Scream 4 opening two minute analysis

The first shot we see in Scream 4 is a mid shot showing one of the main characters, Jenny, from behind. The denotations of this particular part of the scene is her looking down the stairs over the banister and her back facing the camera. The lighting is very dark in this part of the scene. This connotes that someone else is in the house because she is leaning over the banister looking down as if someone was there. The lighting is very dark which connotes that something scary is going to happen, especially as their was no reply when she shouted her friends name.
We see the girl in a mid shot as she comes down the stairs. As soon as she begins walking down the stairs background music is played. A deep, scary tune that puts the audience on edge. Scary music is a typical convention of a horror film. It is used to make the scene more scary and put the audience even more on edge.
When she reaches the bottom of the stairs we hear a dog barking. The dog is not inside the house so therefore it must be coming from outside the house. This shows how quiet the house is as we are able to hear the barking of a dog coming from another house. This is effective because it makes the audience understand just how quiet the house is and it would put them on edge because they would probably assume something scary is about to happen or jump out.
After we hear the dog barking the shot switches from a close up of Jenny's face, in which we see her facial expression to be frightened and worried, to a mid shot where we can see an empty room. The room is very dark which makes this part of the scene more frightening because usually if there is people in a house they wouldn't be walking around in pitch black. Also, the fact that Jenny has been calling her friend and there wasn't a reply suggests something has happened to her friend, especially as the house is dark and there is music playing- the sort of music when something bad is about to happen.
The shot switches back to a close up of Jenny's face. From her facial expression i can denote that she has a scared look on her face. This connotes that she is scared something has happened to her friend.
We are then shown a high angle shot of her friend lying on the floor next to the sofa. The shot then quickly changes to Jenny who screams and rushes over to her friend. A low angle shot then shows Jenny looking over her friend and calling her name. At this point the audience probably assumes something very bad has happened to her friend because the expression on Jenny's face is extremely scared. This part of the scene is effective because the audience will want to know what has happened to Jenny's friend.
However, the shot changes to a high angle shot and we see the girls eyes open and she begins laughing. A low angle shot then shows Jenny's face. Jenny doesn't seem that surprised that her friend is actually okay. A few shots later we understand that they both play tricks on each other. They then agree to stop playing tricks on each other.
A medium shot shows the girl get up and go to the fridge to get some drinks. As soon as she closes the fridge we see a face in the distance. It is a masked face and right in the corner of the room. This is effective because it surprises the audience as they probably expected nothing else to happen just yet. As the girl goes to get crisps from the cupboard we are shown a medium shot from behind Jenny. We are then shown a mid shot of the girl reaching into the cupboard. The girl then turns to face Jenny and sees the masked figure standing behind her. She automatically is frightened and jumps at the sight of the masked figure. The shot then switches back to the mid shot of the girl who assumes this is some sort of joke being played by Jenny. As soon as the shot switches back to the masked figure, it drives a knife into Jenny's back and she begins screaming in agony. She falls with her back on the sofa and the masked figure repeatedly stabs Jenny in the stomach. This is effective because it makes the audience realise that this isn't a practical joke and it is actually a real attack. This adheres the typical conventions of a horror movie because it is extremely gory due to all the blood from the stab wounds. Most horror movies of this sort will show a lot of gore on screen. So Scream 4 is adhering to the gore convention.
A close up shot then shows the girl run up to Jenny. She then sees Jenny covered in blood. At this point she realises this definitely isn't a practical joke and begins screaming frantically. The girl is then stabbed in the arm and she starts screaming in pain. This part of the scene is effective because it shows the audience just how real this attack is because she has actually now been stabbed so there is no way this is a practical joke. She runs away from the masked figure but it catches her and stabs her in the stomach.
We then see a low angle shot of the masked murderer. This is effective because it makes the audience feel as if they are looking upwards which makes the murderer look even more threatening. We then are shown a high angle shot of the victim. This is effective because it shows the audience just how vulnerable she is.
This opening scene adheres the typical conventions of a horror movie. Typical conventions of a horror movie could be: Murder, the murderer, the victim and lots of gore. Scream 4 adheres all of these conventions. This is effective because the audience will expect to see these kind of conventions in a horror film.
A good opening to a horror film would be when something happens almost straight away-it gets straight into the story. This is effective because it will ensure the audience don't get bored and lose interest. It will keep the audience on edge right from the start.

Crazy, Stupid Love Opening two minute analysis

The opening scene of Crazy, Stupid, Love is set in a restaurant. The first shot is of a couples legs under a restaurant table. The legs are touching each other, showing the audience that perhaps they are in love. They are wearing nice shoes showing that they have made an effort in their appearance. This could show they both really like each other because they want to look nice for their partner. This is a typical convention of a romance film. Romance films always have lovers in them, which is exactly what the first shot is showing. The camera rolls to then another underneath of a table and the same thing is being shown- a couple's legs under the table, wearing nice shoes, showing they have made an effort. The camera rolls again and again until it reaches a table which isn't quite the same. The couple's legs under the table are far apart and from the looks of things they haven't made much of an effort. The man is wearing a pair of old, scruffy- looking trainers, something perhaps you wouldn't wear to a posh restaurant.
  Throughout the first shots of the loved-up couples, happy, romantic music is playing in the background which brings the shots together. The music outlines the love between the characters and it makes the convention of a romance just that bit more stereotypical- loud, romantic music playing as the lovers are on a date. The romantic music continues until the couple who don't seem to be as in love are in the shot. The music instantly quietens and now you can only hear it in the background. Now the noise of the rest of the restaurant can be heard. This is perhaps showing that because there is lots of background noise they are not thinking of each other, they are taking in everything that's happening around them rather than each other. Whereas the other couples in the restaurant are shown with loud music playing, and rather than the music being in the background it is loud and that's all that can be heard which is showing they aren't thinking of anything else, they are just in love and are only noticing each other.
  When the camera moves upwards to above the table it shows the couple who don't seem to be having a good time. The man in this mid, two shot seems to be extremely bored. You can tell this by his body language. He is resting his head against his hand and he is not making any eye contact with the woman he is with. Even when he begins speaking he does not make any eye contact. It is only when he asks the woman if she is alright when he briefly looks up at her. He does not show any kind of concern when he asks her. This is a key feature of the scene because it shows he genuinely doesn't care as the tone he uses is dull. The woman responds and does not look up also showing she is perhaps not interested in the man. About 10 seconds later she blurts out she wants a divorce. This is another typical convention of a romance film. When you think of all the things that happen in romance films you will always think of the break ups and then the make ups. The break up has just happened which is one of the main conventions you expect to see in a romance.
  Another romance film where the conventions are similar is 'valentines day'. The man proposes to the woman, she says yes but then changes her mind and leaves him. This again shows that break ups are one of the main conventions in romances. Also 'The Heartbreak Kid' is another film where the conventions are the same. The man leaves his wife for another woman. This sums up the fact that the main convention of a romance is in fact the break ups, usually the break ups leave the person broken-hearted but at the end of the film there is usually a happy ending.