This document provides guidance for analyzing the opening sequences of three films to identify conventions and how each sequence introduces characters and narrative. Students are instructed to watch the opening sequences, analyze what they have in common, consider the purpose of opening sequences, and then analyze their own chosen sequence in the same way to identify its conventions and how it sets up the story and characters.

1. Year 12 – Friday 19th
September
LO: Am I able to analyse film opening sequences and identify
conventions?

2. Key Word: Convention
• A convention is an element which you expect to see in a genre.
• For example: In horror films you expect dark settings, tense music and
death. These are conventions of horror movies.

3. Task
• Watch the opening sequences of the films below.
• They are all different genres of film – however, do they have anything
in common?
• Sequence 1 Sequence 2 Sequence 3

4. Task
1) Analyse what do the sequences have in common – think about
elements such as titles. What do you think are the conventions of
an opening sequence?
2) The purpose of an opening sequence is to introduce the characters
and/or main narrative of the film without giving away too much
information.
A) How does each sequence do this?
B) Does the sequence focus more on character or narrative? Why?
C) What genre is the film? What elements in the opening connotate this?
3) Find your own opening sequence from any genre you like. Analyse
how it uses conventions and introduces the narrative/characters.