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1. ThabssoomIslam
MediaStudies
CodesandConventionsof filmOpeningSequence:
Importance- The mainpurpose of filmopeningsequencesistoattract the audience intowatching
the rest of the movie,the openingsequenceisthe firstreactionthatviewers/audiencesgetwhile
watchingitso it isimportantthattheyget a good feel of the film/production.
The openingcreditsof motionpicturesare shownatthe begging,thisestablishesthe
protagonists/antagonistsandalsothe genre of the film.Thiswill defiantlybe showninthe opening
sequence.
Typesof conventions-
 Studio/Productioncompanylogo
 Titles(castand crew)
 Themesandtopics
 Genre
 Establishingshot
 Introductiontocharacters
 Actionand event
 Enigmacodes
 Non-diegeticmusic
Studio/productionscompanylogo-Thishelpedtoadvertise the companythathashelpedthe filmto
be distributed.If WarnerBrosit 20th
CenturyFox logoisshown,the audience islikelytoexpectabig
budgetblockbuster.
Titles- Theyare designedtotell the audience the namesof the actorsandactresses,organisation
involvedwiththe makingof the film.There isawayof presentingtheseinformationinthe credit
sequence.
 Producersname
 Productioncompany
 The Directorsname
 The title name
 The highestgrossingactor
 Supportingcast
 Crew
 The type of conventionsisamethodof attractionsto the filmforthe audience,e.g.Ben
Affleckaudiencesmayexpectforanactionor thriller.
Theme andtopicsand Genre- Itis the story withinthe genre,itiswhathappensinthe filmopening.
The filmopeningestablishthe genre of the filmdue tokeygenre conventionstoindicate the genre
to the audiences.Forexample,withinthe horrormovie the keyconventioninwhichwill be
presentedtothe audience automaticallywouldbe the use of low keylightingtocreate tension and
the use of colourblack,greyand red.Thissuggeststhat dominance of death.
Establishingshotsare importantinthe introductiontoafilm.Itisa shotthat setsout the locationat
the start of a film.Thisisusedsothat the audience candistinguishwhere theyare tosettle them
intothe film.

2. ThabssoomIslam
MediaStudies
Action/event- inthe openingsequencethe eventismostimportantasithelpsthe audience tofigure
out whatis whatisgoingon and whatis aboutto happeninthe mainpart of the film. The action
part helpsthe audience figureoutwhatthe genre of the filmsare goingto be.
EnigmaCodes- The unansweredquestionsdependsonthe situation.Thisisusedtohelpcreate
questionsandtensionrightfromthe verystartto entice the audience.Keepsthe audiences
interestedinthe filmandwantingtofindoutthe questionsthatare goingthroughtheirhands,also
keepsthe audience intrigued.
Non- Diegeticconventions- Thiscanbe usedto setscene forthe audience andconveythe type of
genre andwhat to expectinthe film.Diegeticmusictohelpsetthe scene where the actorscan hear
the sound.Certainsoundsare presentedwithcertaingenresasdifferent noisescanrepresent
differentthings.