Opening sequences

The opening two minutes of a film can be in some films the most important 2 minutes of the film. The opening two minutes is very important, in these two minutes you have to establish a genre, tone and the style of the film.  These two minutes can be the most important as it needs to be able to interest the audience in order for them to keep watching.  The main jobs of an opening are:

·         To ‘hook’ the audience. Something interesting must happen in order to make us watch the rest of the film.  The opening may use enigma codes (questions that the narrative will answer later in the text.) to help create a ‘hook’ therefore making us watch on to see those questions answered.

·         It must introduce genre, tone and theme.  By using conventions of the chosen genre they can establish the genre within the audience therefore helping the audience to create and interest to the film and give idea to the audience of what they can expect from the rest of the film.

·         It must introduce characters. Showing clearly the type of character they are a heroine or an agent of change.  It must introduce their role in the narrative and successfully convey there personality to the audience.

·         It must establish the time and place, the setting and the atmosphere. Setting in the film is most important as from setting the audience will know what to expect from the film.