I decided to do a horror as my final thriller style opening scene. For my final AS piece I would like to incorporate both thriller and horror within all aspects of my piece, therefore I chose a horror that includes many classic horror techniques.

Title: Insidious (first out of triology)
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Bryne, Ty Simpkins
Age rating: 15
Director: James Wan
Screenplay: Leigh Whannell
Release date: 29th April 2011

Narrative: A gripping story of a family in search of help for their son, Dalton, who fell into a coma after a mysterious incident in the attic. Little do they know that there is much more to this endless sleep than meets the eye as they explore the paranormal, and rediscover the past; the key to getting their son back once and for all.

Mis en scene:

• The location and general setting is very dark and gloom full along with the camera movement being very slow and at mostly high angles
• The location is a normal house setting with a normal family, this gives vulnerability to the audience and characters which shows the life likeness throughout the film.
• Costume and makeup is used throughout the opening scene, an old ladies face is used to show creepiness and makeup is used here to increase creepiness and terror factor.

Angles and shots:

• A constant pan is used throughout the entire opening scene as it establishes the scene, this is used along side both high and low angles, again, to establish the scene.
• Aerial shots are used to show places in the house - mainly to establish the scene.
• Canted angles are also used to show the disorientation of the storyline and the twist in the story and discomfort.
• Fast zooms both in and out are used for intensity.
• 360 degree turns are used at the very start, this again like the canted angles is to show the discomfort and enhance the creepiness

Sounds:

• Sound effects like screeching and clock ticks are used to build up intensity and creepiness.
• Non-diegetic sounds like whispers are used to foreshadow the film, within the film the son falls into a coma and these whispers are seen to come from the parallel world or coma that other characters cannot hear.

Editing: 

• Credits are used throughout the opening scene to introduce the films title, actors and producers etcs. These are used in the same way as the angles - to increase intensity blurs and fades are used with the credits, all whilst sound effects are used on top of them.
• The opening scene is made up of black and white clips and images that have an animated soft look to them and to fade these from one to the other, blurs and fades to black are used.
• The colouration of the opening scene is very discoloured, this adds to the idea of the audience being discomforted compared to a comforting bright image.
• Ghost like fades are used around the credits and characters to show the style of film.

Themes:

• Darkness and lack of lighting is a very big theme, it is used throughout the opening scene for discomfort and a classic horror feel.
• Figures like old women and unknown people are used through shadows multiple times within the opening scene, this foreshadows the film as these are again used again and again.
• The colouration of black and white is only used in the opening scene but is used constantly in the clip I have analysed.
• The constant non-diegetic sound of screeching is a theme as it enhances the horror image and style of film