Research Opening: Paranormal Activity 2

Paranormal Activity 2

Paranormal Activity is a 2009 American found footage supernatural horror film written, co-produced, photographed, edited, and directed by Oren Pali. It is the first entry into the Paranormal Activity film series. 

Target Audience (Who It Appealed To)

After watching the opening to this film, i can connote that this film was targeted at teenagers and adults that range from 18-30. I think this because i think the feelings and horror you get from this film will really kick adrenaline into that age group, and will understand the plot better. As well as this, the film is an 18, therefore will be aimed more at ages into adulthood rather than anyone below 18. This film would appeal to all genders, as it has no theme of being biased to a specific gender, therefore making the movie more popular and overall successful.

Sound

In the beginning of the opening scene, the sound is of the family introducing the area where they live in a happy tone, this signalises that something bad going to happen, as the tension from the happiness introducing the house, is going to turn bad. The narrative of the opening scene of paranormal activity is of the father/wife introducing everyone, this entitles the idea of the audience beginning to understand the characters within the film, and the idea of who are the main witnesses of paranoia and whats going to happen to them. This narrative brings the sense of danger to the different characters within the film, and what is entitled to come, each sentence read out by the character holding the camera is very specific and brings a build up of tension throughout the opening scene.

Representation of the characters and mise en scene

 In the opening of the film holds the introduction of the characters and how they act. The personality is shown throughout the opening scene as the feel of it being a family footage brings out their personality within the family and how they act, this type of "home made" footage really adds a sense of realism. The characters are all dressed in reasonably nice clothing, which states that they are quite a well earning family, and have a nice house. This idea surrounding the opening scene is all quite jolly, as the pathetic fallacy of the situation is very sunny and happy, as dark and rain would signal danger or scariness. The sense of someone behind the camera brings a POV shot, which brings a sense of realism into the movie and makes you even more scared because you feel you are there. When the father is carrying round the camera introducing everyone, it creates a happy and well untied family, but also signally danger coming there way. As well as that,they also buy cameras, which shows that the next scenes at night will be shown and you'll see what happens to the family ahead.

Atmosphere Created

The atmosphere created in the opening of the film brings a very happy and jolly feel to the film. As this starts to build up the tension of the film as it signals that something bad is going to happen later on within the film. The time of day and weather of the film signals very happy thoughts as well, by the film director using pathetic fallacy on the audience to make it less scary at the start, as the tension straight away will hit you, rather to the film having a build up of tension through out, making the audience more scared and created a feeling through out the film that something bad is going to happen, making the film a very scary watch.