opening sequences

 opening sequence:

What is the purpose of the opening sequence?

- Its a creative way of showing the most important members of the production in the beginning of a film.

- They are presented as text beside some action and a soundtrack

- They can include diegetic and non- diegetic sound, voiceover, animation, non- traditional editing techniques and other creative formats.

- The opening sequence sets the scene and shows the viewers where it is based, what is going on in the film and what has happened in the past to get to where they are now.

- Some begin with establishing shots of the location (very common)

- Some are more abstract (montage, etc) they give away very little about the setting but gives clues on genre and tone.

- Thriller genre is almost a character itself.

- A good example is 'Catch me if you can':

What is the difference between Opening Credits and a Title Sequence?

- Opening credits are important names for the film like; producers, directors, cast and crew that are shown on a plain black screen or on a simple background picture or even put into an opening scene.

- But open credits that stand alone while shown on a little scene before the film is a title sequence.

What techniques can be employed in an opening sequence?

- Simple title credits

- Double exposure

- Illustrated title sequence

- Different typography designs

- Music and sound

- Incorporating graphics and images

Camera:

- A reflection is used to show the busyness of the city

- Most of the shots are wide angle shots that show the city

- The angle of the shot on the building is angled

- There is a long shot in the beginning of a green background with blue lines

- Most of the shots are long

Editing:

- The typography is wiped on and off the screen and moves like the arrows in the title

- The shots are longer in the beginning showing the hustle and bustle of the city/ road in the reflection of the building

- The shot then again fades from the building to a crowd of people walking around

Mise en scene:

- There is a busy city

- In the beginning is starts with a green background and blue lines

- The camera is make to look like its slanted looking on to the side of something

- Later the green background fades to the reflection of a building shown the busy road

Sound:

- The music is very up beat which mimics the busy city

- Its optimistic

Camera:

- This opening sequence is all establishing shots and its aim is to set the scene for the audience

- All shots are wide angle shots

- Most are a mix between low and high angle shots

- there are a large amount of panning shots

- When the music speeds up the panning shots become quicker

- A majority of the shots are from an angle which can show that's something is off (canted angle)

Editing:

- Some of the shots are quick changing

- Some are panning shots

- Most of the shots are quick changing and have no special effects on them

- When the music starts to build up the shots change faster

Sound:

- You can hear the cars in the background (diegetic sounds)

- The music intensifies/ becomes deeper when the title is shown

- Then after the title is shown it starts to become faster and sounds like a timer or a clock

Mise en scene:

- the typography is 3D and makes it look like part of the setting.

- Shows the city and all its buildings

- All of them are high up

Camera:

- We also see that the camera mimics the flow of the ocean making each shot flow into the next.

- There are a lot of establishing shots and wide shots as well as close up's and extreme close ups. there are even some birds eye view shots.

Editing:

- We have editing where there is obstruction then the shot has changed

- There is fading in and out (could symbolise him blacking out)

Sound:

- The music matches every different shot

Mise en scene:

- We get themes of falling and bond being pulled down further into the ocean

- Themes of blood

- Themes of the ocean and being in a dangerous area without any help

- We have bond been seen as a target that is floating through the ocean

- There are a bunch of guns and knives dropping which can symbolise a graveyard which can show themes of death.

- There are a lot of shadows

- The typography is standard but fades in and out.

In conclusion:

We see compared to Skyfall and Panic room North by North West focuses on the city life and setting the scene for the audience and the names that come up where as panic room focuses on setting the scene mainly as well as showing the cast & crew in this way these two opening sequences are similar in a way. But Skyfall focuses on showing the audience what the movie is about, the background as well as showing the cast & crews names.