Analysing the opening of Insidious

Analysis from the start to minute 1.25:

Use of panning when going from one room to the other connoting omniscience and representing maybe a ghost, connoting danger and creating this rising tension. There’s also a use of tracking which creates a very clear disruption for the audience as we have just been portrayed by a child sleeping connoting vulnerability, juxtaposed by this evil like creature which might be the villain (propp's theory), connoting death and disequilibrium. We are exposed to this binary opposition which seems to be the good vs the evil and this creates tension for the audience as the child seems asleep and therefore unconscious. 

There’s use of a point of view shot all the time when tracking and panning, positioning the audience as if being there, creating a realistic and therefore more tense atmosphere, and successfully engaging the audience and making them feel the tension and suspense first hand. On the other hand, there’s use of a long shot, not positioning the audience close to the child creating a large voyeuristic gap which could highlight his isolation and really capture the whole bedroom and it’s very childish atmosphere contrasted by the deadly image of the villain-like character. 

There’s the use of credits at the start which have a fading transition as they disappear which represents maybe the supernatural and connotes spookiness. Besides, the saturated and warm red colour connotes death and blood which directly enhances the horror genre to the audience before the action begins. There’s also the sue of a scratched typography which also enhances the tense and disrupt atmosphere for the audience, and successfully represents death and torture. The credits take into account the production companies and the director power of James Wan, also creating a specific link to his most famous horror genre pieces. This brief and quick fading in and out or straight cuts transitions directly insert the audience quickly into the film. Besides, a very clever movement is when the director’s name is upside down and creates this spooky mood and disequilibrium for the audience. 

In terms of the mise en scene, there’s a use of very conventionally related props, settings and pieces  to the horror genre or supernatural subgenre such as lamps, houses, children’s bedroom, teddy bears, shadows and windows.  This directly sets the very eerie atmosphere and tone to the audience and introduces them into this haunted house and it’s scary or creepy features. The use of the low key lighting is contrasted by the minimal light and therefore sense of hope connoted, which comes from the outside, connoting danger and insecurity in the inside, where the young character is found, provoking a rising tension. There’s a use of desaturated colours mainly, contrasted by the colorful sheets on the child’s bed connoting innocence and could represent the princess like character of propp’s theory. 

Finally, referring to the sound, there’s a use of non diegetic orchestra sound, dominated by mainly violins and stringed instruments to create a jumping and running sound which comes out of silence and frightens the audience.  James Wan has also used a very similar technique in one of his earlier films Dead Silence. At the beginning of Dead Silence a very creepy unsettling tune is played. The tune is made up of what is supposed to be in a childish  piano and other various instruments that somewhat reassembles maybe a nursery rhyme or another song for children.