Scream Analysis

1. SCREAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3lSvJ5RXKA
KGMA Productions

2. Opening of the film
• The opening of the film begins with the title
of the film in red bold letters which are
shown on a black background. These colours
are associated with danger and are often
used is thrillers to help create the sense of
mystery to what may occur in the film. There
are screams in the background which are
non-diegetic, which could suggest that
something could happen. The sound bridge
of the screams fade away with the phone
ringing.

3. • The first shot used is a action match of the women
character who is played by the famous actress Drew
Barrymore picking up a phone from an anonymous caller.
The use of a famous actress helps to promote the film, as
fans of Drew Barrymore films will follow the actress on her
acting career.
• There is diegetic sound from the phone ringing, which
helps build up the scene and create realism for the
audience, making them feel involved with the thriller.
• A close up shot is used when the character picks up the
phone and follows the character around . This shot is
important as it helps create tension around this unknown

4. • An establishing shot of the house in the darkness emphasizes
the danger and creepiness of the situation. The diegetic sound of
the trees rustling builds the atmosphere up, making it more
realistic.
• Pleonastic sound is used to exaggerate the sound of the fire
switching on and the phone going off. This keeps the audience
on edge as they don’t yet know what the unknown caller wants.
The exaggeration makes it appear more spooky and mysterious.
• The third phone call makes the audience question who this
person is that has callen her and what he wants. The dialogue in
this scene is important as they talk about scary movies, which is
rather ironic as the genre of the film is a thriller. The prop used is
associated with death and danger linking back to the thriller
genre.

5. Dialogue
• The dialogue is this part of the clip allows the audience to make a judgment of
who this caller could be.
• The pause in the dialogue suggests that something strange is going on, the
tone of the callers voice is much more harsh and less flirtatious to what it was
like at the beginning.
• A point of view shot is used showing what the character, Sidney sees as she
looks out of her doors into her garden, however like most thriller films a person
normally is seen however this time there is no-one but fog and the diegetic
sound of a dog barking.

6. • The camera zooms into a close up shot, showing the charcters facial
expressions which respond to what the caller is saying. His tone is harsh and
aggressive which juxtaposes against Sidney's soft voice, telling the audience
she is scared and uncomfortable.
• The panic rush of Sidney as she runs away from the camera to lock all the
doors is shown by a tracking shot. The uneven pitch of the soundtrack builds
up around the fast pace of the characters movements, creating a tense
atmosphere. Pleonastic sound of the door locking. The two screenshots are
both high angle shots from the door windows. The high angle shot looking
down onto Sidney stress the vulnerability of her situation, she is alone indoors
but there could be someone somewhere else.

7. Final shot
• The final shot is of Sidney turning the outside light onto the garden on, whilst
still on the phone to the anonymous caller.
• The sudden pleonastic sounds and the non-diegetic music build the scene up
creating a sense of fear and danger for the audience. It would be now
expected to see a figure standing in the garden but the non-diegetic music
helps to create the moment of the thriller.
• This character has the main prevalence in this opening with suggests she is
the main character and she is the target of this caller.