This document provides guidance for researching genre conventions in film openings. Students are asked to choose a genre to research as a group, then individually analyze the opening sequences of four films in that genre. The document outlines conventions found in the opening of Jurassic Park as an example, such as building tension through slow title reveals and shots that leave the audience wondering what will happen. Students are then given genre options and film suggestions to analyze in order to understand how openings engage audiences through conventional techniques.

1. Real Media
Research
LO: Am I able to explore and evaluate key
genre conventions and how they engage an
audience effectively in an opening sequence?

2. Target Audience Feedback
 By now, you have gathered some audience
feedback and know what genre they are
interested in.
 It’s now up to you to complete research into this
genre so you know what conventions the genre
has…so you can follow them!
 You will need to complete this research
individually – and look at four films each (at
least).

3. Example: Jurassic Park
Genre: Action/adventure
Opening Sequence Conventions: The film
opens with the Universal logo and titles which
list the production company credits.

4. Opening Sequence Conventions:
The title of the film is shown before the action begins
with a swell of the score – to signify to the audience
that things are going to get tense…
Genre Conventions:
The choice of colour and font link to the genre as red
signifies danger, which is a conventional theme in
A/A. The bold, blocky font stands out and emphasizes
the sense of danger.

5. Opening Sequence Conventions:
The slow fades between the titles and the first
shot of the sequence create a sense of
tension and engima as the audience do not
know what to expect.

6. Opening Sequence/Genre Conventions:
The first close-up of a person shows a worried
face and the audience do not know what he
is looking at. This creates tension and is
conventional of a/a for the audience to be
on the edge of their seats.

7. Genre Conventions:
The shot/reverse shot between the workers faces
and the swaying trees continues to build the
tension.
The night-time setting is conventional of a/a as it is
easy to conceal things and build tension.

8. Genre Conventions: The prop of guns is used.
Weaponry is conventional of action/adventure as
it implies there will be scenes of violence. The
audience would find this exciting.
Opening Sequence Conventions: The character’s
costume also immediately establishes him as a
hunter – continuing to introduce the narrative to
the audience through visual clues rather than
obvious dialogue.

9. Opening Sequence Conventions: Enigma is
continually built by slowly revealing elements
of the narrative – the audience wonder what
is in the box.
Genre Conventions: The low-bass score builds
tension and adds a sense of potential danger.

10. Genre Conventions: The point-of-view shot
from the unknown creature in the box
establishes that whatever it is, is the antagonist
and is dangerous. This begins to establish the
theme of good vs. evil which is a core theme
in action/adventure films.

11. Genre Conventions: Although there is minimal
dialogue the narrative is established through
action (another typical convention). This quickly
moves into a violent situation which builds tension
quickly through speeding up the pace of the
editing.
In addition, the audience sees a stereotypical
representation of a black male – he is a lackey
who is killed off quickly into the opening.

12. Opening Sequence Conventions: The camera
shots used towards the end are used to sustain
a sense of enigma. The extreme close-ups of
the creature only hint at what it might be and
the build excitement, without giving away too
much.

13. Opening Sequence/Genre Conventions:
One of the final shots of the sequence is an
extreme close-up of the hunter shouting ‘shoot
her’ repeatedly. This dialogue is emphasised over
all other dialogue establishing these words as
important. The audience is left wondering what
has cause this damage and is able to out-smart
humans. It is established it is incredibly dangerous
and the audience should be afraid of it!

14. Opening Sequence Conventions:
The final extreme close-up of the victim’s hand
being dragged out of reach is shown using slow
motion. As the scene slowly dissolves to the next
the sound of screams and gun shots create a
sound bridge to the contrasting, peaceful scene
that follows. This leaves the audience with lots of
questions and has engaged them in the film (a
wise choice…it is AWESOME)!

15. Task:
1. Decide what genre you are doing as a group.
2. Research what the genre’s conventions are.
3. On your blog post your genre decision and
bullet point the conventions for the genre you
have found.
4. Individually complete your real media
research. You will need at least four each.

16. Action/Adventure:
• Jurassic Park
• Indiana Jones –
Raiders
• Super 8
• National
Treasure
• The Dark Knight
Thriller:
• Side Effects
• Memento
• Se7en
• The Dark Knight
• The Girl with the
Dragon Tattoo
Romance Drama:
• 500 Days of
Summer
• Celeste and
Jesse Forever
• Forrest Gump
• The Notebook
Teen Comedy/Drama:
• 10 Things I Hate
about You
• Clueless
• Mean Girls
• Pitch Perfect
• Easy A
• Juno
• Napoleon Dynamite