In the supernatural film Annabelle, the mise-en-scene is actually the main feature of the film. The doll is the prop but is entirely what the film is based on as she is 'Annabelle' and possessed by a demonic spirit.
The doll is a really effective prop to use because she looks very creepy, her eyes look very sinister and the painted smile creates an uneasy feeling. The doll appears to be very old due to the small cracks in her china face and eye, and has been designed to look dirty with dark smudges across her face. This gives the impression that the doll is an antique, so must have been around for a very long time and her past owners are all unknown, creating wariness.
In the film, 'Annabelle' is not humanised because she is possessed by a demon not a ghost, however she is bought to life. This makes the doll an extremely disturbing prop because it is very unnatural to see an object portrayed in this way, and the painted makeup on her eyes makes her look a lot more realistic which enhances this. However, the features are all very dainty and her big blue eyes almost create an innocent look, showing us the danger of the doll as people could be easily misled, creating an ominous feel.
Although it is very difficult to use a prop as the main aspect of a film successfully, I think 'Annabelle' works quite well simply because she is so creepy and disturbing to the audience, particularly as it is emphasized that it is based on a true story. However, I don't think that using a prop as the main feature for our opening would be as successful because it requires a lot of skill and may come across and too unrealistic, far-fetched and not as professional.
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