It Follows Opening Sequence Shot by Shot Analysis Practice
A Suspense & POV-Focused Cinematic Breakdown Practice
💵 Price: $5
📦 Format: Printable PDF + Editable Google Docs (fillable with minor tweaks)
🕒 Time Required: 1–2 class periods (or assign for homework)
📚 Best For: Grades 10–12 | Advanced Film, IB/IGCSE, Horror Genre Study, or Visual Analysis
What It Is
This shot-by-shot analysis activity uses the first 4 minutes of the film It Follows to help students explore:
- How directors create suspense
- How camera POV can imply presence
- How mise-en-scène, cinematography, and sound work together to create tone and genre
Students complete a structured observation chart, then respond to 5 analytical questions that require evidence-based thinking and interpretation.
Skills Students Will Practice
- Cinematic terminology (framing, camera movement, sound, composition)
- Point-of-view analysis
- Genre and tone inference through technical elements
- Evidence gathering and short written argumentation
- Multimodal close reading (visual and auditory)
What’s Included
- A partially completed analysis chart with model examples
- 10+ rows for students to observe and analyze their own shots
- Targeted questions exploring:
- Implied POV
- Mood and sound interplay
- Symbolism through recurring sounds
- Emotional tone shifts based on soundtrack changes
- Optional cross-modal activity: swap the score and rewatch to explore how mood changes with sound
🧟♂️ Why Use It Follows?
This film is minimalist, suspenseful, and rich in technical artistry—ideal for:
- Teaching horror without relying on gore
- Building early film analysis habits
- Exploring POV and symbolism through film form
Note: Content warning included in the worksheet for the final shot of the opening sequence.
It Follows Shot by Shot Analysis Practice Activity
A Google Doc and printable PDF to help you practice taking shot-by-shot film notes, and questions that help pull it all together so you can explore film form, sound, creating suspense, and point of view. This lesson is designed to work with the opening sequence of the film, It Follows.
