Analysis of opening scene- The Woman In Black

The establishing scene of the opening scene has a fading in transition, which shows the close up shopt of, who we presume to be young girls pouring tea into tiny teacups. The use of the close up camera shot, suggests that these objects may have some important to the film as the were the first shot of the whole film. Also having the establishing scene as a close up automatically creates tension as the audience has very little vision of the shot as it doesn't give an insight of the characters or location, which usually horrors consist of. The use of mise en scene is very effective in this opening scene as the use of small teacups and teapot suggests to the audience that the characters in this scene are fairly young as they are still playing 'tea parties' and make belief games. Having involved the imaginary tea pouring out of the teapot into the cups, gives an insight of how youthful the characters are and implies they are girls, as stereotypically girls play with teacups and dolls. On the teacups there are also little birds, which imply innocence for the characters in this scene. Involving thr use of the ting table suggests that they are playing with something small, which could be dolls or some sort of toy, which again symbolises their youth and young age they have. In this shot the focus pull changes from one cup to the other teacup. This forces the audience to focus on these points in the shot, which allows them to remember the objects present in the shot. The pace of this shot is fairly long, which suggests the peaceful atmosphere in the shot and suggests the normality of the day.

The next shot is also a close up shot of, what looks like a handmade doll, which one of the characters are giving tea to. This reflects the youthfulness of the character as stereotypically young girls play with dolls and more imaginary games. The use of having the teacup repeatedly shown in from the previous shot suggests that they are important or have some importance to the film. The look of the dolls as being homemade suggests that this film is set in the past or in a period of time where there was little money, which suggests the characters would be from the past too. The pace of the filming is again fairly slow, which is slowly building up tension as the audience are expecting something scary or frightening to happen, as this is what usually features in the conventions of horrors. The slow pace of the shot is also allows the audience to see focus on certain points of the shot, which allows them to create a picture of the location of the film.

The following shot is similar to the previous one, but with a different doll. This suggests that there are multiple characters in the opening scene, which could suggests sisters are playing together or they are all friends. Having used a different doll suggests that the characters families may have not as much money as they cannot afford to buy the dolls, but on the other hand shows how different time was in this film compare to the now-a-days. Having the focus pull on the doll suggests that this may have some importance to the scenes to follow but also allows the audience to focus on what is important in the scene, the doll and the teacup. This pace of filming is again slow, which is gradually building up tension and suspense in the opening scene of this film.

The medium low angled shot allows the audience to see the location of where the opening scene is set, a child's bedroom. The medium shot allows the audience to see the location, which suggests that the film is definitely set in the past, as the furniture is all made of wood, rather than all the high tech furniture around now. Also the walls being a grubby green colour suggests the atmosphere of the scene as being dull and empty, motif. The use of mise en scene, lack of carpet again suggests the film being set in a simpler time. Having the film being set in the past can follow the conventions of a horror, as the horror is usually due to something happening the past. The characters in the scene shows the innocence of them due to the clothes being frilly and something which your parents would dress you in when you were younger. The hair tied up, also shows that the children are cared about as their parent or guardians helps them do their hair and dress them for the day. Having toys scattered all over the floor adds to the effect of the location being in a children's bedroom as this is what usually what happens in a children's room. The medium shot also allows the audience to see the characters, which are three young girls, which suggest the normality of the day as they are all playing happily together. Having the shot low angled as well, allows the audience to feel part of the film as if they are one of the children over viewing them playing. The use of the lighting illuminates the girls more than anything else in the shot, which suggests they are the most important thing in the shot. The slow pace shot allows the audience to focus on the characters and their actions they are doing in the shot. This medium shot also shows the relationship between the characters, as the placement of them shows that they are close as there isn't much space between them. This suggests that they friends or have some kind of relation between each of them.

The close up shows another doll, which we presume to belong to the last character. This shows that the girls are close as they are playing together and the atmosphere is all happy and playful. Having the use of the dolls being constantly repeated, suggest the significance they have to the film. The close allows the audience to focus the doll as the focus pull is the dolls face. The pace of the shot is faster than the other close ups, which suggests the horror is about to begin. Involving the girl brushing her hair, shows what a stereotypical girl would do at a friends house, which shows their youth and the age the girls are. The next shot is also a close up of the children tucking in one of the dolls. Having these close up shots suggests how girls are treated and what they are seen to grow up as, as involving the girls playing with dolls and caring about them suggests how girls were brought up during this time as girls were only allowed to do what they are 'meant' to grow up to be; looking after children, house work etc.

The medium shot of the two girls, which follows the shot above, shows the two girls smiling at, who we presume to be the other girl. This shot suggests the closeness of the two girls as they are the only once in the shot, which suggests they are closer with each other than with the other girl. This shot also allows the audience to see the expressions of the girl's faces, which makes the atmosphere warm and calming, as the girls are gleaming and smiling. However the music int the background, makes the whole scene feel creepy for the audience as the use of the the non-diagetic music being in a nursery theme style,which makes the audience feel uneasy. The pace of this shot is slow, which again increases tension. The next shot is of the other girl, which is smiling back at the girls. Having only one of the girls being on their own, suggests that they are more important than the other two girls, as she has a shot of with only her in it.

The next shot, although the camera is close to the ground, the camera shot is slightly high angled. This suggests that the audience are looking over what the girls are doing as the camera is focusing on the dolls, which makes them feel as if they are part of the opening scene. The focus pull is again the dolls in the scene, which suggests they are very important to the film.

The next shot is a high angled shot, which involves the girls to stop playing and to look towards the camera. This suggests that the camera is acting as though they are a person and the girls are looking up towards the person, which creates an enigma for the audience as they do not know who it is or what it is that the girls are staring at, which also creates suspense and tension. This shot also allows the audience to see the location of the room and suggests that this film is set in the past. The high angled shot allows the audience to feel part of the film as the position of the camera suggests its through whoever is standing at the door. The pace of this shot is again slow, which create tension and suspense as the audience does not know who this person or thing is!

The composition of the previous shot and this shot being put next to each other in the editing process, creates tension as the shots jumps from at the door way to a low angled shot of the girls on the floor. This shot furthermore increases the enigma due to the action of the girls looking over their shoulders, what are they staring at? The use of the eye line match shot, which shows what the girls are looking at, the window. The enigma is continued , but makes the audience feel as though someone may be at the window. The use of zooming into the window suggests its importance and suggests the characters are drawing in their concentration to this part of the room.

The medium shot of the girls standing up automatically makes the audience feel uncomfortable as the characters are still looking towards the window. This suggests that something bad or unnerving is about to occur, which follows the conventions of an horror thriller. This shot is then followed by the two close up shots, which focuses on the characters clothes (mise en scene), which suggests the period of time this film is meant to be set. Also the pace of these close ups are fast, which are increasingly building up tension and suspense for the audience.

The use of the low angled close up shots of the girls shoes stepping on to the objects suggests many things. Having the girls smash their toys and the dolls with their feet, suggests them throwing and saying goodbye to their childhood, which makes the audience feel as though something bad is going to happen. It also makes the audience confused as one minute they were pampering the dolls and the next they have walked all over them without any care in breaking them or anything.

The medium shot of the girls walking into the camera, makes the audience feel as though they are walking towards them, which makes them feel part of the film. The use of the mise en scene, of the clothing, suggests the purity of these children, which makes the audience confused on why they are walking to the window if they are pure and innocent. This shot is then followed with the camera being place behind the girls, as they are stepping up on the ledge of the window. This makes audience guess what is about to happen, which subverts the convention of a  horror as usually a scary part occurs in the opening scene rather something which the audience can guess. The slow pace of the shot builds tension and increases the enigma for the audience. As the girls jumps the audience are as confused as anything as one minute they are playing and the next they have just jumped out of the window! The use of the music increasingly building in volume, increases the tension of what has happened. The use of the female screaming, implies that the girls have died. Having the camera panning out of the window, could suggest the girls life fading as they are falling through the air. This also allows the audience to see contrast from beginning of the shot to the end.

The close up of doll, suggests that it would never be touched again and that the love for what the girls had for the dolls has disappeared. This could imply how the girls families feel as they are would never be touched or held again in the same way.

The camera then pans out again and stops in an over the shoulder shot of a person dressed in black. This makes the audience feel as though this person is the cause of what has happened as they are seen to have just watched what has happened, without any reaction of stopping them. But who's shoulder is this? Is it the Woman in Black's?