Conventions of a Film Opening

The purpose of having a film opening is to:

1.  Opening credit: These are the credits at the start of the film that introduce the important roles in the film, like the most important actors, the writer, director etc..

In some firms these are shown at the end or at he beginning of the film.

2. To set the scene: This shows the location and where the film is going to take place.          

      3. To show the genre of the film: Although the genre is normally known before you start the film, the opening scene can also have a great influence on it. One example Is Halloween (1978), Its just a black background with bold orange letters on it and a pumpkin on the left side. Simple yet effective as pumpkins represent evil and are normally seen during Halloween. This can also be done though the music used in the opening scene.

A good film opening is when:

• When a film grabs your attention from the opening frame, knocks you out of your seat , or even grinds you into it, you tend to remember it fondly, even if the rest of it fails to measure up 

• The opening should tell us the genre of the film and the setting or location

• The opening may tell us one of the story lines of the movie to keep the viewers watching and to give the audience a taster of the narrative

• The opening should include many different techniques, from catchy music to fast paced editing

• The most important element to a good opening Is the element of suspense