2. Conventional Content
• One thing that I have found when analysing the film
openings is that establishing shots are often used at
the beginning of an opening scene. These are used to
tell the audience where the scene is set and hints
that the rest of the film will more or less likely take
place there as well.
• Any main and other important characters are often
shown first. This is to show the importance of that
character right at the beginning so they can assume
that they will be the lead character throughout.
3. Conventional Content
• All of the films that I analysed began with the films
credits. This gives information on the
director, distributor, studio and the main actors that will
be featured in the film. The typography used for these
credits are often in the style of the genre of the film, for
example, red blood splatter lettering used for a slasher
film.
• The idents are also usually something that appears first
on the screen. Much like the films credits, these are
adapted to suit the genre and other themes throughout
the film, for example, a blood red filter used over an
ident for a horror film as the colour red is an icon of the
genre.
4. Atmosphere and Mood
• Incidental music is usually used at the beginning of to
set the atmosphere for the rest of the film.
• The non-diegetic music is also used or manipulated
to tell the audience when something significant is
going to happen. For example, increased volume of
tense music just before a character is shot.
5. Atmosphere and Mood
• The use of lighting and whether it is low-key
or high-key is used to set the mood of a film.
• In a horror film, a low-key lighting would be
used to set an eerie and sinister mood.
• In a romantic comedy film, the lighting would
be high-key to set a happy and uplifting mood.
6. Atmosphere and Mood
• Usually, the use of non-diegetic music and
some diegetic, ambient sound sets the
atmosphere for a film. For example, ambient
sound of waves crashing against the shore
would be used in a romance film as it sets a
relaxing atmosphere often seen in the genre.
7. Titles
• From the film openings I have analysed, most of
them change the style of the titles to the genre of
the film.
• Just by looking at the typography of the titles, the
audience can make assumptions as to what the film
will roughly be about.
• Different colours and font styles are used to do
this, for example, green glowing, futuristic
typography would suggest that it would be the titles
for a science fiction film.
8. Technical Construction
• Different camera angles and shots can change the
audiences perception of characters.
• A high-angle shot of a character would imply that
they are weak whereas a low-angle shot would do
the opposite.
• Close up shots are used to draw the audiences
attention to something and usually it is a significant
item or to show the emotion on a characters face.
9. Technical Construction
• Establishing shots are used to show the location,
usually at the very beginning of the scene.
• The editing of some shots are increased in pace
when an intense, fast scene is happening, for
example, in a fight scene. It can also be used to show
the skill that a character has such as, the swiftness of
their punches in a fight scene. These are often used
in action films where intense scenes are common.
10. Technical Construction
• Filters are often used in the films to set a
mood and atmosphere. For example, a grey
filter may be used for a horror film to set a
sinister and eerie atmosphere and mood.
• Diegetic sound effects can be emphasised to
make a certain action clear. For example, a
character reloading a gun would be
emphasised to signify the power of the
weapon.
