Hereditary

The opening title sequence shows the dynamic between a set of chain reactions that is about to occur and the blocking between the family. This is portrayed through the use of mise-en-scène, cinematography, sound, and editing. Mise-en-scène includes costuming, props/decor, setting, makeup, and hairstyle. The costuming shows everyone in formal attire as they head and attend a funeral of the deceased grandmother. The family all have natural looks and simplistic hairstyle and the setting first takes place in their home then to the funeral home. The props include a chocolate bar and sketchbook the daughter takes on which shows her child like behavior indicating youth. The decor shows the tree house being a sanctuary for the daughter as she sleeps there displeasing her father and the typical boy room the son has with the blue walls and masculine decor. The first shots show an art like studio which holds display models which indicates curiosity as to who holds that room. The cinematography includes pan shots, long shots, a dolly in, tilt shot, medium shot, a cutaway, over-the-shoulder shot, close up shots, and an insert shot. The opening scene shows a pan shot to where it showcases an artistic room and dollying in to a room whee the father tells his son to get ready for the funeral. There is a long shot then a tily showing the father walk out of the house towards the tree house and then moving down to the mother who is already dressed and irritated her daughter is up in the tree house or how she is tired of waiting. Once at the funeral home, there is an over-the-shoulder shot on the mother addressing a crowd unknown to her and then a close up showing her facial reaction to her speech which seems grim. There is a cutaway to the daughter staring strangely at her grandmother’s necklace and the blurry background comes to focus as she turns around looking at a man smiling at her. There is close up shots to show the family’s reactions to the speech and then shows the father looking down at his daughter being distracted and closes her sketchbook. The insert shot shows the sketchbook she is drawing in and then a last family shot showing the parents worried about the daughter’s peanut allergy. Sounds are portrayed through the daughter’s popping sounds and her eating chocolate. The daughter seems to be a strange one who is in her own little world by being in the tree house her parents don’t want her in and being observant to her surroundings. The son has barely any screen time as the focus is on the girl.