9 Frame Analysis

Following is the opening sequence from the movie 'The Conjuring'.
The dialogue begins on a black screen.
Debbie: "It scares us just thinking about it. When you hear it, you're gonna think we're insane."

To which Ed, one of the paranormal investigators responds:
Ed: "Try us. Please, from the start." (recorder clicks)

The close-up shot of Annabelle, the haunted doll, is shown while Debbie recounts her experience.
"It started out small, like a hand or a leg was in a different position."
This shot shows a doll with cracks in her cheek and eye, the almost monochrome and grayish color scheme sets the tone for the film, showing it's a horror movie. This close up also shows the doll is incredibly old and 'worn', which adds more to the creepy aspect of it, giving it more mystery and depth.

The scene shows three people sitting together, Debbie is still speaking about Annabelle and how they thought that maybe someone had possibly broken into their apartment and moved the doll around. In this long shot we see the words 'Annabelle Case-Year 1968', this shows that this was an actual case as the film is based on true events, adding authenticity to it, coupled with the recording sound we heard at the beginning, it shows these three individuals are being interviewed in an (possibly their own) apartment.

These shot shows the same people but from the left, it could be interpreted as a POV shot from the perspective of Annabelle itself, with Debbie being the closest, followed by Camilla. Lorraine is now questioning them to what lead them to 'believe that the doll was possessed'. The lighting here is very scarce, barely focusing on any of the three subjects, but instead facing the opposite direction from them, giving an air of mystery, and maintaining darkness. The minimalistic lighting could also mean that the truth is slowly being unraveled as the story progresses.

This shot is very similar to the second frame shot, the only difference being we can now see Lorraine and Ed Warren, the two paranormal investigators interviewing the three flat-mates. They're all seen wearing muted shades, the man on the right hasn't moved at all, he's sitting frozen in place, head down, showing he's listening intently. Meanwhile Camilla is seen hesitating to speak too, however her body language is a bit less defensive when compared to Debbie's. Her knees are slightly apart, she's not rubbing or gripping her hands tightly like the man on the left is, and her back isn't as hunched as Debbie because Debbie is talking about Camilla and how she got in touch with a medium, signifying that Camilla is about to speak, thus the slightly more relaxed body language.

This shot shows Annabelle sitting in the middle of the interviewers and the interviewees. She's dressed in all white, albeit, a very faded off white, but it still highlights her, as if putting her in the spotlight, contrast that with the dark blackish background, and almost all attention is towards the Victorian, old, worn by age doll, the red which once signified elegance and class now only shows blood, and evil. The ominous environment only adds to the eerie vibe.

This scene has possibly one of the fastest reaction changes in the whole film. As Debbie and Camilla come inside, they're initially laughing and seem to be returning from a fun night out. The darkness inside the room is a stark contrast to the lighting outside as it shines on Camilla, shrouding Debbie in darkness, which could signify how Camilla was the one who contacted the medium, who tried to understand the spirit and how she's safer than Debbie is as Debbie later on attempts to get rid of Annabelle. Their reaction switches from laughter, to intrigue at the piece of paper lying infront of them, to horror, and for Debbie, annoyance.

The piece of paper Debbie picks up is most likely by Annabelle herself, it reads, in very childish writing 'Miss Me?' in red crayon. The paper actually seems burned from the edges and seems yellowed with age, torn at random edges.

An over the shoulder shot of Debbie and Camilla staring at Annabelle, who has a ray of light hitting her, illuminating her in the dimly lit hallway, she appears to be facing the door, waiting for their arrival.

A POV shot of Debbie/Camilla looking down at Annabelle, who has broken red crayons in her ashy white plastic hands, showing that she did, in fact, write the message they received. Despite how the angle is high, we still feel an ominous and malevolent energy emanating from the doll, possibly due to how we already suspect the doll of being possessed by something more sinister than the spirit of a 7 year old girl who 'just wanted to be friends' as Camilla said.