Insidious uses mise en scene to create a psychological effect for it's opening scenes horror. The initial first scene with a boy in a bed, combined with the tense music gives the audience a sympathetic fear for the boy, as he is highly vulnerable and the music suggests that he could be in danger.

The lighting within the scene also has a great deal to do with the horror created. After leaving the boy in the bed, the camera pans to another, very dark room with a silhouette of a person is visible through the window. As the camera turns, the silhouette is no longer visible from the camera's new angle, which creates fear via the unknown and unseen. Adding to this effect is the ragged shadow of a tree blowing in the wind, which empresses an air of imagery of claws or another similar danger.

The next subject of fear presented to the camera is a gruesome face, illuminated only by a candle. This lighting is extremely effective in creating fear, as it outlines the jagged features of the women's face and the lack of any other light leaves the rest of the scene a mystery. The candle goes out as the camera zooms in, after a moment of darkness, the movie title appears suddenly, which could cause a jump scare this early in the movie after suspense has been established.