Conventions of an opening sequence/scene.

The purpose of an opening sequence is to engage the audience and make them want to carry on watching. A film opening should also

introduce characters and clearly show the genre of the movie.

Conventions of an opening sequence can be:

Flashback – a scene where the audience will know more about the past and introduce them to the ‘here and now’.

Planning of landscape/establishing shot – this is used to introduce the scene and

inform the audience or where the movie is set.

Narrations – this will get the audience involved almost immediately as it will set the scene, tell the audience where they are and who the characters

are.

Action scene – a fast passed opening scene will engage the audience straight away and will want them to carry on watching, as

well it will show the genre of the film.

Production logo – At the start most films a logo will appear, this is the logo of the company who made

the film and usually depending on the budget depends on if the logo will reflect the genre.

Title sequence – this will show the cast and production team, the titles

can also reflect the genre depending on where they are placed. These can be diegetic or non-diegetic

meaning that the titles and names can be a part of the movie.

Soundtrack – this is the use of tone, volume and tempo which will help alongside of the genre for example a horror opening scene will

use eerie tunes and sounds.

Narrative – a voice over almost of the what is happening, basically this will inform the viewers of what is happening, this can also be

diegetic or non-diegetic, either the voice can be heard by the character or it cant.

Barthes codes – The Hermeneutic code which refers to any element of the story that is not fully explained (Enigma code).

The proairetic code builds the tension in the narrative, it refers to any other action or event that suggests something else is going to happen, therefore it gets the audience guessing what will happen

next in the story (Action code). The semantic code this code refers to connotation within the story that gives additional meaning over the basic meaning of the word

(semantic or linguistic code). The symbolic code this code is similar to the semantic code but acts

at a wider level, organising semantic meanings into broader and deeper sets of meaning (symbolism).

The cultural code this code refers to anything that is founded on some kind of canonical works that cannot be challenged and is

assumed to be foundation for truth (cultural or referential code).