As the movie starts, the audience are welcomed into the film by a camera shot which is upside down and angled into a puddle. Although we can see a reflection of schoolgirls, it is hard to decipher much about the setting of the film until the next scene because the puddle reflection almost distorts the image. Typical reflection shots and canted angles are a usual convention of horror movies because they create an uneasy feeling for the audience. Reflections in mirrors usually reveal an awaiting presence behind somebody, or something that the audience see and the horror movie protagonist doesn't so useful key filming techniques like this make an audience feel tensions and await the frightening scene. A reflection scene like this to begin the film is useful in many other ways too. The directors of The Grudge trilogy use reflection shots commonly in their films so this could possibly foreshadow further similar style shots in the film. also, it is taken upside down- atypical of many other films showing originality and making the audience question if everything is as it seems. The puddle the first shot is reflected into suggests how it may have been raining- a link to pathetic fallacy as the rain could be linked to sadness, fear. upset or no escape. often, famous literature figures have likened rain to tears and therefore sadness..showing to us how this film is not to be positive. the dull yet natural lighting we are welcomed to makes the film seem realistic, the lighting is not fake or designed it is real- much like we are made to feel as an audience that the 'Grudge' is real and so is the entire story. the darkness and dull appearance of these first few shots fits the horror movie style of lighting as nothing ever seems to happen in broad daylight- things are shadowy- uncovered, enigmas, undecipherable, and so is this film. we can hear the dull ambient drone of low chords playing alongside this first scene however it seems to very quickly fade out as the diegetic noise of schoolgirls overpowers it. We can see these are schoolgirls because as well as high pitched voices and the school setting, the costume choice of a smart uniform confirms this to the audience. This school girl image and choice of age and character is useful in the horror movie convention because typically young 'blonde' and stupid females are the ones to be the victim of horror first. School girls can be associated with youth and innocence, however also stupidity and bullying as we see that two of the girls are almost bullying another accomplice further on in the scene to roll up her skirt and enter an abandoned house- this maybe foreshadows that throughout the film the girls will get what they deserve as often..the horror doesn't come to the completely innocent, even heroes of a horror have a fatal flaw.
In the next shot, the film introduces us to three females. The one that remains almost entirely in the background we can immediately see as a victim- a victim of pressure and even bullying from the other two females because of her skirt length and general appearance. This particular female remains constantly behind the other two girls to possibly indicate her lower status in comparison to the popular attractive and 'cool' nature of the other two girls. As well as the orientation and proxemics of the girls in front of the camera to indicate the friendship with these girls and how they are picking on the dark haired one, we also see that the one behind is different simply because of the costume choice. She is wearing a tidy, smart uniform with her top button done up, blazer tightly buttoned and skirt at a full length however the other two girls seem like typical 'chavs' or a representation of bullies with strewn ties, pried open top buttons and jewelry. At secondary schools typically there are always girls like these, so the audience can instantly relate...would they associate themselves more with the cool populous personas or the innocent pressured persona? The dialogue when the girl in the background states 'i dropped my phone' is followed immediately by the other female saying 'god Alison, your such a klutz'. This dialogue instantly hints that Alison ( the background girl) is clumsy and almost trying to fit in...however her place in a horror movie is perhaps not so fitting with her innocent nature. The camera tracks the girls from a eye level medium shot as they participate in conversation however this whole conversation triggers the audiences sympathy for Alison and expectation that the two bullies will receive a harrowing punishment.
When the girls advise Alison to roll up her skirt, we see a close up at a low level of her bare knees. We would connote a shot of knees like this with fear because typically when in worry or fear peoples knees can begin to shake, quiver or become weak. this is yet again a shot that may foreshadow the rest of the film and outcome for Alison. To this point, the film doesn't seem to be following any major pathways or trails of a typical horror movie and it flaunts few conventions of one...so far i would see this movie as more of a Drama..as Dramatized films can often follow personal issues of protagonists and almost acted out anecdotes dealing with bullying, pressurizing or key subjects an audience can relate to. When we receive the next shot where Alison is running after the other two girls, we look down on her from a high angle in a long shot. This long shot enables us to associate Alison with her busy and bustling surroundings where she does not seem to fit in as she is not even walking in the same direction as others and she appears weak and un noticed. the high angle makes the audience look down on her, just as the other two girls do and we relate to how small and belittled she possibly feels. This shot with her being so dissociated with her surroundings with the proxemics of the other two characters we have met so far apart makes her seem different...maybe there is possibly more to know about her further on in the film.
Next in the film opening, there is a tracking shot from a low angle of the girls feet as they are walking towards the abandoned house however prior to the next establishing shot we do not know where they are going, we only see they are walking somewhere. i think a shot of characters walking from a low angle are effective because the audience are kept in suspense about what they are going to see...and the pace and way of walking or movement gives away a lot about the emotional state, fear and feelings of a character. When the camera pans up to the full scene we see a dull, scary looking abandoned building. Buildings like this are a typical 'haunted house' convention of many movies and the grey and black of the building suggests something is to be feared or is scary and shadowed. there is no windows to the house, suggesting light cannot get in therefore hinting no positivity or escape. Also, it suggests that the windows are boarded for a reason, and something terrible has possibly happened there. The building having such height to tower above the girls shows the superiority that fear and danger can have over youthful teenagers and the shot showing the girls so belittled in comparison to the large tall building links to the previous high angle shot of Alison looked down upon in her school surroundings. the setting of this house scene is very different and contrasts heavily with the school scene because school connotes safety, friendships, serenity and learning however here, the abandoned house would not be safe, its presence not friendly, and the girls clearly need to learn a valuable lesson about taking such risks. The proxemics here of Alison spaced away from her companions suggests she is different to them, she shouldn't receive their same expected fate and she possibly does not want to enter the house unlike them...she is also furthest from the house- therefore maybe furthest from receiving its fate. the non diegetic sound of low droning notes alongside this scene makes it seem even more dangerous and frightening for the audience especially as it continues even over the dialogue suggesting the fear is not going to end,
as the girls enter the grounds of the house, the squeaking gates further hint the abandonment and isolation of the house. already, the audience know it is a bad idea the girls are entering the grounds. The shot i have screen captured on the right i thought was one of the most effective shots in the beginning of this film because it is the first, and most noticeable hand held shot that is not still or seemingly staged. the handheld shot moves slightly almost as if the camera is the point of view of a presence in the house as we see the girls from the perspective of something inside. this confirms all suspicions that there is something bad inside the house. the shot is also through a crack in one of the house walls, so it actually frames the girls- almost framing or targeting them as the next victims. it also suggests an enigma because we want to find out who this is peering through the crack or what this is. We do not even receive this point of view shot through a window in the house, instead it makes viewers more uneasy as we know the presence in the girls is watching the girls through a crack, a fracture in the wall...suggesting damage and watchful awareness...it also could foreshadow the fate of the girls because there is something inside to oppose them...and their lives could truly be fractured and damaged too. The shot frames the entire of the girls bodies so we can perhaps see that they are cautious and maybe uneasy too as they walk slowly- looking around until they reach the front door. once again, Alison remains behind...however although she doesn't deserve to follow the same fate of the girls in front, it is her choice to follow their stupidity and lead. From this point, the shots are a lot darker as when the girls enter the house there is no lighting or windows just a faint glow from light outside seeping through cracks. We see the doorknob turn not from outside where the girls are, but from inside...suggesting again that there is something inside, and something is almost expecting them...as if they are visitors. As the door opens, there is once again a squeak to accompany the low chord non diegetic sound to show how aged or un-visited this house is. we then see a high angle shot of the girls from over the stair banisters...again belittling them from this high angle...showing something has more power over the girls and something is watchful of them. The film opening continues for five additional minutes following the girls through the house and to their fate..i thought this was an effective opening to set the genre of the film and throughout the entire story we finally at the end of the film know why the house was haunted and what really happened to the girls. Horror movies like this often have mini stories or flashbacks within them that are hard to understand until you know the entire story but make the film enticing and interesting as there is always an explanation. i aim to create my Horror movie with an opening that is almost like a flashback or sub- story like this as i think it gives the film more context, meaning and more of a realistic relatable nature.
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