This PowerPoint presentation provides guidance on creating effective film openings. It discusses macro and micro conventions to consider, such as genre, narrative, characters, themes, and atmosphere. It recommends researching other successful openings for inspiration. The presentation also offers tips on technical aspects like title design, sound, lighting, framing, and formatting. Students are advised to storyboard their opening and plan shoots carefully to avoid common problems like revealing too much plot or having an inconsistent tone.

1. Making Film Openings
This PowerPoint is about an AS media study day at the
BFI, learning about making film openings.
19/11/15

2. Macro Conventions
•Genre
•Narrative (plot)
•Characters
•Themes
•Atmosphere
•Go around group asking what genre they want or
research using focus groups to see what film genres
are in style at the moment and/or which ones are
liked by specific groups of people.
•Research other films and their openings to see
what is targeted to your target audience and also
see how much of the plot is revealed in the
opening. Do not reveal too much of the plot in the
opening.
•Research by looking at other openings to see how
many main characters are introduced int he
opening to film of a similar genre.
•Main themes could be revealed such as love or
pain or fear.
•Atmosphere should be created to set the tone for
the audience for the rest of the movie. Without the
right atmosphere plot and themes could crumble.

3. Micro Conventions
• Choose one that matches the
theme/genre.
• Correct for creating atmosphere.
• Decide what types of framing
matches the overall genre and
atmosphere.
• Choose a specific colour.
• Overall idea should be planed
before shooting begins.
• Find inspiration or make sounds
yourself i.e ask music enthusiasts.
• Font (remain consistent)
• Lighting (remain consistent)
• Framing (remain consistent)
• Colour (remain consistent)
• Costume/props/setting
• Sound design

4. Basic points
• Typically 2-4 minutes long.
• Stand alone titles or
• Integrated into shots.
• Saul Bass: American graphic designer known for revolutionising opening titles. Use as
inspiration.
• At the start or pre-title.
• Specific order of titles.
• Shots should be thought of after titles otherwise it can look sloppy and unprofessional.
• If font of titles are too big it can look childlike and destroy the atmosphere and/or create
the wrong one.
• Inconsistencies can break audiences.
• Think about using a foley.

5. Basic points continued
• Should introduce the themes of the film i.e. love, adventure, mystery.
• Create the right atmosphere for the audience so that they more or less
know what the film will feel like.
• Establishing a genre such as romance, action, horror can remain
minimal.
• The opening can also be used to establish character such as a murderer
or a future love interest. However this doesn’t always need to happen.
• Negative space.
• Shooting in too many locations is difficult and terrible if done badly
however Gone girl does this very well.

6. Aspects
of sequence
Napoleon
Dynamite
2004
Casino Royal
2006
The Wedding
Singer
1998
Moonrise
Kingdom
2012
Genre 20% 20% 10% 20%
Narrative (plot) 0% 10% 5% 10%
Character 30% 30% 35% 30%
Themes 20% 20% 20% 10%
Atmosphere 30% 20% 30% 30%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
Macro Conventions task

7. Order of Titles
•Production companies
•Lead Actors
•Film title
•Star credits
•Supporting cast (Shared titles)
•Production credits (Head of departments)
•Producers
•Director (Cast)

8. Making the opening
Step 1
What is the…?
Assessment
Timeframe
Equipment
Task
20 Marks-research
and planning
60 Marks-
construction
20 Marks-evaluation
To make titles and
the opening of a new
fiction film. Last up
to 2 minutes.
Step 3
Build up skills in
terms of:
Sound
Camerawork
Editing
Step 2
Set up a blog
ideally on tumblr
Look back at the
preliminary task for
advice in terms of
positives and negatives.
Step 4
Investigate…
Film openings to
see what they look
like.
Look at other
students work to
see what they did
right and wrong.
Investigate what
resources that can
be accessed.
Conventions of
titles
Level 1 0-23
Level 2 24-35
Level 3 36-47
Level 4 48-60

9. Making the opening continued
Step 5
Ideas…
Pitch
Treatment
Mood board
Peer/teacher feedback
Step 6
Planning…
Experiment with
camera and sound
Examples/inspiration
Storyboard/Animatic
Logistics-back up plan
Step 7
The shoot…
People,place,props,costumes
Rehearsing, directing
Assigned jobs to be taken
Record keeping of process
Have extra time incase
Step 8
Editing…
Audio and titles first
Foley
Screen grabs of process
Early rough cut:feedback
Step 9
Evaluation…
20% of marks
In what ways does your media product
use,develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
How does you media product represent
particular social groups?
What kind of media institution might
distribute you media product and why?
Who would be the audience for your media
product?
How did you attract/address your audience?
What have your learnt about technologies
from the processor constructing this product?

10. 10
Common Problems
•Looks like a trailer or short film.
•Not enough titles (names can be made up).
•Poor sound
•Poor lighting
•Poorly directed
•Actors not organised properly
•Plot of opening confusing
•Not original