A PowerPoint describing what to do and what not to do when creating a opening sequence for a film.

2. SAUL BASS
BEFORE SAUL BASS
• ALL TITLES WERE AT THE START
AFTER SAUL BASS
• THE CONVENTIONS CHANGED
• THE GRAPHICS ARE KEY IN SETTING
THE AUDIENCES EXPECTATIONS
• HE MADE THE FONT STYLISH

3. CONVENTIONS
• 2-4 MINUTES LONG
• AT THE START OR AFTER A PRE-TITLE SEQUENCE
• STAND ALONE OR OVER A SEQUENCE
• GOOD LIGHTENING DEPENDING ON THE GENRE
• SOUND
• MISE EN SCENE
• FONT
• COLOUR
• FRAMING

4. WHAT TO AVOID
• INCONSISTENCY IS KEY: IT CAN CAUSE CONFUSION: “SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF”
• SHOOTING IN TOO MANY LOCATIONS
• FORGETTING TO LEAVE NEGATIVE SPACE FOR TITLES
• HAVING THE FONT TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL
• RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO CREATE EFFECTIVE TITLES

5. MOST COMMON PROBLEMS
• LOOKS LIKE A TRAILER OR A SHORT FILM
• NOT ENOUGH TITLES
• POOR SOUND AND POOR LIGHTING
• POORLY DIRECTED
• ACTORS NOT IN COSTUME
• CONFUSING
• COPIES STUDENT CONVENTIONS NOT AN ACTUAL FILM OPENING

6. MOST COMMON STUDENT OPENINGS

7. MAKING THE BEST FILM OPENINGS

8. MAKING THE BEST FILM OPENINGS
STEP 3 – BUILD UP SKILLS
•SOUND
•CAMERAWORK
•EDITING

9. MAKING THE BEST FILM OPENINGS

10. MAKING THE BEST FILM OPENINGS
STEP 6: PLANNING
• PEOPLE, PLACE, PROPS, COSTUME
• REHEARSING, DIRECTING
• EQUIPMENT
• JOBS ON THE DAY
• KEEPING A RECORD OF THE PROCESS
• GIVE MORE TIME THAN YOU THINK

11. MAKING THE BEST FILM OPENINGS
STEP 8: EDITING