The opening of a film aims to draw the audience in and establish characters and genre. Directors have many options for achieving this, including flashbacks to key past events, panning landscape shots to set the scene, narration, or action sequences like fights. For example, Saving Private Ryan uses a flashback to a World War II veteran's memory of the D-Day invasion after he collapses at a cemetery, immediately immersing viewers in the setting and time period.

1. Film Openings Codes Conventions

2. The purpose of a film opening is to entice the audience into carrying on watching the film. A film opening should also establish characters and genre. Directors can choose to do this in many ways.

3. A Flashback is a scene that takes the narrative back in time usually to a key event sometimes for a couple of minutes or the whole movie. Below is an embedded clip of the opening of Saving Private Ryan, it starts with a World War veteran visiting a War Memorial cemetary, he falls to the ground and then the flashback begins, to D Day June 6 1944.

4. Panning of Landscape- This is used to set the scene and inform the audience on where the film is taking place. E.g Open Range

5. Narrations

6. Fight/ Shoot out

7. Title Sequence