What makes an EFFECTIVE HORROR opening sequence?

Micro features –

•Sound/Music, diagetic and non diagetic sounds to build up the mood, atmosphere, suspense and tension in the opening scene.

•Lighting, good use of lighting can make a horror opening very effective. It can represent many things, e.g. lots of dark shadows casting the victim to represent he/she is in danger.

•Camera angles, different series of shots can be used to help convey a horror opening sequence. Close up shots of the victims, over the shoulder shot can be used for the antagonist looking at the victim.

•Mise en scene, the setting of the scene, in an isolated area. Where props are placed, where the characters are in the room: where the antagonist is placed in the room etc.

•Editing, how the opening scene is edited to create an effective horror scene.

Macro features –

• Iconography, what in the mise en scene represents. For example a knife signifies a weapon, in a slasher film this would be the only weapon used for the series of killings. Music, eerie music represents that something bad is going to happen. Clothes, what the characters are wearing and why? Usually the antagonist/killer would hide their identity by wearing a mask. Setting, where and why would it be specifically set there.

•Characters. Who the characters are, if they are male or female. Usually in a horror genre film the antagonist is male and the victims consist of females/males. In a slasher film, it is usually a female character that survives. Also what the characters are wearing and why?

•Setting, where it has been set. If its in a open spaced setting or a closed space setting. Usually an open & isolated spaced setting for the horror genre.