The Woman in Black Opening Sequence Analysis

The first shot of the film breaks conventions as it does not show the institution.

This can be interpreted to be a result of a confident institution as it is not their

first thought to show the institution first. The first shot is a close up of two pot

tea cups from a play set, with a child pretending to pour tea from a teapot

entering the frame. This is effective as, general, children’s toys from the past

can be seen as creepy to many people. This is also effective because it

immediately informs the audience of the age of the actors/actresses - which

makes the audience feel sympathetic and extremely sad when the children die.

Throughout the whole sequence, non diagetic sound of an old song from a toy

box is played over the scenes, increasing in volume throughout. This

emphasises the tension throughout the sequence.

The next shot is a long shot of the three children laughing and playing. This

juxtaposes to the stereotypical behaviour of the horror genre, thus confusing

the audience as they believe that usually in horror films, people are generally

terrified and upset.

However, this happiness is stopped by someone or something – demonstrated

by an extreme long POV shot of all three children from the organism’s point of

view, showing blank facial expressions. This is extremely effective as it

highlights the change of atmospheres and emphasises the danger of the

person. This is also effective because it uses direct address and engages with

the audience and causes the audience to feel the terror of the children.

The camera then cuts to a mid-shot of the three girls turning their head to look

at the window, keeping their blank expressions. This implies to the audience

that person from the previous shot pointed towards the window, to infer them

to do something.

Next, the camera shows a mid-shot of three windows, which zooms in at a

steady pace. This instantly foreshadows to the audience that something is

going to happen to the three girls, thus making the audience feel nervous and

tense about this fact.

The camera then cuts to show the three girls standing up without taking their

eyes of the windows, by using two close ups. This confirms the audience’s

suspicion and causes the audience to panic even more.

In addition, the director uses several close ups of the little girls dropping a tea

cup and standing on their toys as they travel to the window. This suggests to

the audience that the children are in no control over what they are doing,

causing the audience to feel anger towards the person making them do this.

The director then uses a mid-shot of the three girls, with blank facial

expressions, travelling towards the camera, as the camera zooms out. This is a

crucial shot in the opening sequence as it can be inferred to represent the girls

walking towards the audience to get help. However, the camera zooming out

represents the unachievable help that the children seek for. Their blank facial

expressions compel the audience further as it is highlighted that they are not in

control, showing that they are vulnerable.

Next, the camera shows a long shot of the three girls opening the windows and

stepping onto the ledge in synchronisation. This is followed by the girls

jumping as the non diagetic sound fades out. This can be speculated to

represent the audience holding their breath in disbelief and shock as they do

not believe it has happened.

The silence is then cut by a woman’s scream of despair and remorse,

suggesting to the audience that their mother witnessed them hitting the

ground – creating even more sympathy for the family.

Finally, the camera then zooms out as a black veil enters the frame. This is a

crucial shot of the sequence as it is the first time the audience sees ‘The

Woman in Black’. The use of the black veil suggests to the audience she causes

death, which juxtaposes to the conventional white veil which represents

purity. This is effective as it makes the audience subject their anger to the

woman in black.