AS Level Media Studies

1. DEVELOPMENT OF THE
FINAL FILM OPENING
SEQUENCE
Mima Micic

2. FILM IDEA: OPTION NUMBER 1
I decided to film the opening sequence for a film I initially had in mind, which is about two childhood friends,
Indigo and Angela, who got reunited after the world as we know it was wiped out by a deadly disease.
Meanwhile, their city is run by a gang which is looking for healthy women in order to carry their children. As
this strange pairing tries their best to survive together, their issues are further worsened when Indigo finds out
that her only accomplice is severely ill.
Some problems regarding making this film could be the location which has to match the dystopian genre, the
makeup and the execution of costumes. A lot of potentially dangerous props would be used and some high-risk
stunts would be done.
The opening sequence for this film could be made in many different ways, for example by using a voiceover,
narration, flashbacks, a montage and many other elements.

3. OPENING SEQUENCE IDEAS
1. A flashback that shows the two main
characters playing as children. The
atmosphere is warm and comforting, as the
pre-apocalyptic world and a state of
happiness and innocence is shown. This
shows the audience the relationship of the
existing characters and the contrast
between the flashback and present world.
2. A scene showing the antagonists; the gang
leader, sitting in a dimly lit room, as he speaks to
his accomplices about their next ‘hunt’. A girl has
been spotted running around in the streets, and
the way she’s described sounds much like Indigo.
This is a type of foreshadowing opening sequence
and is often used in thrillers and doomsday films.
It hooks the audience as they anticipate the
foreshadowed events happening.
An opening flashback
scene from the 2015 film
‘Ant-Man’ that shows the
past of an important
character
‘The Dark Knight’ is a 2008
DC film which opens with
the antagonist, The Joker
robbing a bank

4. 3. A montage of Indigo running from the
gangsters, as the scenery is shown and
the fast-pace and mood of the post-
apocalyptic thriller genre is established.
Montages can also be used in order to
deliver key information about the
character shown and the plot of the
movie to the audience without
presenting too much.
4. Angela is seen inside the safety of her
home, doing the same daily routine over and
over. This montage shows how she is
struggling with her day to day live and tries
to keep it as ‘ordinary’ as possible. Then, she
delivers an internal monologue about her
disease, as she ominously stares at her
reflection. This sets a creepy vibe, intrigues
the audience and catches their attention so
they will keep watching in order to know
more.
OPENING SEQUENCE IDEAS
A car chase montage from
one of the James Bond
films
A training montage
from a 1976 film
‘Rocky’
A montage from the film ‘Up’
(2009), showing the lives of
two characters from
childhood until one’s death

5. 5. An opening sequence that shows a news
report collage and has a voiceover informing
the audience about the disease. Another
option for this type of opening sequence
would be a television report showing the ill
people and their symptoms, the breaking
out of the disease in different parts of the
world and the consequences on the society.
OPENING SEQUENCE IDEAS
6. As indigo is all alone outside, she is
desperately calling for help. She is carrying
supplies she found in an abandoned store
as her cries are heard by an old friend. This
opening would jump straight into the story
and present the character’s reunion to the
audience, making them emotionally
attached to the characters from the very
beginning.
The opening sequence from a film ‘World War
Z’,(2013) which can be used as a reference for
this type of opening sequence

6. PROS & CONS
1. PROS:
-introduces the main characters and shows
their relationship in the past
-shows the passing of time and the contrast
between the pre and post-apocalyptic world
CONS:
-children needed to play the roles
-editing and adding warm effects during post
production would be time consuming
2. PROS:
-establishes the antagonists and their
wishes
-intrigues the audience since the
problems the protagonists will
encounter are introduced from the
start
CONS:
-many actors needed
-costumes required
-location needs to match the aesthetic
3. PROS:
-effective way of establishing the mood,
pace and genre of the film
-a fast opening will ensure that the
audience is engaged from the start
CONS:
-the surroundings need to fit the theme of
the film
-a lot of editing during the post
production stage, including the music and
sound
4. PROS:
-only one actress needed
-the location would be an ordinary
home so it’s easier to find it than
for other options
CONS:
-lots of editing during the post
production stage
-an experienced actress required
5. PROS:
-no equipment needed
-no actors needed
-gets the theme of the film across
effectively while setting the mood
and genre
CONS:
-lots of editing
6. PROS:
-just the two main characters
needed
-realistic and affordable props
-emotional scene at the
beginning, hooking the audience
CONS:
-location needs to match the
films topic and scenery

7. I have decided to film a combination of the 3rd and 4th idea I had in mind. Two montages of the
main characters will be shown, and when Angela delivers her internal monologue the other main
character will knock on her door and they will be reunited. The showing of both main characters’
lives will make them more familiar and close to the viewers and the foreshadowing of Angela’s
disease will intrigue the audience and make them wonder about its effects on the events that will
occur later in the film. Combining these two storylines and showing how they connect will make it
more dynamic and cut down time.
The opening
sequence from the
1999 film
‘Magnoila’ which
is a montage that
combines multiple
storylines into a
single sequence

8. FILM SYNOPSIS
Working title: Pathogen
In a dystopian world set in near future, a disease wipes out most of the world population and
leaves the survivors struggling to find food and shelter. However, this disaster reunites two
childhood friends who lost touch with each other a long time ago. Their friendship develops
as they attempt to manage living in post-apocalyptic conditions. Meanwhile, their city is
occupied by a large gang that searches for healthy young women to carry their children.
Their problems only grow bigger when it’s revealed to one that her only company and best
friend is also affected by the deadly illness.