Task 4: How Can A Film Opening Attract An Audience

  Answers Based On The Documentary "Watching"

1)What does Thomas Sutcliffe mean when he says "Films need to seduce their audience into long term commitment. While there are many types of seduction, the temptation to go for instant arousal is almost irresistible".

Thomas means that you have to hook your audience at the very start. Some directors fall into the temptation of using cliff-hangers and dramatic title sequences to intrigue their audience, because they make the audience want to find out what will happen next.

2) According to director Jean Jacques Beineix, what are the risks of 'instant arousal'?

The risk is setting the bar too high. If the opening shows all the best/ most dramatic parts then there is little to show in the rest of the film. The audience will have higher expectations of the rest of the movie, and it's hard to deliver and live up to those expectations. You also face the risk of speeding through the plot too quickly.

3) Explain why “a good beginning must make the audience feel that it doesn’t know nearly enough yet, and at the same time make sure that it doesn’t know too little”

This is so, because it forms a sort of contract with the audience. Giving them little snippets of information makes them invested in the film. A good opening sequences has to capture the attention of the audience and make them want to stay until the end, but maintain the main plot points a mystery or else what’s the point. The titles also indicate the tone of the movie and can get the audience onto your ‘wave length’ (way of thinking).

4) What does critic Stanley Kauffman describe as the classic opening? Why?

1) Wide shot of the city

2) A shot of a big building

3) A close up of a window

4) camera moves inside the room (100m )

5) The camera moves from the window to a door

6) The camera goes through the door and introduces the main character this is very simple but a very effective way of establishing the setting and introducing the audience to the main character(s) of the movie.

5) Why is Kyle Cooper’s title sequence to the film seven so effective?

Seven’s title sequence is very effective because, at the time, it was something new and refreshing. It fells like you’re watching part of the actual movie. It also manages to convey the genera and tone of the film. It introduces the audience to the addictive behaviour of the character, and allows the audience to prepare of what is to come.

6) What did Orson Welles want to achieve with his opening to the film ‘A Touch Of Evil’? What did Universal Studios do to it? Why?

Welles wanted to not have the title sequence. He wanted to jump straight into the movie. He believed not having a title sequences would build up the atmosphere and not give the audience any time to prepare. Universal Studios didn’t agree with his decision and after a massive court argument, they added a title sequence at the start. Universal thought it was unusual and added to credits at the end, and all together an inconvenience, and didn’t see the creative element of it.

7) What is meant by “a favourite trick of film Noir”? What is the trick?

The trick is showing the ending of the film at the start, and then working backwards to inform the audience how the characters arrived at that conclusion. It works really well because it’s human natural to want to know why things are the way they are.

8) How does the opening to the film ‘The Shining’ create suspense?

The shining creates suspense by using a high camera shot that looks like a predator is following the car, ready to attack its prey. It also cleverly uses lighting to indicate that the car is driving the wrong way. It got gradually darker as the car got closer to its destination. The dark and eerie music helped set the dark and mysterious tone.