2. Dunkirk Opening
sequence
• Dunkirk is a well-known war film
written, directed, and produced by
Christopher Nolan which depicts
the Dunkirk evacuation of World War
II. The film was released in 2017,
produced and distributed through
Warner Bros.
• The opening sequence follows the plot
line of a man enduring the struggles of
war. You can see he is running for
safety and is trying to find his
bearings.
3. Genre and
conventions
• The genre is action, this is conveyed
through the use of guns, running, wide
shots, slow motion and army mise en
scene.
• Other conventions of war films include …
• Fast paced music
• Explosions
• Wounds/Injury
• Fear
4. Target audience
• The target audience is white,
male, 12-80. As this is a war film,
the target audience can be
broadened with age as it appeals
to both the young and old
generation. Specifically with the
older generation as there is more
resonance with war due to being
alive within that time period. We
are only presented with white
men, hence why we can make the
assumption that is targeted for
that specific group.
5. Was it successful?
• Yes, I think the opening title sequence
for Dunkirk was extremely effective.
• I think Christopher executed the
creative elements flawlessly; blending
realism with a juxtaposition of
abstract imagery, such as the paper
parading the scene.
(Original picture which inspired the opening sequence.)
