Conventions of film openings

Conventional content

• First to appear in the opening of a film are the film’s idents. These idents state the producer studio and often the director too.

• There are many different alternatives that film companies use for their idents, depending on the film’s genre.

• For example, a different sound may be added, and in other cases there is a whole different colour scheme or movement to the ident.

• When analysing the different openings, a lot of horror genre films begin with their scary incidental music when the idents come on screen. Therefore conventional content of a film is that the genre is established almost instantly, before the film begins.

• As well as this, the majority of the film openings that I analysed add credits after the idents. This is a conventional aspect in a film opening as it introduces the film more. I have realised that most films incorporate the credits on top of what is already on screen.

• For example none of the credits are on a black background, they run with what is happening already in the frame.

• The conventional shots in openings are usually extreme long shots or establishing shots in order to establish the location and setting of the film.

• For example by showing a location, it gives the audience more of an insight into the mis en scene of the weather and what the area is like, which creates a mood. This is a conventional camera shot in an opening.

Conventional content

Mood

• I would say that the correct mood is established instantly by the sound used. Non diegetic incidental music usually establishes the mood of the film quite well.

• For example in horror films, there are often very brief high pitched sounds that create a jumpy audience.

• As well as this, sound either increases in volume, or gets faster towards the climax.

• Also I would say that mood can be established by the lighting, for example if low key lighting is used, a more eerie mood is created as the shots aren’t as clear.

• Whereas if high key lighting is used, the film uses a brighter set and almost instantly sets a happier mood.

Titles

• Titles can determine a lot about a film and they differ depending on a film’s genre.

• For example the style changes: in a thriller film, the typography may be much more professional looking in order to represent the narrative.

• Whereas in a comedy genre film, the typography may be less structured and a bit more ‘loose.’

• Conventional titles on a film opening usually just state the producers and cast.

• Most titles change colour depending on the genre too.

Technical construction

• Conventional film openings use a series of camera shots in order to establish the genre that they’re fitting.

• For example in a horror film, I have discovered that certain extreme close ups are used on certain objects, almost to distort them.

• Therefore it gives a more tense atmosphere as the audience are waiting for something to jump out at them - they can’t see what else is happening as it isn’t in the frame.

• As well as this, a lot of openings utilise tracking or camera pan in order for the audience to gain more knowledge on the location of the film.

• This is also a conventional construction of openings of films.