genre.

CameraWe see an establishing shot at the new location to set the scene, and to tell the audience where they are.

There is an aerial shot looking down the staircase and a shadow at the bottom, also being a point of view shot showing something is watching and giving a sense of enigma.

The slight dutch tilt on the clock gives a sense of confusion and unease.

SoundIn the opening there is non-diegetic music, at the beginning the music is a sort of ringing in your ear echoing sound. When we first see the shadow we hear high pitch violin being played fast.(1m28) There isn’t a sound bridge to emphasise shock of seeing the shadow.

When we get close the woman’s face it goes quiet and then the title shows up with the high pitch music again(1m47) to make the audience jump, again no sound bridge.

After the title the rest of the opening has a eerie, mysterious feel to the music, to give a sense of unease.

Titles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1e1feo4DUk

The titles of the film production company, main actors, director etc. is in a chilling red font. Below is an example of how the titles are edited.

First we just get shown the titles in a harsh, unfriendly font, linking to the genre

The words then fade upwards and the writing becomes lighter

The words then go into a pale blue and clouds out, making it seem more ghostly

The writing left then fades out letter by letter

All of this links to the conventions of a horror film. It gives the audience a sense that it is a ghostly, creepy film

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i0uiAOk76I

The title of the film is in a red font, and the ends of the letters look demon/ devil like. In the film opening we see that the title is flickering and looks as if there is fire underneath it, we can also see the shadow of the letters behind it. Linking to hell, devils, evil etc.

Enigma

Why is the house empty?Why don’t we meet any of the characters?Where are the family in the photo?Why is the grandfather clock so important?What is going to happen to the family?Who is the old women at the start?Why are there ghostly shadows?