When a stranger calls - Research

These are some notes on the features and conventions used within "When a stranger calls" opening scene: 

Lighting - Low key lighting is used as this is common in thriller and horror films, the reason being is that it coincides with peoples fear of the dark. An example of this in the film is the poorly lit house which only has a few outside lights on. 

Camerawork - A juxtaposition is used in the opening, this is used to show the contrast between the bright fairground and the dull, poorly lit house. 

Music - Non diegetic music plays a big part in films and in this movie there is an example of when screams are used and the overall dark soundtrack over the opening. This eerie music is typical of the genre as it is used to unsettle the audience. There is also the diegetic sound of a phone at the start which builds suspense for the audience and also keeps them guessing because of the fear of the unknown. 

Setting - The start of the film is set in some kind of field where the fairground is placed, this can suggest isolation for some of the characters and to add to this, it is set at night which many people are fearful of. Stereotypical of the genre.

Editing - The editing in the film is varied throughout, at the start it is quite slow but then starts to pick up the pace. The editing becomes very inconsistent to make the audience feel on edge and slightly confused, the faster paced editing connotes some kind of terror or threat.