Research - Analysis of Film Opening #13

 

Introduction:

 I will be analyzing a film opening, focusing on the uses of lighting, sound, editing, and more that establishes its tone of horror and drama, having it closely related to my genres, so that I'll be able to apply and take inspiration for my own film. To do so, I’m going to take notes on a horror movie with similar concepts that I’d like my film to have and analyze it thoroughly :).

Jennifer's Body

I chose Jennifer's Body as it is an ideal reference for my own project because the story revolves around a teenage girl who experiences emotional trauma and later seeks revenge, being very similar to my film idea (a teen girl bullied who seeks revenge).

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        As the film starts, it has a voiceover of a young girl who is talking about her current situation as it shows her in prison, and then later getting violent.

                                                                                                                                                                    She has the look of an innocent girl who may have gone through trauma, seen to be named "Needy", and then introduces another girl named Jennifer

The girl (Needy) is put into punishment after she attacked a possible nurse or psychiatrist, after the lady just asked her a simple question. This shows how she has been pushed to her limits and insanity, causing me (the audience) to believe there were prior traumatic events that led to this, as an isolated framing reflects vulnerability, and a domestic setting contrasts with the violent behaviour.

Near the end of the opening, it gradually zooms into a teenage girl's bedroom where a young girl is laying down and watching TV, where the walls are pink and represent usual teen life, emphasizing drama as it may ground the horror in a usual world.

The girl lying has a contrasting look compared to Needy as it is showing Needy staring at her through the window in rage. The contrast could be setting up the toxic relationship between the girls, aiming to understand the conventions used to introduce character, tone, and genre, and how I could apply these techniques to my film opening. 

Reflection:

To add the relevance from this film onto mine, I can use a bedroom setting that feels normal to make the suspense feel real, and costumes like plain clothes or slouched posture can show the character’s emotions. The lighting is just as important, such that dim lighting makes the present feel uneasy and shows trauma, while brighter flashbacks show life before things went wrong. Sound also helps build tension, like low, creepy noises, sudden silences, or sharp sounds for jump scares, with slow tracking shots creating suspense, and sudden cuts making scenes more shocking, so I can add things like this to better set my unsettling tone.

By using these techniques, like in Jennifer’s Body, I can show the main character’s feelings, make the horror feel realistic, and show her change from a bullied girl to someone taking control.

References:

            Jennifer’s Body Opening. (2025). Youtu.be. https://youtu.be/1p6W_kriamw?si=YWQpRXRZpVSogCMH