Conventions of Film Openings

Dylan Mann-Hazell

The Purpose of Film Openings

• The purpose and intention of a film opening is to engage the audience within a matter of minutes. Many members of the audience will remember the key points of the film after viewing it, and the beginning is one of those key points, so it is up to the producers and directors to make sure this opening is well done.

• It depends on what genre the film is when coming to how the audience is going to be engaged within the first few minutes of the film, and it also depends on what certificate rating the film has been given (e.g, if it is a children’s film, the beginning must appeal to children; if it is a 15 rated film, the beginning must appeal and engage any audience member aged 15 and over, etc.)

Production Logo and Titles

• Regardless of their genre, the majority of films open with the production logo, and the opening credits. These give the production team and actors credit for their work before the film begins. This is so if you want to watch the film, you must see who made it first, instead of waiting until the end (where the majority of people don’t read the credits). The logo will be large and obvious and may be accompanied by music or sound effects to further get the attention of the audience.

Camera Angles/Shot Types

• Many films open with an establishing shot. This immediately gives the audience of where they are, whether it’s indoors or outdoors, and in some cases, what is happening in the scene. This shot is very important, for if the audience do not understand much for a prolonged amount of time, they can eventually lose interest in what is going on in the story. Other examples of an opening shot is a panning shot, a tilt shot, a close up, a high angle, a low angle, etc.

Introduction of Characters

• The introduction of characters is important within the first few scenes of a film. It is vital to allow the audience to become emotionally connected to the character, whether it be liking them or disliking them. Characters can be introduced in a number of ways. The shot could begin on them, they could be heard off screen before being shown, and a two shot could be used if there is more than one character that needs introducing to the audience. The faster the audience become emotionally connected, the better the reaction will be if anything major happens to the character.

Sound

• Films can open with a variety of sounds. If it is an action film, it is typical for dramatic music and explosive sounds to be heard. If it is a horror film, soft, tense music could be played in order to reinforce that the film is a horror to the audience. Generally music is played during the beginning scene of a film regardless of what genre it is, for music is a great way of determining what genre the film is. Also, dialogue is extremely important for it allows the audience to understand what is going on in the film. Without dialogue, it would be very difficult to see what is happening throughout the opening and the entirety of the film.