Film opening

Techniques

This is the start of the 2nd quarter and we are learning and talking about film opening. Opening scenes are sequences meant to grab the readers attention. During class we learned about the different techniques and here some of the different techniques used.

Technique 1- Enter the villain

-This technique is mostly used in action films, when the villain is the first to appear in the opening scene.

Technique 2- Over the hero

-In this technique the main character is usually introduced and the audience can kind of tell the key plot, or meaning from just the opening scene.

Technique 3- Establish relationships

-Establish relationship is usually used in drama and give connections between relationship in the opening scene.

Technique 4- Plot catalyst

-This technique gives a motivational mood and might be they key motivation for the movie.

Technique 5- Follow genre

-By establishing the tone of the opening scene we call this technique follow the genre. You are able to tell the genre or tone of the film by end of opening scene.

Technique 6- Flip genre/Irbid

-In this technique they use, Flashbacks, Flashforward, Dreams, Metaphors, Bookends, Red herrings, MacGuffins.

5 types of opening scenes

We learn that they are different openings scenes and that they all have different purposes, here five types of opening scenes.

1- Prologue

A montage or scene that communicates an important backstory that occurred before the events in the film. They are 2 types of prologue's: prologue montage with voiceover and prologue scene without voiceover.

• Prologue with voiceover

A prologue with voiceover is usually used in fantasy films and dumps a ton of exposition on audience at once.

• Prologue without voiceover

A prologue without voiceover is sometimes a flashback scene that reveals something important from the past, can catch us up with backstory and build sympathy for a character.

2- Inciting incident

An opening scene with an inciting incident sets the story into motion, it could be anything like a weeding, a funeral, or apocalypse. Everything is set up efficiently and is communicated visually. Can be incredibly tense, have elements of mystery and surprise.

3- Day in the life

A day in the life introduces us to the main character, there's two parts in a day in the life and they are exciting day in the life and uneventful day in the life.

• Exciting day in the life

This gives us something exciting to look forward to, they're usually multiple or the main characters in an exciting situation where it will make us viewers think about whether they will die or will they make it out alive.

• Uneventful day in the life

In this opening scene there's always something fresh or unusual about the setting, situation, dialogue, or characters. Establish the tone and genre of the movie and illustrate the overall theme of the film.

4- Cold open/ Teaser

Cold open can also be called a teaser, they are most common in horror movies, crime thrillers, and action flicks. They tend to grab the audience's attention and establish genre elements before the act. It almost never involve the film's main character, an event that has something to do with the story but gives important context.

5- Flashforward

Gives us something happening in the present of the film then goes to the past so the movie can start. Often has a voiceover narration, but not always can also be known as a prologue.

Sources

8 types of opening scenes to make your screenplay stand out. Creative Screenwriting. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.creativescreenwriting.com/8-types-of-opening-scenes-to-make-your-screenplay-stand-out/