Research of Film Openings

Definition 

Opening Shots are used to convey the films main ideas, premises, or character arch's 

Common Conventions used in Film Openings

1. Introduce the protagonist main traits and skills 

2. Introduce the world

3. Offer the audience a before and after picture to compare to 

4. Tense and Suspenseful 

5. A surprise or plot twist 

6. Set the tone and genre of the film 

Main Features of a Film Opening 

1. Establish Setting 

2. Mise-en-Scene

3. Representing the Genre 

4. Cinematography 

Key Characteristics of Film Openings

1. Theme

2. Tone 

3. Main Characters 

4. Backstory 

What to do when creating an Opening Scene

1. Introduce the protagonist as soon as possible 

2. Communicate the genre 

3. Create conflict immediately

4. The first scene needs to contrast the beginning of the second scene in some way 

Different Types of Film Openings

1. Flashbacks

2. Flash Forwards

3. Dreams

4. Metaphors 

5. Bookends

6. Red Herrings

7. MacGuffins

8. Final Takeaways

Methods used in Film Openings 

1. Enter the Villain

2. Enter the Hero

3. Establish Relationships

4. Plot Catalyst

5. Follow Genre

6. Flip Genre 

Cinematography

 What is Cinematography?

Cinematography is different techniques used to connect the viewer to the story 

List of some Shot Types used in films 

1. close up - frames an actors face 

• expresses an significant emotion
• identifies a moment of extreme importance in the story

2. pov shot - viewer sees in the characters perspective 

• understand the characters feelings and action

3. establishing shot - shows the setting of a scene while showing the subject from a distance 

• connects characters physical and emotional relationship to the environment 

List of some Angles used in films

1. high angle shot - looking down at the subject at an angle 

• used to show weakness in a character and a lack of importance 

2. eye level shot - looking straight at the subject 

• gives the audience a sense of realism 

3. low angle shot - shot at a low angle from a subject that fills a big space of the screen 

• shows importance 

List of Movements used in films 

1. tracking - camera follows the subject

• used to make you feel what the character feels 

2. panning - camera moves horizontally ( left to right) 

• used to make you feel what the character feels 

3. hand held - used so the audience could feel like their experiencing it 

• creates anxiety 

Example of different Angles 

Genre Research

What is Genre?

Genre structures peoples ways of seeing the world

Genre films are shared by its subjects or themes: its defined by the distinctive emotional effect. 

4 steps taken to understand Genre

1. Define Genre 

•  you find out what makes that Genre

2. Analyze Genre

• look for the conventions used
• To filmmakers conventions are materials they work with while to the audience conventions shape their expectations 

3. Genre History

•  look for its origin and find out how it developed throughout history 

4. Social Function of a Genre 

• find out how it impacts the audience 

Example of finding the Social Function of a Genre

Basic Genre Conventions of Mystery 

Mise en Scene
Lighting: The lighting for crime films is mostly naturalistic. Usually low key lighting.
Character: The hero is usually a super smart private detective or persistent policemen. There is normally a very mysterious villain whose face is rarely seen and whose identity is only revealed at the end of the film.
Props: Murder outline; magnifying glass; police tape; police uniform; murder weapon; cars; torch; glasses; guns; blood; evidence.

Narrative Structure
Most Mystery films follow a common structure. The Hero is going about their day to day life. Then a crime is committed or someone is found dead. The hero either hears about the crime or is approached by a source and sets off to solve the mystery. The hero will then go out of his/her way to catch the criminal. A few more people then die as the film progresses. The villain normally makes slight mistakes that the Hero picks up on. The criminal is always caught.

Cinematography
Close up shots are used to show peoples fear when they discover a dead body or their anger when their most prized possession has been stolen.
High and low angles to either show a potential murder victim as vulnerable and weak or to show the killer as strong and in control.

Setting
They can be set in countryside towns with a low population and miles away from a city.
Good settings for mystery films can be: police stations, big cities forests, city streets, forensic labs, hospitals, docks, lakes, fields.

Sound
Fast paced music is used when the Hero is chasing a suspect. This creates tension as the audience doesn't know if he will get away or not.

Audience
Usually for people who loves a challenge; determine who is the murder in the film 

Mise-en-Scene

What is Mise-en-Scene?

Mise-en-Scene means staging or putting on an action or scene.

Mise-en-Scene could vary from the characters in the film, the props, and the setting. 

Mise-en-Scene is so important in films because it affects the overall mood of the scene.

Mise-en-Scene impacts how the audience thinks about the characters and the story

The 2 major visual components in Mise-en-Scene

The 2 major visual components in Mise-en-Scene are Design and Composition

Design affects the look of the setting, the props used, lightning, and the actors

Composition is the general relationship between actors and objects 

Analyzing Mise-en-Scene 

Here are some examples of what to do when examining Mise-en-Scene

1. Consider the purpose of the scene

2. Get into the mind of a producers and question what your watching

3. Consider the alternative

Example of Mise-en-Scene 

While creating this scene I used codes and conventions to remake something like a fast and furious scene. The lighting is bright to signify that this event is happening during a full moon. The background is black to show it is night and the ground is brown to show that the setting takes place in the desert. I used a bomb and dynamites to show that the car was trying to drive away from it. I used cotton and red construction paper to signify an explosion from the other bombs and dynamites.