#17 Watching and Analyzing

    Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog! I'm here with another post, and today we'll be discussing the opening sequences of horror films and examining if I might incorporate any of their techniques into my group's two-minute opening.

    Let's start with the first film I watched, "Get Away: Get Ready for a Killer Holiday" (2024). The opening two minutes establish a dark and eerie mood on the remote Swedish island, Svälta. The Smith family—Richard, Susan, and their children, Sam and Jessie—arrive to encounter hostile locals. The dim lighting, thick fog, and unsettling soundtrack create a creepy atmosphere. Close-ups and quick cuts emphasize the family's discomfort and the locals' strange behavior, suggesting that their vacation will not be as peaceful as they had hoped. This opening effectively grabs the audience's attention and sets the stage for the unfolding horror.

    Next, the first two minutes of "Bloody Axe Wound" (2024) establish a dark and eerie mood. We are introduced to Emily, a young woman reluctantly taking on her father's deadly profession. The dim lighting and shadowy setting create a creepy atmosphere as she prepares for her first night on the job. The locals' suspicious and uneasy behavior adds to the tension. Close-ups and quick cuts emphasize Emily's nervousness and the locals' strange reactions. The unsettling music and the distant howling wind enhance the suspense, hinting at themes of coming-of-age and danger. This opening effectively grabs the audience's attention and sets the stage for the unfolding horror.

    Finally, the first two minutes of "The First Omen" (2024) establish a chilling and ominous mood. The scene opens on a dark, stormy night at a grand old mansion surrounded by an eerie forest. We are introduced to Dr. Emily Warren as she investigates strange occurrences. Dim lighting, flashes of lightning, and unsettling music enhance the suspense. Close-ups and quick cuts highlight her anxiety, while distant thunder adds to the tension, hinting at themes of supernatural horror and foreboding. This opening effectively grabs the audience's attention and sets the stage for the unfolding horror.

*These three films provide valuable insights for my project as they showcase techniques that I can incorporate into my own two-minute extract. Each film effectively utilizes lighting, sound, and cinematography to create suspense and tension, which are crucial elements for a captivating horror opening.