The Woman In Black Opening Scene Analysis
Carla Castagnetti
The first shot is a close up of a tea pot pouring some imaginary liquid into two tea mugs. This angle is used to highlight the fact that there is something more dark and unpleasant than a child just playing tea parties. This is then followed by a series of close up shots of the children playing which denotes their happiness and innocence and as an audience this does not make sense as the unsettling music in the background and the creepy Victorian toys does not correspond. In addition, the following long shot sets the location of an attic and also displays to the audience that there are three children playing happily as well as enabling the audience to observe the surroundings and take note of the old-fashioned furniture which also fits in with the location. When this part is over, we then get a medium close up of one of the girls brushing the hair of one of the dolls. This could show how the girls could think the dolls are realistic and treating them as if they were caring for them as if they were real people. During this we see a pull focus and this shows how the doll is centre of attention. We then see a medium long shot of the girls and it looks as if they're looking at something or someone and using this kind of shot, it could show how the antagonist is watching the three girls is maybe in power or in control of them.
Throughout all of this the cameraman stuck to the 180 degree rule. After this we see the children stand on the step in front of the entrance to the window using a medium long shot and this also shows how they could jump out of the window resulting in a sense of panic for the audience as we fear for what they may be about to do. Then there is a series of close up shots again, contrasting to the beginning of the scene where the girls were innocently playing dolls to now where they are crushing the dolls' heads which suggests manipulation from perhaps the antagonist. A medium close up is used to show the child opening the window which therefore insinuates what the children are about to do. Shortly after is a close up of a doll looking particularly creepy is shown which implies that the doll had some kind of influence on the children's suicide.
The lighting at the start of the opening scene is very bright- high key, especially around the centre of the room which connotes the equilibrium of the situation but in the corners of the room it is dark which connotes something evil is lurking behind all of the happiness. As the girls head towards the window, darkness is all behind them which is a connotation that the disruption has just occurred and that evil has now taken its toll on its first victims.
The Woman in Black Opening Scene Analysis
Conventions, Shots, Lighting
The opening scene follows the conventions of a Gothic Horror as it involves a very tense first minute. Instantly as an audience we are in suspense for we are unaware of what is going to happen and cannot predict what is foreshadowing. It has a possession or so we assume it is, which has a very Gothic sense to it and there is also a supernatural being that is present in the room which is a convention including the antagonist.
Throughout all of this the cameraman stuck to the 180 degree rule. After this we see the children stand on the step in front of the entrance to the window using a medium long shot and this also shows how they could jump out of the window resulting in a sense of panic for the audience as we fear for what they may be about to do. Then there is a series of close up shots again, contrasting to the beginning of the scene where the girls were innocently playing dolls to now where they are crushing the dolls' heads which suggests manipulation from perhaps the antagonist. A medium close up is used to show the child opening the window which therefore insinuates what the children are about to do. Shortly after is a close up of a doll looking particularly creepy is shown which implies that the doll had some kind of influence on the children's suicide.
The lighting at the start of the opening scene is very bright- high key, especially around the centre of the room which connotes the equilibrium of the situation but in the corners of the room it is dark which connotes something evil is lurking behind all of the happiness. As the girls head towards the window, darkness is all behind them which is a connotation that the disruption has just occurred and that evil has now taken its toll on its first victims.
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