1. Extension Task – ‘Watching
Documentary on Film Openings
I will be answering the questions in
the extension exercise within this
presentation

2. 1) What does Thomas Sutcliffe mean?
• Thomas Sutcliffe means that Its part of the way
humans are to have immediate gratification in life
generally; and the same applies when watching a
movie. When making a film, the main target is to
make the plot easy to understand for the
audience to be entertained without losing
interest for the film. By ‘seducing’ the audience, it
is guaranteed that they will not stay disinterested
as a seduction is only a glimpse of the real thing.

3. 2) According to director Jean Jacques
Beineix, what are the risks of ‘instant
arousal’?
• According to Jean Jacques Beineix, the risks of
‘instant arousal’ is that the questions asked by
the audience about the film are not always
answered in a way they would understand. He
mentions that that’s the problem about making
films. The beginning has been shown which
arouses the viewer, but then the question is what
can you do next in order to keep the viewer
aroused for the rest of the film.

4. 3) Explain why “a good beginning must make the audience feel that
it doesn’t know nearly enough yet, and at the same time make sure
that it doesn’t know too little”
• A good beginning must be able to sustain the
same level of interest from the audience
throughout the entire film. In the beginning,
enough information and entertainment should
be shown to the audience in order to keep
them wondering about what’s to come
throughout the film as the beginning really
surprised them and made them want to keep
watching. The opening of a film is really
important.

5. 4)What does critic Stanley Kauffmann
describe as the classic opening?
Why does this work?
• Stanley Kauffmann describes as the classic
opening as an establishing shot of New york
city, seen from the east. Then having a close
up of a building, then having a camera go up
the building, onto a window, then going inside
the window until passing the reception
office, ending in the beginning of the plot. This
told the audience the organization of the
world, how everything fits together.

6. 5)Why is Kyle Cooper’s title sequence
to the film Seven so effective?
• Kyle Cooper’s title sequence to the film Seven
is so effective because it gives the audience a
glimpse about what they would experience if
they watch the entire film. Also, the editing
really gets the audience’s attention.
Furthermore, the title sequence also
introduces the plot to the audience, which
makes it easier for them to understand.

7. 6)What did Orson Welles want to achieve with his
opening to the film A Touch of Evil? What did Universal
Studios do to it? Why?
• Welles wanted to achieve full attention from
the audience without any distractions such as
sound, titles or anything else which could bore
the audience.
• Universal studios re-edited the opening in a
way that was more understandable. For
example, credits were introduced in the final
cut in order to make it more usual.

8. 7)What is meant by “a favorite trick of
Film Noir ”? What is the trick?
• A favorite trick of film noir means starting the
beginning of the film with the end. A
technique used a lot nowadays. This
technique introduces the plot in a bizarre way
which later can be understood because as
they watch the film, they will understand it
better. Also, this is another way to keep the
audience entertained.

9. 8)How does the opening to the film
The Shining create suspense?
• The opening of The shining creates suspense
by having different types of shots and camera
techniques which slightly forces the audience
to keep watching as they have to understand
it in order to also be able to understand the
opening.