film opening sequence codes and conventions as level

2. WHAT IS AN OPENING SEQUENCE ?
• THE PURPOSE OF A FILM OPENING SEQUENCE IS TO INTRODUCE THE AUDIENCE TO THE GENRE OF THE
MOVIE AND ESTABLISH THE SETTING , INDICATE THE MOOD AND VISUAL ASPECTS OF THE FILM, AMONGST
OTHER THINGS.
• THIS CAN BE DONE BY USING CERTAIN TYPES OF SHOTS SOUNDS AND SOUNDTRACKS AND CHARACTER
INTRODUCTIONS.

3. • THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR DIRECTORS TO ACCOMPLISH SUCH THINGS FROMTHE VERY START OF THE
FILM, WHICH INCLUDE AN ESTABLSHING SHOT, NARRATION AND FLASHBACKS. ALL OF THESE ASPECTS
ARE USED TO DRAW PEOPLE IN AND KEEP THEM HOOKED FROM THE BEGINNING AND ALSO TARGET THE
FANS OF THE SPECIFIC GENRE. THE OPENING SEQUENCE NEEDS TO REFLECT THE FILM TONE AND MOOD
ASWELL AS REPRESENT IT IN THE BEST LIGHT POSSIBLE AND SET THE EXPECTATIONS FOR EVENTS THAT
HAPPEN LATER IN IT.

4. ELEMENTS
• STUDIO
• TITLES
• THEMES AND TOPICS
• ESTABLSHING THE GENRE
• CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
• NARRATION
• SOUND
• ENIGMA

5. STUDIO
• A FILM OPENING SEQUENCE WILL
ALWAYS SHOW A LOGO OF A
COMPANY.
There are 6 main studios that are most often shown

6. CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
• DURING THE OPENING SCENE CHARACTERS ARE INTRODUCED WHICH SIGNIFIES THEIR IMPORTANCE IN
THE FILM. OFTEN TIMES THE CHARACTER DISAPPEARS AFTER A MINUTE TO GIVE THE CHARACTER A SENSE
OF MYSTERY.
“Get Out” (2017) shows a
mysterious character in
the opening scene, who is
not seen again until the
second half of the film.

7. TOPIC/THEME
The topic of the film is introduced in the opening scene and it is used to give the audience a sense of
what the film is about without giving away too many details. Along with that, it introduces the genre of the
film.
Comedy genre Action genre

8. NARRATION AND SOUND
DIEGETIC SOUND - A SOUND WHICH HAS A SOURCE ON
SCREEN , SUCH AS DIALOGUE , FOOTSTEPS , GUNSHOTS ETC.
THESE SOUNDS ARE HEARD BY THE CHARACTERS IN THE
FILM, AS THEY ARE INTERNAL SOUNDS OF IT.
• NARRATION IN FILMS IS USED TO MAKE THEM
MORE INTERESTING AND APPEALING TO THE
AUDIENCE. IT CAN ALSO HELP THE AUDIENCE GET
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FULL STORY,
AS IT FURTHER EXPLAINS THE PLOT AND
CHARACTERS.
NON-DIEGETIC SOUND – THESE ARE THE SOUNDS THAT
HAVE BEEN ADDED DURING THE EDITING STAGE, SUCH AS
SOUNDTRACK AND SOUNDS USED TO CREATE A CERTAIN
ATMOSPHERE. IT MAKES THE FILM MORE POWERFUL AND
LEAVES AND IMPACT ON THE AUDIENCE.
• SOUNDS IN OPENING SEQUENCES USUALLY
CONTAIN SOUNDS THAT WILL SET THE SCENE
AND HELP CONVEY THE GENRE AND
EXPECTATIONS OF THE FILM.