This document provides guidance on creating effective film openings. It outlines 8 steps: 1) define the task and equipment; 2) create a blog to document the process; 3) build skills in sound, camerawork, and editing; 4) research existing film openings; 5) brainstorm ideas; 6) plan shots and storyboards; 7) shoot footage; 8) edit the opening. Common mistakes are discussed such as openings that resemble trailers or using overdone tropes. Evaluation is the final step to reflect on the opening.

1. film openings

2. key features
• genre
• narrative
• character
• atmosphere

3. www.artofthetitle.com

4. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=opening+scene&aq=f&gl=GB&hl=en-GB

11. making film openings

12. Step 1: take stock
• what’s the task?
• what’s the assessment?
• what’s the timeframe?
• what’s the equipment?

13. task and assessment
• Titles and opening of a new fiction film
• up to 2 minutes
• 20 marks Research and Planning
• 60 marks Construction
• 20 marks Evaluation

14. timeframe and equipment
• build your skills
• build up your research
• build up your planning
• give yourselves time to shoot and edit
• keep evidence throughout the whole process

15. step 2: set up a blog
• and keep evidence of everything you do!

17. good blog examples
http://scasmediagwpahs.blogspot.com/?zx=fd277084e4b7cc3b
http://cmdiplomayasmin.blogspot.com/

18. Step 3: build up skills
• sound
• camerawork
• editing

19. Step 4: investigate
• what do film openings actually look like?
• what does other student work look like?
• what do you need to know about titles?
• how are you going to do something that stands out?

20. search for student films on youtube

22. Titles exercise

23. titles analysis

24. Step 5: brainstorm ideas
• possible scenarios for pitches/treatments
• 25 word pitch
• moodboard treatment
• peer and teacher feedback
• realistic expectations- keep it simple
• know the film but make the opening

25. possible pitch scenarios
• low budget UK film with young teen
protagonist, set on housing estate
• supernatural thriller aimed at a female
audience; co-production with europe
• a character returns to town after years away

27. Step 6: Planning
• experimenting with camera and editing
• recce shots of locations
• examples of shots, costumes, props, etc onto
blog
• post-it storyboard, animatic, moodboard
• logistics planning- including risk assessment

28. step 7: the shoot
• people, places, props, costumes
• rehearsing
• equipment, jobs on the day
• keeping a record of the process

29. Step 8: edit
• all having a voice/hand in it
• screengrabs of process
• importance of audio and titles
• foley - not just music
• rough cut deadline and peer feedback

30. big picture before fine detail
titles could be laid down first

31. step 9: evaluation
• seven questions become seven tasks

32. suggested tasks
• nine frames
• split screen comparison
• voiceover on distribution
• ideal target audience member
• tagged youtube video- how audience addressed
• technology photo and you
• screengrabs from prelim and final videos

37. other ideas
• prezi
• interview with audience members
• screencasts

38. http://vimeo.com/23419989

39. Six most common student film openings
• Saw: victim tied up in shed
• Scream: hooded stalker follows female victim
• Waking up: clean teeth, brush hair, leave house
• Se7en: killer sticks knife in polaroid photos
• Lock, Stock: gangsters play cards
• Flashback or Flash forward

40. most common problems
• looks more like a trailer or a short film
• insufficient titles
• poor sound, poor lighting
• confusing for the viewer
• uses one of the six common openings

41. you are the ref- what score and why?

42. Level 1: minimal 0-23 Level 2: basic 24-35
Level 3: proficient 36-47 Level 4: excellent 48-60