Scream (1996)
Film Genre: Horror
Camera Shots, Angels, Movements, Focus and Framing Observations
The usage of camera shots throughout the opening shot of the 1996 movie "Scream" was extensive, with multiple shots to create various tones and moods. For example, the first shot in the opening scene is a tracking shot that has a high focus on the phone, as it is an iconic prop throughout the movie and movie series. The camera follows a hand reaching to the phone, establishing our first character in the movie, a teenage girl named, Casey. The angle of this shot is eye level, giving the audience the impression of being right next to Casey as she answers the call. Her movements are minimal in the shot, with only small hand movements to make the scene seem more casual and natural for the audience.
The next camera shot is a zoom-in of Casey on her phone with the mysterious caller. The angle shifts to eye level to a full body angle as she moves around, changing the tone from curious and suspicious to almost flirtatious. The focus of this shot is the phone, with the camera constantly moving with her movements tracking them. To follow this, a shot-reverse- shot is used as she goes to hang up the phone to the camera angle changes as it does a 180 degree around her. Slowly moving from her face to the back of her head and shoulders tracking her as she puts down the phone. After this, Casey walks to her kitchen and begins to make her popcorn. A dolly shot is used for this movement of action, providing a smooth and satisfying transition. The main focus of the scene is the popcorn popping making the scene more intense.
Editing Techniques and the Tone
The opening scene in the movie uses editing techniques like rapid cuts, between the victim character Casey and the killer's point of view on the phone. Multiple close ups of her face are used to highlight her fear intensifying throughout the scene. Jump cuts were used to heighten the tension, and a mix of static and handheld camera movement to create a sense of disorientation and confusion. This all contributed to the unsettling and suspenseful tone that immediately establishes the film's self-aware horror aesthetic.
Sound techniques
The sound effects throughout this scene were intense and really increased the feeling of fear. A cricket sound effect is used to hint that it's nighttime. Also, silence is used throughout the first half of the scene to show that Casey is home alone and lives in the middle of nowhere, making the scenes creepier and foreshadowing what is to come later on in the scene. The constant ringing of the phone alerts Casey that someone is calling her, and it later scares her because the killer wishes to speak to her and wants to play a "game". A mix of distorted high-pitched vocal screams, sudden bursts of unsettling sound effects, eerie noises, and a distinct musical source build high tension and highlights the horror, frequently using sharp, dissonant notes to signal that the danger is near or is coming.
Mise-En-Scene Techniques: Lighting, Wardrobe, Make-Up, Setting, Set, Props
Lighting:
The lighting in the beginning of the scene where Casey is in her home the light begin used is natural coming from the multiple lamps and overhead lights throughout the rooms. But the lighting that is the most frequently used is low-key lighting with heavy shadows, the movie also uses back lighting to create silhouettes of the characters ,adding a sense of mystery and danger, especially when the killer is partially obscured. These Techniques of lighting that are used amplifies fear, builds tension, and created uncertainty for the victims and audience.
Wardrobe:
Casey's Wardrobe
Ghost face's Wardrobe
Ghost face's Wardrobe consisted of a black heavy-duty poncho, a black hood (balaclava), a black crew- neck long sleeve shirt, black gloves, black jeans, black tactical boots, and a white ghost mask. The costume is used to make suspicion of the killer making it hard to identify the killers age, gender, facial identification, and body type.
Casey's Wardrobe consists of a cream-colored sweater and light blue styled mom jeans indicating that Casey was an in-home entree and was enjoying a movie night in.
Make-up:
Not much makeup used other than SFX makeup for the blood and gore of the victims and stage Make-Up.
Settings:
Location: Woodsboro, California
Year: 1996
Focus Event: The anniversary of Sidney Prescott's mother's murder
Set:
Casey's house out in the suburbs
Props:
The props used in the opening scenes that were the most significant was ghost face's mask that created mystery for the killer's identity, Ghost Face's dagger as it was what the killer used to kill his victims with, and Casey's cordless phone as it was what she used to communicated with the killer.
Production and Distribution information
The overall budget for the movie was 15 million USD, and the box office numbers made an impressive $173,0466,663 worldwide and $103,046,663 in the United States and Canada. The crew-details of the movies is the cinematographer was Mark Irwin, the editor was Patrick Lussier, and the production company was Woods Entertainment.
Opening Credits
The opening credits for the movie "Scream" feature the scene I am focusing on, where a teenage girl, Casey Becker (played by Drew Barrymore), is home alone and receives a terrifying phone call from the mysterious killer "Ghost Face," leading to her brutal murder. This immediately establishes the film's commentary on horror movie tropes and sets the tone for the rest of the movie. After this scene, the credits, shows the iconic "Scream" text in bold white lettering with a blue fade, giving it a creepy, ominous feeling. The text slowly zooms in on the screen with eerie music and high-pitched vocal screams, enhancing the unsettling atmosphere.
Awards/Nominations
Awards
Saturn Awards (1997) – Best Actress (Neve Campbell), Best Horror Film
MTV Movie & TV Awards (1997) – Best Female Performance (Neve Campbell), Best Movie
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards (1998) – Top Box Office Films (Marco Beltrami)
International Horror Guild Awards (1997) – Best Movie
Nominations
Saturn Awards (1997) – Best Director (Wes Craven), Best Supporting Actress (Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore), Best Writing (Kevin Williamson)
MTV Movie & TV Awards (1997) – Best Villain (Ghostface), Best Fight (David Arquette vs. Ghostface), Best Comedic Performance (Matthew Lillard)
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (1998) – Favorite Actress (Neve Campbell), Favorite Supporting Actress (Drew Barrymore)
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards (1997) – Best Actress (Neve Campbell), Best Supporting Actor (Matthew Lillard)
The Reason I Chose This Particular Film
The reason I chose "Scream" (1996) to write about is because its cleverly and comments on typical horror movie tropes and "rules", making it both scary and self-aware, while also giving the audience a compelling mystery with a well created story. The movie gives us the iconic killer, Ghost Face, who never really dies and always comes back, essentially making the movie better than most slasher and horror movies because it acknowledges and plays with some cliches instead of just repeating them.
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