Conventions Of Opening Sequences

There are many conventions of an opening sequence, which will typically be seen in many film opening sequences, in particular A-list big budget films which are produced by the biggest film companies and have the ability to add in expensive special effects.In some films, the opening sequence is the most important part of the film, a good example of this is the James Bond films, they are known for the fast paced action sequence which all of their films will have, they are gripping and draw the attention of the audience. 

The first convention which is often seen in a opening sequence is an institutional logo, there could be more than one shown if the film is made by numerous companies. They are used because the audience will see straight away if the film has been produced by a big company, the audience will then get the feeling that the film will be good. A company logo is a vital component for an opening sequence. 


Something which is a must for an opening sequence is the Film title, to tell the audience what they are actually watching. This is a screen grab from the opening sequence of "Resevoir Dogs" one of the most well known Thriller films of all time.  The film title doesn't exactly need to be at the start or the end of the trailer, as long as it is in there at some point of the film. 

There may also be some credits shown which shows cast and crew info and the actors which are in the film, this is useful as if there is a A-list actors such as Morgan Freeman or Brad Pitt people will want to see the film as they might like the actors alot. Here is an example from the film "Catch Me If You Can", this is an unconventional opening sequence, but this screen grab shows an arrow pointing the character who is played by the world famous actor "Leonardo DiCaprio".  





                     This is an example of some of the Cast and Crew info which is shown in the "Casino Royale" opening sequence. This is something that i feel my group should put in our opening sequence as it will make the trailer look more professional. Cast and Crew is something which its good to be included, but it's not really one of the most important conventions towards a successful opening sequence.




Introducing the characters is something which is very important to an opening sequence, it sets the tone for the rest of the film. If for example there is a fight scene, the audience will expect to see this throughout the film or they might end up being disappointed.  In reverse if the opening sequence is dull and boring, the audience might be be put off the film and not what to watch any more. Some characters will be frequently shown in the opening sequence if they are the protagonist or one of the main characters, the audience will then immediately expect them to often be shown throughout.                                                                                                                          

 I analysed the first two minutes of the Goodfellas opening sequence, it's a good example of introducing the characters as you see that they are very violent, the audience will expect to see this for the rest of the fillm. This trailer will draw in a particular target audience of those who like action and are into the"Gangster" genre.    
                                                                                       

In conclusion, there are many different conventions of a film opening sequence, it's important to stick to the conventions and have a gripping opening sequence so that the audience will want be interested in the film and therefore want to watch the rest of the it. There is of course a lot of films where the opening sequence may not have much action apart from the credits and a small introduction to the characters, like the "Reservoir Dogs" opening sequence, however it is still iconic, and one of which has tried to be replicated many times.