"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" - essay

What can we learn about ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ from close analysis of its opening sequence? What devices are used to present an audience with information about the programme? Answer the above question making reference to generic conventions, representation, visual devices and sound.



The purpose of the opening sequence is to let the target audience know what sort of programme it’s going to be. It gives us clues about the mise en scene, character types and genre.

At the beginning of the opening sequence there is a moon with the title in the middle of it. Next we can see a lot of shots with Buffy and less shots with other characters. At the end we can see a club shot with hero and again the title.

The opening sequence places the programme in a specific genre very well as there are a lot of fight scenes and monsters.

We learn about genre which is a hybrid genre, teen drama, from music associated with the opening sequence and from situations i.e. fights with monsters.

The producers, to help us understand what is contained within the programme, are exploiting the following: the mise en scene as heroes wear bright and white clothes and they have perfect hair and bodies all the time. Bad characters wear dark or black clothes. There are monsters and guns as well as old weapons because the producers are following the generic conventions.

The action is set in the house, grave yard and in a club to make it more modern.

They are using dark light and night time to make a scary atmosphere. Camera angles are always showing us the hero in the best way to make us think that she is perfect.

There are a lot of close ups of Buffy to show her beauty, and there are also low angle shots to make her look important. Other characters are shown in a more ‘silly’ way to make Buffy more important as I said before.

We can see there a lot of signifiers such as: the moon, old books, guns and monsters because this is a horror programme.

The most important characters are represented in a glamorous way with a lot of close ups and heroic situations. Other characters are represented in sometimes silly ways with mid shots to make them less significant.


The characters are not created according to stereotypes as the heroine is a strong young and beautiful female and the male characters are weak. In my mind this makes the programme unusual and very interesting and helps to gain the new audience.

The title music that accompanies the opening sequence is scary at the beginning but after bells and organs we can hear modern rock. I think it sets the mood of the programme quite well as it is rock and we know it will be fast and exciting.

In my opinion the producers chose this type of music as they have tried to target a new audience, the more modern audience.

There is a sound effect: a wolf howl which is also a signifier, so it set the programme in the horror genre as well.

This programme definitely has a target audience and in my opinion this is a young, modern audience includes and both genders. There was a gap in the market and they filled it with something unusual and interesting.

The audience for this product will watch it as males want to watch a beautiful woman, and females want a strong female as a role model and they want to be like Buffy.

By looking at Visual Devices, Representation and Sound I noticed clues that might help me understand who the producers are trying to target as their audience. The clues are: actors are young and they wear modern clothes; the music is fast and ear-catching; the hero is a strong and beautiful female, so both genders want to watch it and the people who will watch it also like scary programmes.

I think the opening sequence is very effective at telling us what can we expect from ‘Buffy’ as it is interesting and entertaining. We can see a lot of fast shots with action in it and it’s very eye-catching. It clearly says what genre it is.