The non-diegetic music we played in the beginning was a techno-classical orchestral and electrical mixture. The orchestral high pitched strings create and maintain suspense throughout the piece. A lot of the electrical sounding notes are in major chord and so give the piece an eerie feel to it. This is very similar to the music used in the opening of the apocalyptic thriller 'World War Z' which is linked below. As the piece proceeds into the external shots of the graveyard the techno-classical music fades out. Metallic sounding music is used, these metallic sounds connote physical sharpness like knives. This ultimately has connotations of fear and keeps the audience on edge. A prominent example of this is when the centre of shot is consumed by a large crucifix at a slight low angle shot, placing the crucifix in a position of superiority. A very metallic ring is heard, evoking the feelings of fear, thus making the audience feeling unsettled. This sound was specifically placed over the top of this shot because the crucifix connotes Jesus Christ and God, which are the two main characters in the movie and are the primary focus. The battle between the two is what the audience should feel worried about, also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQaSS1_EnI0
The change of non-diegetic music when progressing into the exterior shots is effective because it highlights the change in scene. Over the exterior shots, you can hear the diegetic sounds of wind. These sounds were actually from the original footage and weren't added over the top for emphatic purposes. However, we did increase the sound of the wind so it wasn't overpowered by the sound of the non-diegetic music and subsequently unheard.
There is no dialogue heard however the characters are shown praying. This is because God is trying to destroy mankind, and so their voices will not be heard. It is to symbolise this.
Editing
At the end of the opening we used obtrusive editing, also known as a jump cut. This is when the younger version of Christa is shown to leave the church in a hurried fashion. The editing then jump cuts to her running down the path, out of the churchyard. This makes the character appear to move in a very abrupt way, which can be quite unsettling for some audiences. It also creates a sense of disorientation of time. However, this is also evoked by the first shot in the opening. The first shot displays every church pew as empty, but when the camera turns around, the younger version of Christa is shown to be in a church pew. This is also creates the sense of disorientation of space and time. However, this was not a jump cut as it was one continuous shot, with no cuts whatsoever.
While filming all the religious imagery, smooth transitions are used which contrast against the unsettling music. We used black fade outs to break up some of the shots. This is replicated within the 2013 trailer for 'Silence of the Lambs' which is linked below. The editing style replicates that of someone blinking. This suggests that someone is watching the character and their actions. This creates a sense of suspense as the audience do not know who is watching, if there is anyone at all. It also replicates the idea that 'God is always watching'. The blinking could also be viewed as the audience's blinking. This therefore makes them feel much more apart of what is occurring inside the movie and emphasises the feelings of tension, unsettlement and anxiety that they feel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuX2MQeb8UM
If you don't wish to watch the entire extract, skip to 1.27.
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