{

SCREAM opening sequence analysis

When watching the opening of 'Scream', The very first thing that stands out to me is the use of white clothing on the female Protagonist character ,Drew Barrymore. The use of the characters white clothing immediately emphasizes sympathy, and vulnerablity towards her character, and the increasingly worsening of the situation she was in.

This was emphasized when the mysterious killer attacked her. In contrast the female character the killer was dressed in  a black, dark, cloaked clothing. The contrast in the characters clothing represents the two parallels of good and evil". Furthermore, when the innocent victim is attacked, the blood produces a contrast with the white clothing and creates a much more dramatic effect, than if the clothing were to be a darker colour.

The clothing is also used to create stereotypes. A perfect example of Stereotypes in this opening, can be seen where the female's boyfriend was dressed in jeans, and a football jacket, to portray his ‘jock’ status. Typically the alpha male.

The use of the Popcorn popping from the beginning to end represents how quickly events and situations can't unfold when the popcorn starts vigorously popping shows how it's gradually adapting to the current events.

The most important and significant use of mise-en-scène is definitely  the use of the phone from start to finish. Something as simple as a household phone is the first thing the audience sees, and therefore gives a clear idea of the situation that's is about to occur. The phone is used throughout the whole of the opening scene, especially up to the female character's death where the phone is used by the female characters parents ,as they find out what is happening to their daughter.

Tension is built up in this scene thought the directors use lighting within the scene and change the mood in the scene when characters are in darkness. When the female character moves from the light and bright kitchen, to the dark corridor, as the conversation on the phone worsens, vulnerability is created, and fear for the audience, as well as the characters as the scene unfolds.

Establishing shots are used to establish to the audience a location and the strange things that happen there. The location that is used is big white house in the suburbs, a typical conventional location for a horror genre. The big white house is conventional because the house appears ordinary , and everything comes across as peaceful and safe. This shot presents a traditional family home with a rope swing, implying that a child has or is living there. This adds the eerie feel of the films opening.

In scream tracking Is used to show that the victim is unaware of what is going on and gives the affect that she is being followed. Panning is also used to show what she's looking at, for example in the garden scene it shows where and what she is looking at, it also shows her feelings, if the camera pans fast she is nervous and if it pan slow she is calm.

Tracking

Fast panning