Pulse- Intro analysis

(Analysed from a DVD)

At the start of the introduction, there is a type writer technique to show the start of the plot with the added code sounds added in to create a better effect. This technique is good for abandoned zombie productions.

The next minute or so is filled with the casting members and the production team. The technique used to show these are in type writer style with each individual letter typing out with the sound matching it. In the background, there is a non-diegetic sound that sounds very much like an engine or a machine of some sort turning on. It starts low and bassey, and slowly increases in pitch which it then becomes uncomfortably creepy.

 During these scenes that look like they are being recorded from a computer screen, there is an overlay of peoples voices, almost like they're talking to the audience. I like this technique because it looks very technical and detailed, this makes the credits look very interesting and tense without making it awkward.

As you can see, there is a lot of static in parts of the opening. The static helps transition the cuts and makes the cuts seem a lot more smoothly. These static transitions are combined with the static sound to add more emphasis on this scene.




Up to the title screen, the dramatic stringed instruments in the background start to increase in pitch until they all just suddenly stop as the title screen turns silent which creates an eerie feeling.
The title screen is added to the end of the credits very nicely because it's in the same style as the previous scene. The white text helps the title stand out among the out of focus background to help make the audience focus on it. The title "Pulse" pulses and glitches to match the code style previously stated which is clever. I also like the fact that the text is right aligned instead of centered and is small.

The next scene shows the main character walking among the crowd. The focus point is on him at this scene which helps your focus be only on him. I like this technique to help guide the audiences eyes on what you think is important.

Josh seems very shifty because he looks around him every 5 seconds. This makes him seem guilty or paranoid and makes the audience feel anxious because they know something is wrong. I like the technique paired with this to help show what the character is looking at, kind of like a Point of View show shown to the right:

The camera cuts away to show a numerous amount of people looking back at him, like he stands out of the crowd or is attracting attention to himself. This makes his character seem mysterious and creates a low tension in the atmosphere.


The next shot is a long wide show, almost like an establishing shot to show his location. The hue of the scene is tinted blue, this connotes night time or dull weather and this is a strong convention of horror movies because people know that darkness is the time when things get scary. The shot also makes Josh appear small and vulnerable because it is at a high angle and the audience are above him. A quiet score is added here to help the flow of the scene and make it run more smoothly. Stringed instruments start as he first enters the building, this creates a fear that something will go wrong. 

When he enters the security room to remove his coat and items, he sees a figure on the CCTV monitor that isn't really there when he turns around to check. I like this technique because it spooks the audience and it's the first real thing that seems "iffy" with this extract because it isn't normal.

A little later on in the scene, he waits for the lift. There is a match on action in this scene of his hand pressing the elevator button. There are a lot of shadows in this shot and the hue is even darker and bluer than outside. The introduction to the film is starting to become more creepy.

When he enters the library quietly calling out for his friend, the room is filled with very dark shadows and no lighting whilst the lighting on the ceiling is flickering which creates a tension for this scene. I wish to add these lighting techniques for my future production.
 The lighting can only be seen on the library floor so the bookshelves cannot be scene. This is a good technique to use because you can't see anything above floor level. The audio of the scene is very high because it's very quiet in the scene itself (with the aid of stringed non-diegetic sound), every creak, footstep and rattle made in this scene appears amplified. Because of this, it creates an anxious environment because it makes the library appear empty and the loud noises can startle the audience. Silence adds an atmosphere of tension because there are rarely any incidents when the environment is absolutely silent.

I really like this next technique. Josh appears to walk down the center corridor slowly whilst the camera tracks his body. He is in the center of the room between the shadows. This makes him look extremely vulnerable because he is not protected and in the middle of blackness. I also love the technique of how the camera tracks his action. The bookshelves pass the camera whilst it tracks him which causes disturbance in the audiences focus on him and can create a better atmosphere for a horror movie.

Several noises can be heard during these scenes which causes anxiety in the audience because it makes them prepare for a "jumpscare". When Josh turns around, a dark figure can be seen running away, the camera is not focused on him which prevents the audience from seeing the attacker. This is a good technique to create mystery and also horror because of the sound effects added into the scene. Josh turns around due to the sound of the mysterious attacker and you can hear his harsh breaths. This is a good emphasis on his emotions and helps the audience understand his panic. Lots of new non-diegetic sound is introduced here, bassey cellos and violins to help the scene feel more anxious.

Several seconds later, the anxiety level rises. When the character walks around the corner, an old man appears. The camera pace for this shot is very quick and this helps scare the audience along with the harsh bashing sounds as books drop. I like this technique because its the most used yet the easiest scare to use in the production of horror films.




The close up shots of the characters face allows the audience to note what emotions he is feeling. His pupils are dialated because it's so dark in the scene, and also because of the adrenaline pumping through his system because you can clearly see that he is frightened. His lips are shiny which shows he is licking them frequently which also shows he is experiencing anxiety.
These body language techniques will be noted for any future production. 

A metal creak can be heard next with a shot of a table moving on it's own down a corridor. This is very creepy, and with the flicking lights, this makes the introduction clear that it is a horror movie. The flickering lights creates interruptions of the scene, this makes it easy to add scares in for example a dark figure standing there when the light turns back on. It is easy and quick to do, so this is a reason why it is used in films. Also, because the lack of lighting when the light is flickering, the audience cannot see what is in the dark and this contributes to the anxiety felt.

Finally, when there is a loud sound from books falling from the shelves on their own, Josh's head moves towards the sound with the look of horror on his face.
I like the way the lighting is only from the top because it creates dark shadows on his lips, eyes and hair. This lighting also creates the illusion that his irises are completely black, this makes him look extremely scared and this emotion can be projected onto the audience. 

The camera moves towards the dark hole from where the books fell from. The sight of the hole is very eerie because the audience cannot see into it.

The shrieking violins suddenly stop when the camera is directly in front of the hole which again creates a scary silence when all of a sudden:

A creature jumps out, loud inhuman shrieks can be heard from this creature which makes your heart race. The next few scenes are quick paced.
The camera pans downwards towards Josh on the floor in a POV technique. The POV is of the creature and it gives the film a horror feeling because we can see from another perspective that we would never see.

I like this shot because before the creature appears, the background is black and all the audience can see is a pair of hands appear to slide onto the side of his face. The lighting here contributes a lot to the scare factor because we originally could not see where the creature was until it was too close to Josh. 

The sound effects here are low key violins, cellos and other shrieking instruments. You can hear Josh's scream which I like because it helps give you more anxiety from what he is experiencing. 

I really like how lighting, colouring and sound is used for this film. It has a huge impact on the quality and feel of the movie which I admire.