Similar Textual Analysis

Textual analysis on the 5 first minutes from the opening scene of ‘The Ring’

The scene opens with a long shot of a house which is where the main scene is set. It then cuts to the next shot of two girls, who are watching TV. This is a point of view shot from the television which then zooms into a mid shot. This all shows the main settings and what the two girls are doing. The camera then cuts into an over shoulder shot showing the conversation between the two girls. This has been used as it shows the two girls are having a conversation with each other, and it connotes no one else is around.

 As the tension builds up, the camera zooms close up into Becca’s face. This was an eye-level shot, so it shows the scene is becoming more intense. The camera then shows a long shot of the two girls by zooming out. The shot then changes to a worm’s eye view at the bottom of the stairs at a still shot. As this happens, you see both girls slowly walking down the stairs as if they are walking towards the camera. This is used to show how they are scared to answer the phone and gives a more focused shot.

 There is then an extra long shot of the corridor with a big close up of the phone on the side, the girls walk towards the camera, but turn to answer the phone. This builds up tension while they walk slowly and answer the phone. This is used to gives more tension and shows an enigma code that something could happen when the girls answer the phone. As she walks into the kitchen a long shot occurs as she pours a glass of juice. She walks on as the camera then cuts to a big close up of the side of her face.

The shot then cuts to a close up of the remote as it then cuts to show the fuzzy TV. A long shot is used as she walks up the stairs and stays in one position as she walks past. This used to create more tension as we see their reaction from the walk, which connotes that they are scared to answer the phone.

There is use of synchronous dialogue in this scene. The scene opens with an ambient sound of the rain. This is non-diegetic sound which enhances it even more. They used this to give more effect of the scene and create a scarier atmosphere. As the dialogue between the girls occur, we can hear the background sounds of the TV until they switch it off. When the TV switches off, there is an enigma code that gets the audience thinking something unpredictable will happen. “We thought it was some sick joke.” As she says this line, incidental music is used to build more tension into the scene as it becomes continuous.

 The phone then rings, which is non-diegetic, as it has been enhanced. This gives more tension and shows that something will happen. The ringing becomes louder as the camera shot zooms closer to the phone. We then hear a TV being switched on and being very fuzzy. This sound is diegetic as the sound increased from the TV. We then hear another diegetic sounds, as she walks past the camera, you can naturally hear her footsteps.

The mise-en-scene of this scene for costume would be formal uniform. They both are wearing a skirt with a white shirt. This connotes that they both are students who still go to school.

The lighting is natural at the start of the scene; there is natural atmosphere lighting, in one room the light is on. This connotes that this is what the atmosphere outside is like, and it is night time. The room’s with the light on, shows that there is someone in that room and no one else is in the house as there are no other lights on.

 During the scene there are mainly natural house lights and a TV light which would enhance it a bit more. This gives it a more vibrant environment and as the lighting becomes darker, as she walks into the living room shows that something unpredictable will happen and creates more tension for the audience. The lighting made me as a viewer seem more curious and spooked out. During the shot of the fuzzy screen on the TV, the lighting was enhanced and this made me feel that the atmosphere did not seem normal and made me question myself on what is going to happen next.

There were different settings used in the shots. The main setting was in the house whereas the different shots took place in a bedroom, kitchen corridor, and living room. The props for this opening scene that were used were a remote. This showed that they were watching TV. A clock and phone were also used which built up the plot, including the television.

The shot position then opens with the girls sitting on the bed. As the tension build up during the scene, their facial expression became more serious, scared, shocked and curious. This shows that as Becca’s friend tells the story about a tape which kills you in seven days after being watched.

 As the pace of the shot moves along, Katie starts to panic and rushes her dialogue as she wants to tell her part of the story when she watched the tape. The ways they change their positions and start to have a pillow fight, shows that it isn’t structured. And the phone rings and the camera zooms to a close up of the clock to show the time, both the girls turn their head at the same time to give a more realistic and scarier atmosphere.
 This shows that it is structured, from their timing of the phone ringing and when they turn their heads around.

As they answer the phone, they both have a very stiff body language as it shows something mysterious can happen. They both sigh with relief when they find out it is Katie’s mum. Katie is then waking around the kitchen pouring her a glass of juice. Her position is very free and unstructured. As she hears the TV turn on, her position becomes a lot more stiff this connotes she is scared and confused on what is going on.