AH: Conventions of a film opening

Amityville (Douglas, 2005)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF2mIvrQHpo

• Iconography is clear with the use of props as we see a book with 'evil' titled on it and the gun he is holding. These can be seen as enigmatic codes which may be resolved later in the film. This is a generic convention of horror films, for example a gun instantly inserts an impression of danger. 
• The lightening outside connotes a sense of urgency and horror. There are two uses of this lightening, when it is dark audiences focus more, then when there is sudden light it frightens the audience.
• The costume and appearance of the man reinforces to the conventions of a typical horror. The antagonist is in his 20's with a beard and scruffy hair, these are all generic conventions of horror.
• The diagetic sound of the mans footsteps, the voice in his head and the creaky floorboards are all generic conventions in horror films. Also the dialogue from the little girl at the end of the clip asserts sadness amongst audiences and draws them in. The girl says "what's the matter Ronny?". 
• Once the man shoots the parents (first victims), several crime scene images flash onto the screen from that murder. This is consistent with all the killing in the opening apart from the last, this is an example of montage editing. The typography used is much like a typewriter and reinforces the documentation of the killings and their age. 

30 Days of Night (Slade, 2007)

http://www.watchthetitles.com/articles/0028-30_Days_of_Night

• The clip has a soundtrack which slowly builds and builds mounting tension within the clip. Now and then there seems to be screams, this creates enigmatic codes as people want to find out what is causing the screams. 

• The main focus of the sequence are the crinkled up and torn photos of people, the people within these photos could be the characters (victims) later on in the film.

• The typography isn't in an abstract font, this could relate to the plot of the film as its about a significant event which takes place in the 30 days of night (which is an annual event for northern territories). 

• The lighting shows relation to the title, with there being little light and bland colours, referring to the month of darkness.

• The shot were a bloody tooth fall onto a surface could portray events that may take place later in the film. For example from this tooth an impression of blood and teeth in horror films are usually to do with vampires.

• Finally at the end of the clip the last shot is of a young boy with black eyes this connotes immortality and reinforces enigmatic codes which have arisen previously in the clip.