Independent Research on Film Openings

Titles

The font in this clip immediately connotes the genre
is romantic comedy.

The font of a title is the thing which is most significant about genre to the audience, perhaps even more than the action which is happening on the screen. For example, the font and colour of the titles in, for example, My Best Friends Wedding, are vastly different to the ones which are seen in the opening to Scream. The handwritten, almost wedding invitation-esque font is a complete contrast to the violent font at the beginning of Scream. This is done in film openings to connote the vastly different genres of different openings to the audience - if there was a set font and colour for the titles in film openings, it would be much harder for the audience to immediately distinguish their genre from each other. However, with this said, within a certain genre the titles will always follow certain conventions, for example within the genre of horror, Nightmare on Elm Street  has a very similar colour scheme and font to the title of Scream. 

There is a huge similarity between the colours and
fonts of these two movies (Scream and NoES) - these
key conventions are what tells the audience that it
 is a horror film.

Titles are used in an innovative way in Children of Men -
they establish place and time, rather than list
the cast and crew

Additionally, there are some opening sequences in which titles are not used at all. An example of one of these sequences is Children of Men, which contains very few titles, only showing the audience production company logos, and using titles which set the scene, in terms of both place and time. A reason for not using titles could be to ensure the audience are not detracted from the action on the screen, or could even be to increase the levels of verisimilitude and to make the audience feel like they are in the scene. Another reason for not using titles in an opening could be because of the lack of big-name actors - some independent production companies choose to not include the names of the actors in the opening of a film as they fear that it may detract certain audience members when they realise they haven't heard of any of the cast. 

Differences Between Sequences

Opening sequences vary hugely from film to film, even within the same genre. For example, in Drive there is very little buildup of characterisation, with the only thing which the audience learn about the character being through the facial expressions of the driver. In contrast to this, the opening Kidulthood cuts from character to character quickly in order to show exactly what each character is like, which is how an audience would expect a drama film to run. Despite these sequences being a part of the same genre, they are wildly different from each other in just about every single way possible. This is what I would like to do with our final movie opening, make a film like Drive which completely defies what most people would expect the opening of a drama movie to have in it.

Additionally, the soundtrack of an opening sequence is perhaps as, if not more, significant to making it different from other sequences. To use the same examples I have used previously, the opening sequence of Kidulthood is set apart from just about any other film due to the fast paced grime music which can be heard behind the action - this is completely contrasted by the slow, reflective, sombre electronica of the opening to Drive, which immediately tells the audience the types of drama that each film is going to be. 

Doing this independent research into the differences between film openings has taught me about the importance of choosing the right font for the titles. It is so important that the font matches the overall feel of the opening, as otherwise it will seem very disjointed and out of place.

Analysis of Film Openings: Drive

Embedding is disabled on this opening, watch it here.

The opening sequence of this film doesn't have a production company logo. This was probably a deliberate choice by the director, in order to make sure the audience don't take particularly interest or disinterest in the film, which they might do if they were to know it was made by an independent or mainstream production company. The rest of the opening is always ambiguous about the type of company it was made by - I will analyse this more when I talk about the titles in this opening.

The genre of this opening initially seems like it is going to be a romantic drama. The pink colour and handwritten font of the titles connote femininity, despite the only character who is seen in the opening being male. However, when the protagonist starts to drive the car at speed, his intentions appear to become more malcicious, as he looks worried. This connotes that he is about to commit a crime, and the idea of this film being a crime genre is reinforced by the low key lighting when he is indoors at the end. The low key lighting connotes the dark subject matter which is going to make up the rest of the film. 

The only character who the audience get to examine in detail within this opening We see a man driving a car quickly - this immediately connotes foolishness and recklessness. However, the driver later appears to be quiet and collected throughout the majority of the film, which means that the director has used the opening of the film in order to give the audience varying impressions about him. This is a common feature of a drama film, as by giving the audience multiple impressions, they don't get to attached to a character, although this can sometimes backfire and they will begin to like all their impressions of him. He appears to be quite youthful and looks as if he lives in a world far detached from crime - his blonde hair and bomber jacket connote university student rather than hardened criminal. The only other character seen in this clip is the waitress he walks past whilst walking to the lift. The waitress outfit connotes youthfulness which makes the audience question why it is that he is ignoring her. However, it could also be seen to connote foolishness, which immediately presents her as being somebody that the audience would rather the protagonist avoided. Additinonally, the large scorpion logo on the back of his jacket,

The narrative of this opening is deliberately ambiguous, although all of the things which are shown in the opening go on to be key parts of the narrative later on in the film. The aforementioned interaction between the driver and the waitress is key to the rest of the film, yet is easy to miss whilst watching the opening. This is the only real piece of narrative which is seen in the clip, and even then it asks more questions than it answers. This is a crucial idea of the narrative structure of a film opening, and something which I hope to be able to do when making my own film. By showing him driving quickly, the audience wonder whether he is just enjoying his youthfulness, or if he is trying to escape from something or someone. It is unanswered narrative points like this, and wondering why there is so little interaction between the only two people seen in the clip, that encourage the audience to carry on watching the film in order to see if their questions get answered.

The atmosphere within the opening sequence seems to be one of disappointment, and possibly tension. This is shown by the filter which has been applied to the sequence, which has tinges of blue in it. The colour blue connotes sadness and disappointment, so has probably been chosen in order to reflect the solum emotions of the protagonist, who is clearly hiding a lot of secrets in his blank expression, which never changes throughout the opening. The tense atmosphere in the opening is built up by the lack of interaction between the two characters - this shows that perhaps they do know each other, but due to a tension between them feel unable to speak.

The non-diegetic background music is the most important piece of sound which we hear in the opening. The song is called Nightcall, so even the name matches the action which we are seeing, as we see a man, who it could be assumed is a criminal, speeding through the night. One of the lyrics is "I want to drive you through the night, down the hills". This connotes that the lead character has nothing stable in his life but his car and his ability to drive it. This idea could be one of the reasons why his facial expressions appear to be so disappointed and dissatisfied. Additionally, the female vocal in the song could easily be the female character talking about the male one, when she sings "there's something inside you, it's hard to explain". This adds even more depth to the scene where the two of them ignore each other, as it connotes that they are two characters which cannot understand each other. The car engine in the clip doesn't make a sound, or if it does then it is next to inaudible. This connotes the idea of a criminal who is trying to hide from someone by ensuring they are not detected, so this lack of sound could show that the film is verging towards the crime side of the crime-drama genre.

The use of a handwritten font in this title could
connote a number of things

The titles within the opening have a unique handwritten style to them - this initially connotes that the film is going to contain elements of romance, which is only exemplified by the pink font, as both of these are key conventions of the romantic-drama genre. However, these are a contrast to the action which is happening on screen, which seems to be a world away from this genre of romance. Additionally, the titles are interesting because they are relatively simple (especially compared to the title sequence of, say, Casino Royale), yet list the names of A-list actors such as Ryan Gosling, Bryan Cranson and Carey Mulligan. The simple titles are a signifier that the film has been produced by an independent company, although the names of the actors connote that the film had a large budget. The simple titles were probably chosen as to not detract from the cinematography too much, as this is far more important than the actual titles within this opening.

LA skyline at the beginning connotes a lot more
than initially meets the eye

The setting of this opening, and subsequently the rest of the film is confirmed in the first shot as being in Los Angeles. This is because the first shot is an arial of the skyline of this city, which is key iconography of any thriving American city. The setting of Los Angeles has probably been chosen because its name connotes a mixture of crime (the majority of the city is populated by warring gang factions), and glamor, because it is home to Beverly Hills and Hollywood. This mixture of crime and glamour is exactly what the film opening is about - it shows a man who looks nothing like the stereotypical criminal, yet he is running away from something. This use of location is one of the most clever parts about this film opening, as when the audience think into why it has been chosen, lots more about each character is revealed to them.

Studying this film opening will help with the production of my film opening because it has shown me how important soundtrack and setting are when it comes to building the audience's knowledge about the characters. If I was able to write a piece of music which sums up the themes of my film opening as well as the song does in this opening, then this would be one of the most important parts of my opening. 

Analysis of Film Openings: The Place Beyond The Pines

At the very beginning of the The Place Beyond The Pines (embedding of the film opening has been disabled), we see the StudioCanal animation graphic. This denotes that the film was produced by this company, but connotes so much more. It tells the audience that the film is likely to have been produced on a small budget (StudioCanal are a company independent from any US media conglomerate), and is likely to be aimed at a niche audience rather than a mainstream one. This means the film is likely to have a small release due to its supposed limited appeal. Despite this, the film features fairly big-name actors in Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes, so its appears to defy what would usually be expected of a small budget film in terms of cast and release, before any acting has even taken place.

The low key lighting in the first shot (where Gosling is inside the trailer) connotes that the text is going to contain dark themes such as death and crime. If the text was going to include happier themes then he would have stepped out of the trailer into daylight, but because he steps out into the darkness of the night, it connotes that the film is not going to end happily. This has the effect on the audience of allow them to make their minds up immediately about whether it is the film for them or not - if they want to see a film with gritty themes, lots of darkness will connote to them that they are in the right place. The only thing which illuminates the characters within the opening is the flashing lights of the fairground amusements. These lights are harsh on the eye due to the strobe effects on them, so this connotes that the lighter things in the text are going to end in a bad way. It also connotes that the text is going to contain themes of hidden secrets, as the fairground lights don't provide enough light to adequately see what is going on. This gives the audience the idea that the protagonist(s) won't be able to see the things happening around them in the film.

The majority of the camera work in the opening sequence is filmed from a handheld camera, which can be noticed from the shakiness of the panning shot which follows the protagonist from his trailer to the arena. This conforms to the audience expectations of an independent film, as there probably wasn't enough money in the budget to use a steadicam for the shot. However, the use of a shaky handheld camera connotes the nervousness of the motorcycle rider, and the instability of his job, so it is likely to have been a camera technique chosen by the director rather than a unwanted choice due to budgeting. The other shot seen in the opening sequence is a mid-shot at the very beginning which doesn't reveal the face of the motorcycle driver - this has been chosen to connote the anonymity of a man who's job involves wearing a helmet. This gives the audience the idea that the protagonist in the film is going to be committing crime, and will frequently be having to cover himself up.

The main diegetic sound in the opening sequence is the mixed background noise of a fairground. This contrasts against lots of the other things which are seen within the opening, as a fairground is usually a place associated with enjoyment. The director has used this sound (and setting) in order to exemplify the hardship people have to go through to bring a passing joy to others - this suggests to the audience that a critical theme of the film could be the struggle of individuals. Another sound which is heard within the opening is the flicking of a knife. This is a sound which immediately connotes violence, despite the protagonist playing with the knife alone. The director has used it in order to immediately put a violent edge on the fairground setting, as the sound of a knife completely changes what the rest of the sounds connote.

The film is clearly a part of the crime genre, before any words have even been spoken. The key signifiers of this genre are the weapon (the knife which the biker is holding), the dark and dingy setting, and the use of the helmet in order to conceal his identity. The weapon connotes his expectation of violence and preparation for violence to come to him - if he wasn't involved in crime, then there would be no need to take this precaution. The setting of a trailer could connote that he is hiding from somebody in a place they wouldn't expect to find him, which is nearly always featured at the beginning, or the end, of a film about crime. Finally, the genre is confirmed when he places a helmet on to ride the bike - he doesn't want the crowd watching him to get a strong idea about who he is, which suggests the malicious intentions which he may have.  Violence and mistaken identity are the two key themes of a crime movie, which suggests that this film is going to probably be a hybrid film between crime and another genre, such as drama or romance.

The narrative of this opening is one which is fuelled by mystery, due to there being no actual dialogue to confirm who the protagonist is or what his intentions are. We know that he is somebody who works at a fairground as a stunt performer, although his name and any other details about him are withheld from the audience. This is not unusual for a film opening though, especially considering the ambiguous genre of the film, as if all of the details of his identity were revealed to the viewer in the opening, then it is unlikely that they would enjoy the rest of the film as much. Because of this, the narrative structure of the opening is innovative, but has been done before, as the most entertaining and gripping way is to give away as few clues as possible about the identity of the man.

The audience which is being targeted for this film is probably a mature one, as it has a slow burning start which is unlikely to interest any viewers who are teenagers or younger. The target audience would probably be primarily male, as the subject theme of a motorbike rider connotes masculinity a lot more than femininity. However, from his bleach blonde hair, there is an instantly feminine side to the protagonist, which means the film could be aimed at a more niche female audience as well. The film is more likely to appeal to people in the B, C1, C2 and D socio-demographic categories, as they will be able to relate a lot more with a man who makes a living by performing at a fairground than people in the A class, who are likely to have no empathy for anything he goes on to do. The choice in setting of a fairground is what connotes the target audience being aimed away from people in the upper classes, as they are likely to be turned away from watching the film as soon as they see the conditions which he lives in.

The protagonist in the opening is neither presented as a hero or an antihero, as he is yet to do anything to make the audience warm to him, or reject him. This ambiguity about what he represents connotes the confusion and mystery about his true identity, as if he is a hero, then the director is disguising it well. Very few women are seen in the clip, with all three bike riders, who are the only people the camera focuses on, being male. Because there is such a lack of female characters within the opening, the audience are given the impression that the society shown in the film isn't one which female characters would be seen in, represents it as being a patriarchal society. It is entertainment which is put on by men, for men to watch.

Studying the opening of A Place Beyond The Pines has shown me the importance of audience targeting, as I would not have previously considered all of the different things which are likely to make certain socio-economic groups interested in different films, or different aspects of the same film.

Analysis of Film Openings: Pulp Fiction

This still image immediately sets what the genre of the
rest of the film is going to be - it also tells us a lot
about each of the characters which are seen.

There is only a single still image in this opening from which the audience can gauge the genre of the film. This picture contains two people holding guns, which immediately connote crime and violence. Because they are clearly in a shop or a restaurant, they are probably committing organised crime, which means the film is most likely to be a part of the gangster genre. Additionally to this, the director credit of the film tells us that it was made by Quentin Tarantino. His name has become associated with films which show crime in a humourous way, which again tells the audience that the film is going to be part of the crime genre, because of the types of film associated with it's director.

The only two characters seen in this opening are the man and the women holding the guns in the still image. However, from this one still, we can still determine a lot about the types of characters they are. As I have already mentioned, the guns connote that they are criminals, and the fact that one of them is female means they are not the stereotypical criminals which are often seen in crime films. However, by having one of the criminals as a woman, it shows that they are more advanced with their plans that the majority of people doing the same things as them, which tells the audience that the rest of the characters later in the film could be use disguises or other methods in order to cover up what they are about to do. Additionally, there seems to be no power imbalance between the male and the female, whereas usually between two characters of a differing sex, the male will take the lead and the female will hide behind him. Here, the female is in the foreground, which connotes to the audience that the rest of the film will also defy previous movie stereotypes in the same way.

The Pulp Fiction logo fades out slowly behind the rest
of the titles in order to connote tension within the
film.

The atmosphere of the opening is one of tension and excitement. This comes about from the way that the Pulp Fiction title fades out very slowly, remaining on the screen for almost a minute. This connotes that the film is self referential, as by having the title remain on screen for so long, it makes the audience think more deeply into the meaning of the individual words.



This idea of deep thinking is completely contrasted by the sound which accompanies it - this mish-mash of styles is a theme which can be seen throughout Tarantino's work. The non-diegetic music in this opening is the only sound which can be heard. This music is upbeat and sounds like it has been influenced by Asian music - this would not usually be associated with a crime film. However, because it is so quick, it connotes the thrilling, petrifying emotions which must have been running through the minds of the criminals as they drew their guns in the first picture which is seen. Additionally, it connotes that they are going to get away with their crime, because if they were then to be caught after the robbery, the music would be a lot slower and more reflective in order to connote emotions of regret instead of emotions of pride and joy.

The colours within the main title of the film
tell the audience a lot about the themes which
are going to be the basis for the rest of it

The themes which are seen within this opening seem to be ones based around organised crime and violence, yet seen through a humorous viewpoint. The colours of red and yellow on the 'Pulp Fiction' title connote violence and riches, which are essentially the two themes which make up a crime film - it tells the audience that the film is going to be based on the idea of violence in order to earn money.

The style of the windows and the outfit of the male
both connote that the film is going to be set
in America.

The setting of this film is established as being in America in the first picture, with the blinds on the windows being iconography which is significant of the American diner setting, which is being held up by the two criminals. This setting of somewhere in America is made more specific by the short-sleeved shirt which is being worn by the male character. Short sleeves are usually used to connote warm weather, which means that the film is probably going to be set in the summer, or in a warm weather state in the south or west of the country. The time period which it is set in is revealed by the titles.

It is unusual for a film to specifically list its supporting
cast in the opening titles, especially in a rolling
credit style like the one which is shown here.

The simplistic white text on a black background gives the film
a time period of somewhere in the 1960s or 70s

The titles are the most important part of this opening clip in my opinion, as they establish everything about the film which wasn't answered by the image which starts the opening sequence off. The use of white titles on a plain black background was popular in filmmaking until the 1960s/70s, when it became popular to have a  series of still, or even moving, images behind the titles. Because this film (despite being made in 1994) has this dated fashion of title, it connotes to the audience that the film is set decades before the year in which it was released. Additionally to this, the titles reveal huge name actors such as John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson, yet also list a huge supporting cast. Compared to the other film openings I have studied, this is unusual, as the supporting cast usually don't have their names included within the
opening. This could suggest that the film was independently produced as opposed to the mainstream films which I have studied, or could connote that the director doesn't see certain actors as being more important in the film than others. A final use of the titles for significance is, as I've mentioned already, the contrasting yellow and red colours of the 'Pulp Fiction' title. The colour yellow connotes riches and the colour red connotes violence - the combination of violence in the pursuit of riches is the key theme of a gangster movie, so this tells the audience a lot about the genre and the content of the film, before it has even begun.

Studying this film opening has shown me how important it can be to completely break the mould with uses of titles in order to signify certain things, such as the setting and the themes of the film. Whilst I am unlikely to use a white title on a black background for my film, as it would be hard to present it as stylistically as it has been presented here, the type of font and colour of titles which I use will carry huge significance towards the setting, themes and atmosphere about what the rest of the movie would have if I was to make the whole thing. 

Analysis of Film Openings: Children of Men

The opening sequence of Children of Men (2006) is unlike most conventional opening sequences in the respect that it doesn't contain any titles showing the names of cast and crew. Instead, it utilises a cold open in order to show the audience the action of the film straight away. 

The 'Universal' title card connotes a lot more than
initially meets the eye

The first part of the opening sequence which we see is the Universal title animation, which immediately tells the audience a whole host of things about the film. As the film was produced by Universal, who are one of the Big Six media companies, showing the company's name immediately connotes that the movie is going to be aimed towards a mainstream audience rather than a niche one. This is because a product made by a Big Six media company will be economically orientated, so it would be a bad business decision to make a niche film that few people would be interested in going to see. By seeing that the film is produced by such a big company, the audience will already have an inkling towards whether they will enjoy it or not, before the action has even started. Another notable point about the Universal animation in the opening sequence is the lack of music behind it - this connotes that the director wants less audience attention to be drawn towards the fact it has been produced by Universal. However, the Universal title also connotes that the film will have a global audience, a big budget and high production values - all of these will encourage the audience to watch the film. 

All of the outdoor shots have a green tinge to them,
courtesy of a filter and low key lighting

Throughout the opening sequence, lighting has been used to produce certain effects and give certain ideas to the audience. At the very beginning of the clip, there is no lighting, but just a black screen with sound behind it. This lack of light connotes that the film is going to have an especially dark subject matter, as if the film was going to be about positive things then it would start with a bright picture rather than just darkness. Another innovative use of lighting in order to capture the attention of the audience is the mixture of low key lighting and smog in order to connote that the dystopian society shown is an uncomfortable, uninviting place - if there was high key lighting then the smoke would look like the product of a society which was otherwise thriving. The opening sequence has had a filter applied to it - this filter has a greeny hue, which makes the film seem dated like the film reels from decades, despite being set nearly 15 years in the future. This connotes that the society which will be shown in the film is one which is less advanced than todays society. 

Point of view shot in order to establish the huge variety of
people gathered in the same place - connotes a society
who are still together despite the world falling apart around
them

The camera has been used throughout the opening in order to position the audience to see the world of the film from the perspective of the protagonist. When he enters the cafe, the camera focuses on him and leaves with him - the view of the audience is following this man, due to the tracking shot which is being used on him. As he is leaving and walking outside, there is the use of a steadicam, which connotes that his life is relatively stable at this point - nothing has happened to him so far which he wouldn't have expected. There is also a use of a panning shot here to show the wide variety of people who are grouped together within the cafe - it shows that the society in the film is wildly different from the one which most people would expect from a dystopian society. However, when the explosion occurs, there is a sudden switch to a handheld camera which is particularly shaky. The director has done this in order to connote the sudden panic of the protagonist and the people around him - this invites the audience to also feel these emotions as well. Additionally to these shots, there are a variety of point of view (PoV) shots within the cafe, which allow the viewer to see the action from the perspective of different people. The first PoV shot is from the perspective of the people working behind the counter in the cafe. This puts the audience in the position to see all of the different people together, which gives the false impression that the film might be about a completely different subject matter. Another PoV shot puts the camera in the position of the gathered crowd allowing the audience to watch the TV screen - it allows them to make their own opinion about it instead of having to base their opinions on the expressions of the gathered crowd, as they are positioned to feel like they are a part of it.

The sound in the background of the opening shot, when nothing is appearing on the screen, is the sound of various news reporters talking about the laws which make the society a dystopian one. The voices of these reports are British, which immediately gives the audience the idea that the film is going to be set in London, before anything has even been seen on the screen. The high pitched noise after the explosion rings out for a long time - this shows the ringing in the ears of the protagonist and also connotes his fear about what has just happened. This sound connects the audience to the character as they feel like they are experiencing exactly what he is - it is another innovative use of sound in order to hook them in. 

The explosion is the first thing that happens to shake up
ideas about the genre of the movie

The opening of the film is fairly ambiguous about genre, as the film starts off appearing to be dystopian drama when the people are standing around in a stunned silence watching TV. However, the genre of the film then seemingly switches to a Sci-Fi movie when the subtitle tells us that it is set in the future. This is a crucial use of subtitles, as without being told when the film is set, it could still appear that the film is a drama, or perhaps even a horror. The idea that the film is a horror comes from the shot of the woman holding her own arm which has been blown off in the explosion - this is the image which confirms that the genre of the film is dystopian Sci-Fi which has been set in the future.

London is confirmed as the location the protagonist steps out into the street, which confirms what most members of the audience would have already been thinking. By confirming something which the audience were already sure of, the director makes watching the film seem more inviting as the audience hope that this narrative device of hinting at something before confirming it as true is likely to encourage an interest within the film. Another innovative use of narrative technique within the film opening is attaching the audience to one character, despite them not knowing his name or anything about him. This connotes that the society which the film shows is going to be an anonymous one where people don't know each other or speak to each other. A final use of narrative technique is the fact that the film starts off with the action happening on a TV screen - most films would start off by showing the stabbing of the person rather than purely showing peoples reaction to it. This connotes that people in the film have become desensitised to things around them, which is another narrative hook to draw the viewer into continuing to watch the film.

The audience are positioned in order to follow the
protagonist out of the cafe - it uses a tracking shot

Throughout the opening of the film, there are high levels of verisimilitude, meaning that the audience feel like they are a part of the action. This is mainly due to the viewpoint of the audience always being situated upon the single male character - their views become attached to his. The audience shares the view of the bomb blast and the ensuing carnage from the same shot as the male does, so start to associate themselves with him. Additionally, the audience are left on a huge cliff-hanger about who planted the bomb and why they did it, which drives them on to want to watch the rest of the film.


The ideology of the director is clear throughout the introduction - he is trying to show a dystopian society which he fears could end up happening if various problems are not corrected. By showing the youngest person on earth being mobbed for autographs, he connotes that celebrity can be a negative thing as well as a positive - especially when they are famous for such a negative reason. This use of ideology in the opening makes the audience wonder what other things are commonplace in this futuristic society, which is another hook to get the audience into the film. As the man steps out of the café, the digital sign outside a theatre reads "please support suspicious activity".

To conclude, the opening of Children of Men is incredibly effective in drawing the viewer into watching it, mainly through showing a dystopian society - the audience wants to continue watching the film in order to see how this society works, and why it has become like this.

Analysis of film openings: Catch Me If You Can and My Best Friends Wedding

Catch Me If You Can

The police car suggests that the film is a part of
the crime genre

Genre: The opening title sequence of Catch Me If You Can is fast paced and full of action, meaning that on first glance it would appear to be an action/adventure movie, or perhaps a sophisticated thriller. This idea of an action movie is also backed up by the range of different things the man is doing, as it suggests he leads a life with multiple identities or professions. Another genre which the film fits into is the crime genre. The lead character appears to be being chased by the other character, which suggests that he is the criminal, and the other man is chasing him on behalf of the law. The constantly changing outfits and professions of the man suggest that he has committed a fraud and is trying to evade this by reinventing himself so that the police cannot trace him. 

Narrative: The story of the film is almost completely summed up in the 2 minute long opening sequence, as it shows all of the different disguises that the lead character (Leonardo Di Caprio) will end up taking on in order to remain hidden from the law. The ongoing chase between the two lead characters shows the viewer that the whole film is going to be about a chase to catch a criminal, although it doesn't tell us whether the chase is successful in the end - it gives the viewer incentive to continue watching the movie. There is also a use of iconography with the airport signs seen in the clip, as these are what give a lot of the information about the cast and production companies whilst helping to tell the story. It also suggests that much of the narrative is going to revolve around an airport setting.

Character: Leonardo Di Caprio is the first name we see, closely followed by Tom Hanks. By having these two names appear before the title of the movie, the viewer instantly knows that they are going to be the stars of the film, and by using their names before the title, suggests that they were a huge part of the film even being produced. The actors names appear on airport signs, which have a little arrow on them pointing to a character - this immediately lets the viewer know that Di Caprio is the criminal being chased, and Hanks is the man who is chasing him - before even of them even appear on screen. The opening shows us that both of the lead characters are going to be male, which is typical of a film in the genre of action or crime - female characters are seldom seen as working for the police and are even less likely to be criminals.

Atmosphere: There is an exciting chase scene throughout, which would usually suggest an intense atmosphere, although due to the two characters rarely appearing on screen together, the chase is actually a lot more slow paced and methodical. This suggests that the chase in the rest of the film is going to have a proper plot to it rather than just a normal police chase - the opening introduces an atmosphere of complexity and misunderstandings, as it is through the use of misunderstandings that Di Caprio's character constantly escapes. 

Themes: The main themes which are evident within the opening are chases, (mistaken) identity and disguise. This links back to the genre of the film being rooted within the crime genre, as the whole of the opening is a chase between two men, one of whom frequently eludes the other one by changing his identity by disguising himself as a variety of different things. The theme of identity is the most important one, as the character disguises himself as an airline pilot and a doctor in order to keep himself apart from the other man. This intrigues the viewer as it appears that these are two separate characters at first.

New York iconography of the yellow taxi - shows
where the film is set

Setting: The location of the film is shown to be in various locations, with the air hostesses and aeroplanes signifying that it begins in an airport, and then the yellow taxi shows that the rest of the film is set in New York, as the yellow taxi is one of the most frequent pieces of iconography to represent the city. Additionally, the time period of the theme is shown to be in either the 1950s or 60s due to the shape of the cars and the fashions which the characters in the opening are wearing. The opening has been designed in a pop art fashion style with contrasts between bright and dark colours, which confirms the film is set in the 1960s as this is when this movement was popular.

Sound: Their is no diagetic sound within the opening, instead there is only non-diegetic jazz music playing in the background. This again confirms the setting as being in America in the middle of the 20th century. The music sounds complex, with frequent changes in tempo - this suggests sophistication within the music, which mirrors the sophisticated techniques of hiding which are seen in the opening. This suggests that the crimes which the film is going to be about are going to be well thought out. The music in the opening is cyclical as it keeps returning to the same repeated motif, to represent that with each crime he commits, he isn't caught and returns to the state of hiding he is seen as being in at the beginning of the clip. 

The arrow seen on this title shows which
character the actor is playing

Titles: The style of titles seen in the clip change as the locations change, with the first titles being written on airport signs to represent the setting, with other titles being used on various objects in order to highlight their significance, such as the title in the picture shown being used to form a ladder which reaches into the swimming pool. The title of the film comes in early, before any of the action in the opening sequence has really happened - it makes the title seem a lot more significant. All of the names are in a specific order, with the most important personnel having bigger titles that are on the screen first, and for longer. 

The letter 'M' has been elongated in order to become an
important part of the scene

My Best Friends Wedding

The uses of the colours purple, pink, white and light green
show that this is a rom-com/chick flick

Genre: The genre of My Best Friends Wedding is immediately evident as a romantic comedy during the opening sequence. This is due to one woman being dressed up as a bride and the other three women being dressed as her bridesmaids. There is also a heavy use of the colour pink throughout, which is a colour associated with love, marriage and femininity. The comedy part of the film is because the introduction is clearly tongue in cheek - the song the women are singing contains exaggerated lyrics about how to keep a man happy, which they were clearly mocking whilst singing. The film could also be regarded as being a chick flick, as the subject matter of a wedding with four women singing about it is a film opening which is clearly designed to appeal to men rather than women.

Narrative: The narrative of the film is shown to be based around a wedding and the problems which can arise from having a wedding, however it shows a wedding in a tongue in cheek way, through the use of irony such as the bride throwing her bouquet only to catch it again herself. The narrative of the film is also immediately shown to be from a female point of view - it shows a typically feminine view on marriage and getting ready for a wedding, although not necessarily a stereotypical one, which is what the comedic aspect of the introduction mocks.

Character: The characterisation of the opening is incredibly simple - it is a bride and her three bridesmaids getting ready for a wedding, singing a song in order to get themselves in the mood for it. Due to their being no dialogue, little is known about the characters, bridesmaids all appearing to be slightly jealous and competing for the attention of their friend. By showing very little about the characters in the opening sequence, the director doesn't give the plot away - he just shows the basic themes which will be shown throughout the clip.

Atmosphere: There is an atmosphere of cheerfulness and happiness, as all of the characters seem genuinely happy about the impending wedding. There is also the atmosphere that the film is in the style of a Hollywood musical, as the cabaret style singing suggests this.

Themes: The main theme which is seen in the clip is the theme of love and marriage. There are several references to marriage through the different things seen in the clip - there is a ring, dresses, a bouquet of flowers and a veil.

Use of the ring as a prop shows how important and grand
a wedding is to these women

All of these things are commonly seen at weddings to signify the grandeur of such an occasion. There is also an allusion to the theme of marriage through the words of the song which the women are singing - it talks about a relationship between a man and a woman. The frequent use of the colours pink and purple, in both the background and the dresses being worn by the women around the bride, suggest a theme of feminity, and show that the world of the film is going to be mainly from a females point of view, rather than a males.

Setting: The opening sequence has been shot as if the women are on stage performing to an audience. This gives the preparation for a wedding even more grandeur and importance than it would otherwise have, and shows that they see it as a public event which everybody should know about. This tells the viewer that the film is going to be set in a place or places in which many people are present - it gives them the idea that there are going to be few scenes where the women are alone. It would appear that the opening has been set in or influenced by the 1960s, as the hair of the woman who is in the wedding dress has her hair in the style which was popularised by Marilyn Monroe in this decade. This generic signifier is just one of many, as her bridesmaids are all wearing dresses which reveal their arms - these first became popular in the 1960s. Finally, the song they are singing was originally by Dusty Springfield, who rose to prominence during this decade.

Sound: The only sound in the introduction is a tongue in cheek song which is sung by the four women - they are singing it to show their opinion on marriage values, which appear to be fairly different to the ones expressed in the song. This suggests that a theme of the film could be female rebellion against men, an idea which seems very likely considering there are no male characters in the play. Additionally, the sound helps to set the scene of the opening sequence - it is a 1960s song being performed in the style of a musical, which promotes the impression that the song is being performed as a part of a show within the film.

The handwritten style of the titles connotes the writing
which is often seen on wedding invitations

Titles: There is an interesting use of titles within the opening, which is mainly because of the font of them. They are displayed in a handwritten font, which is reminiscent of a wedding invitation, again linking to the ongoing theme of marriage and love throughout the opening. Additionally, the four women seen in the opening do not actually appear in the film, yet all have an actresses name appear next to them. The bride in the clip has the name of Julia Roberts appear next to her as a title, which suggests that Roberts will be the star of the film, as the bride is the main 'character' of a wedding - she is the one who the attention is diverted too.

Differences between a trailer and film opening

The basic necessities of a film trailer is that it contains the title of the film, a voiceover and contains the names of key personnel such as the starring actors and the director. They will often feature a tag line in order to build publicity about the film, such as "there is no Plan B" from the A-Team. Finally, institutional logos can always been found at the start of a trailer, a similarity to a film opening, as the institution who made the product will immediately change what people are expecting from it.

In contrast with this, a film opening will often contain the names of the cast and crew individually, as each cast member will have signed a contract to have their name on the screen for a certain amount of time. They will immediately give an introduction to character/character type, indicate the place and time where it has been set, an indication of mood and tone and an introduction to the signature theme tune (especially if it is part of a series of movies, for example Harry Potter or James Bond). Finally, the opening will also demonstrate the patterns/types of editing, and the style of mise-en-scene which will be evident throughout the rest of the film. This is usually much more detailed than the information which is given in the trailer. 

An example of titles during an opening -
each star gets their name on screen
individually

The most obvious difference between film opening and trailers is the use of titles. In an opening sequence, the titles are mainly used to give information about the personnel, whereas in a trailer they often make certain hints about the story, in order to create interest in the film among the audience. The titles within the opening then continue to build upon this hype in order to keep the audience interested.

Another difference between the two is that film openings are set in chronological order, whereas trailers often cut between different clips to show the best parts of the movie, as this is what will interest an audience to come and see it. However, a film opening will either show the very beginning of the action, such as Quantum of Solace, or will briefly summarise the whole story of the film in an intelligent way, such as Catch Me If You Can and Casino Royale. Note the difference below between the trailer and opening of Catch Me If You Can. 

Another difference is the use of transitions within the two. Trailers often contain fade-to-black transitions, as these make it easier for the viewer to understand the idea that the clips are separate from each other and are usually in a non-linear order. A great example of these fade to black transitions can be seen in the trailer for Transcendence.  However, film openings often contain continuity editing, which shows the audience that the events of the opening are all happening directly after each other.

A final difference between the two is the use of music. Within a film opening, there is often a repeated motif or theme song, which then becomes associated with purely that film and any spin offs of it. This music is rarely a song which hasn't been written for the film - if it is, then it will become known as the theme song of the film. This music will tell a lot about the story of the film and where it is set, for example in Catch Me If You Can, the sophisticated jazz music heard at the start tells us that the film is going to be set in the middle of the 20th century, and suggests that it is going to have a storyline with many confusing elements too it.  However, a film trailer will often use a popular song or will have its own score to match the different parts of the film which it shows - popular songs are often used in trailers as they attract the attention of fans of that artist.

To conclude, the differences between film openings and film trailers are all because of the purpose - a film opening has the purpose of keeping a viewer engaged once they are already watching them by giving them a different taste of the parts of the film. On the other hand, a trailer has the purpose of creating an audience for the film without giving the story or themes of the film away.