Title Sequence Analysis

Insidious Title Sequence Analysis

Cinematography

The cinematography which is used throughout the title sequence could be seen as foreshadowing events that are going to unfold in the main film. There are close up's of creepy toys such as dolls and teddy bears in order to create suspense. There are many gruesome and eerie imagines throughout this sequence that are used to frighten to audience and make them feel tense.

One example of this is where there is a shadow or spectre shaped like a man in one of the shots. This could suggest that that man is the antagonist and is some sort or killer or murderer. Throughout this they used mid-shots of chandeliers moving, pictures falling and an angle and moving chairs which tells us that there is something supernatural going on in the film. It also reinforces that the film is going to be a paranormal horror and lets the audience know what they are in for. All of the shots and cinematography used in this title sequence conveys the right conventions and sets the mood for a paranormal/ thriller horror.

Sound

As Insidious is a thriller horror, non-diegetic music is needed to build the suspense and make the audience feel anticipation. The music is very screechy and it sounds like someone is wailing which makes the audience feel frightened. The sound is very fast paced and creepy which keeps anxiousness stirring within the viewers. The music builds up throughout the title sequence which seems like it is preparing the audience for a jump scare at the end, however when the title sequence finishes it goes back to a more deluded tone; keeping the audience at the edge of their seats to see what is going to happen next.

Editing

The transitions between each shot during the opening are very smooth and they flow into each other quite well. Red is consistently used for the font which has connotations of blood and death. The text fades in and out very fluidly showing us that it has been edited to a good standard. The 'I' in the Insidious title is shaped like a devil which could be foreshadowing the events of the film and gives a hint that the film's antagonist may be linked to the devil; or may be the devil itself. Each shot is left on for no more than 15 seconds which gives the audience to read the text on screen, survey the background, giving them time to see the location, setting and some of the characters without giving away too much of the narrative.

Mise-en-scene

The title sequence uses very dull and simple colours such as red, white and black. These colours are very lifeless which foreshadows that there will be death in the movie. The black and red have connotations of danger death and blood which seems as if it is foreshadowing the future events of the film. In the title sequence they used iconography such as a grandfather clock and also a family photo of the main character and their family indicating their importance in the film. The low key lighting makes the title sequence look dark and gloomy, which fits into the convents of a thriller horror. 

Insidious is a good title sequence to use in a thriller/ supernatural horror as it has all of the conventions that sound, editing and cinematography should have in the horror genre. All of these elements help to build up suspense and temptation of the film and the audience get a small preview of what's going to happen next in the film. This opening fits the codes and conventions of a paranormal thriller as it makes the audience carry feelings of menace and unpredictability which is exactly what a thriller horror usually aims to do.