The role of a director is to be in control of all the creative elements of the production and to manage all of the cast and crew. An example of a famous director is Greta Gerwig, a female American director whose most well known work includes Ladybird (2018) and Little Women (2019). Gerwig revealed that she believes acting can prepare you well for directing as it helps the director to understand the role of an actor on set and the ways in which they respond to the director.
Camera operators are in control of all the camera work. They work to capture all the action through operating all the camera equipment. One well known camera operator is Sir Roger Deakins who has been awarded two academy awards One of which was awarded for his work on Bladerunner (2017) and the other for 1917 in 2019.
Deakins said that he believes life experience is the best training for camera operators as it is about the lens through which you view the world and can't be learnt in a traditional sense. He also advises that you should be particular with the kinds of films that you work on and to wear comfortable clothes so that you can move around easily on set in order to achieve the desired shot.
The role of the editor is to put together all the footage, creating a finished product in which one scene transitions into the next in the correct order. One famous editor is Alan Edward Bell who has worked on many successful films including 500 Days of Summer (2009), The Amazing Spiderman (2012) and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013). It is advised that aspiring film editors should frequently watch films in order to observe how the editing creates the pacing of the film and that attending film school is also helpful as it teaches the technical skills that are needed for the role.
The Art Director/DOP chooses and design the sets and locations where the film will be filmed. Art directors also oversee the building of models that will be used in the film. Gary Tomkins is a well known art director who has worked on films including "Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens" (2015), "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II" (2011) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2009). Tomkins was awarded the British Film Designers Guild's Outstanding Contribution to the Art Department for his work. To become in art director, it is generally helpful to have a background in design, whether that be interior design, architecture as well as other sectors. It is important to have good communication skills, time-management and problem solving skills in order to fulfil the role.
Producers are responsible for organising the creation of the film. They hire all the roles needed to make the film including the director, writers, editors as well as other creative roles. Producers are in control of organising the financing of the film and they supervise the film during pre-production, production and post-production. Kevin Feige is and American film producer has worked as the producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2007. Some of his most famous work includes "Spider-Man 3" (2007), "Iron Man" (2008) and "Avengers: Endgame" (2019). Some general advise for producers new to the film scene is to know how to raise money for films and to understand the roles of others on the film set and respect their visions to ensure that the team works well together.
Titles appear at the opening of a film in order to inform the audience of who has been involved in the production of a film. They show key institutional information.
Traditionally, you would expect the twenty one titles to appear in this order:
Money
Production
Directors name film
Main star
Film title
Actor 1 – (end of main section)
Actor 2
Actor 3
Actor 4
Actor 5
Casting
Costume designer
Music
Edited
Production designer
Director of Photography (DOP)
Executive Producer
Produced by
Based upon
Screen play (writer)
Director
Titles can be used in a number of creative ways, helping to support the tone and narrative of the opening. This includes the font, colour and placement of the titles. For example, the opening title sequence of "500 Days of Summer"is particularly successful in establishing the tone and genre of the film."500 Days of Summer"
The title sequence clearly establishes the two main film protagonists of the film as home film footage that appears quite grainy appears on the screen. The first two shots are extra close up shots of one of each of the character's eyes which immediately hints some sort of relationship between the characters. The fact that the two characters appear side by side indicates that these characters did not know each other when they were young but will be somehow connected in the film. Since we see these characters appear side by side and appear to be the same age, one might infer that they may end up being romantically involved in the film. This indicates that the film is likely to be a romance film.
The non-diegetic soundtrack that plays over the top has quite a light-hearted tone and mentions the word "us" and "we're" throughout further conveying the impression that these characters will be be connected throughout the film. It is difficult for the audience to know exactly when the film is set but due to the fact that the old home film footage is coloured we know that it must have been set some time in the modern era. However, it is quite grainy which suggests that the footage was taken before the time in which the film is set. It also creates an atmosphere which is perhaps realistic and not so polished which suggests that the tone of the film might reflect this. Therefore, it might tell a realistic story that is easy for the audience to relate to. Although the film does not reveal exactly where the film is set, we see several shots of a playground, a pond and a tractor that resemble the modern day world which suggests that it is modern, real-world setting. The font used is also very simple which contributes to the simple and authentic tone.
In the opening title sequence for Grease, a range of techniques are used to convey the genre and tone, and to hint at the narrative of the film. A non-diegetic upbeat soundtrack plays throughout. The title "Grease" appears on the screen which creates a fun and vibrant tone. The soundtrack features the line "Grease is the word" several times which suggests that the genre of the film is likely to be a musical.
A range of techniques are also used to convey the time and period of the film to the audience. The animation used throughout the opening title sequence is reminiscent of the style of the 1950s which suggests that this is the time period in which the film is set. The style of this font also seems to be from another time period, helping to portray a nostalgic tone. The costume that the characters wear also establishes that this film is set in the 1950s and their are various key moments in which historical figures such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe appear on screen which makes the audience aware of the time period.
We are then introduced to a few characters and the various friendship groups that they seem to be involved in. The first character Danny, is portrayed as a typical teenager. The fact that he appears first in the opening title sequence suggests that he is the lead character of the film. His room is very messy and various popular culture posters are displayed around his room which portray his age and also suggest that he is laid back. He appears as quite vain as he looks into the mirror and takes care applying hair gel to style his hair, also suggesting that he is popular amongst his age group. At the end of this section the actors name appears on the screen stating that they appear in the film as “Danny”. this adds to the musical theatre element of the film.
The section dedicated to Danny is then juxtaposed with the a section dedicated to the character Sandy. Sandy is portrayed as a beautiful and somewhat naïve young girl. This is portrayed as she wakes up and gets up elegantly from her bed. Various animated animals surround her which adds to this impression as it creates a fairytale like image that makes the character seem like a Disney princess.
The opening title sequence also introduces two groups and the actors who play the members of two groups known as the "pink ladies' and the "T-birds" which we can infer might be cliques at the high school in which the film is set. The colours pink and blue create the impression that these groups will be stereotypically masculine and feminine. We know that the setting is a school as the opening ends with a cartoon of school that comes to life. This lets the audience know that the school is a central location to the storyline.
American Horror Story
In contrast, the opening title sequence of American Horror Story establishes a very different tone and atmosphere. The opening title sequence takes place in a basement of a house and immediately established a chilling atmosphere which lets us know that it will be a horror show. The lack of lighting and strange non-diegetic soundtrack create the impression that there is something sinister taking place in the house.
There a range of close-up shots of photographs of babies juxtaposed with violent objects such as scissors covered in blood and jars containing skills which creates a disconcerting atmosphere as we associate babies with innocence and goodness. This suggests that the narrative may involve murder or some form of torture. This fits in with the title which appears at the end revealing that it will be a horror story. The POV shots and short shot duration add to the mystery as the objects are gone almost before we can fully decipher them and the POV shots create the sense that we are witnessing this through the eyes of an unknown individual. Although we do see pictures of some individuals we are not yet introduced to any characters.
Though we cannot be entirely sure, the appearance of black and white images in shattered photo frames suggests that the story may involve the revisiting of previous events that took place in this house in a modern day setting. However, there is no way of the audience deducing the season in which it is set. Several titles appear on screen which appear in a strange font. This may reflect the strange and unsettling nature of events that will take place. For example it is stated that the show is created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk in the same strange font that we have seen previous titles in.
Although both opening title sequences are successful in establishing the genre and tone and hinting at the storyline, I believe that the opening title sequence to American Horror Story is more effective because it gives clues to the themes of the narrative but still leaves much to be uncovered. In contrast, I believe that whilst Grease sets up the film well and is a clear introduction it is not as intriguing as quite a lot has been revealed already.
Released in 2019 by Columbia Pictures, "Little Women" was directed and written by Greta Gerwig, based off the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott. The film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson and Florence Pugh among others. The film was produced by Columbia Pictures.
The opening presents a narrative in which a young girl enters an office that appears to be for a newspaper and requests that a man sitting at the desk might read through a story that she claims a friend has written. From the scene, I believe that the film is attempting to target audiences of all ages, genders and circumstances. One might suggest that since it is following the dream of a young woman that the film has a mainly female target audience. However, I believe that this film would be suitable for everyone as the concept of following one's dream applies to everyone.
The opening is firmly established as a drama due to it being a plot line that is driven by a character, in this case, a character who clearly wants to have her writing recognised. Moreover, the plot line presents a situation that is easy relate to as it shows a character trying to achieve their goal which is something we all experience is daily life. Additionally, although this is not a convention of all dramas, the opening sequence establishes a time period. The tone of the film seems quite light-hearted and hopeful.
The opening scene introduces two characters to the audience: a young woman and an older man. Through the use of facial expressions and dialogue, we immediately get the sense that this young woman has big dreams that she is determined to achieve. For example, the young woman makes anxious looks as the man reads through the piece that she wishes to have published. However, through her swift acceptance of the man's offer to pay for her the story, despite being only a small amount suggests to us that she is eager to please the man. The man's relaxed body language and sound-effects of him laughing throughout, makes him seem rather obnoxious but also comfortable in his position.
As the man reads through her work, her facial expressions make it appear that she is anxious to receive a good response. Additionally, she smiles slightly whilst she details different awards that the mystery writer has been awarded. This lets the audience know that it is likely that the young woman is in fact the writer. The man agrees to read through the story and eventually agrees that he will publish it, on the condition that she cuts it down to make it shorter. The man claims that it needs to be shorter because "people want to be entertained, not preached at" and that this this is because "there has just been a war". The characters' dialogue is spoken in American accents and this paired with the mention of the war, places the film most likely in the late 19th century after the Civil War. The young woman's look of slight disappointment at the response to the story hints to the audience that it is her who has written the story, not the friend that she claims did. Even the character clutching onto her bag that once contained the story, suggests to us that the story is something very close to her heart and important to her. However, despite her slight disappointment, she agrees to let her story be published and this suggests to the audience that this is a very determined character.
The opening scene ends with her running through the street excitedly and her joy is emphasised by the jubilant diegetic soundtrack. From this, we expect that the rest of the film might follow this young woman in pursuing her dream of becoming a writer.
I believe this to be a successful opening as it leaves the audience wanting to know more about the young woman such as where she has come from, what her background is and to know more about her writing ambitions. It may also leave the audience to know what the young woman's story is about. Therefore, the opening scene gives the audience a reason to continue watching without telling us everything about her character. Moreover, the opening sequence has been crafted to reveal to us that this woman wants to be a writer without ever explicitly stating it, and instead makes use of the character's facial expressions and the setting to show us this.
Released by Netflix Overbrook Entertainment, "The Harder They Fall" was released in 2021, directed by The Bullitts. The film's main cast include Chase Dillion, DeWanda Wise, Julia Cesar Cedillo and Jonathan Majors.
The opening scene presents a narrative in which a family sit down at the table to eat dinner. However, whilst saying grace, they are disturbed by the diegetic sound effect of a horse neighing and a knock at the door, alerting them to the fact that the guest is arrived. The guest arrives and walks inside, before setting two gold guns down on the table. The scene ends with the man holding the two guns towards the mother and scene, leaving the audience on a suspenseful note. From this we might expect the rest of the film to follow the conflict between the family and these individuals and to find out what it is they want from them and how they are connected.
The film follows several conventions of the western genre, making the genre of the film clear from the start. This is made clear through the guest's costume, which indicates that he is a cowboy. Horses also make an appearance which fulfils the genre as horses are a common convention. Pioneers are also a convention of the genre and this is also fulfilled by the opening as the family wear costumes that resemble those of pioneers. Guns are also featured heavily in the opening, which again adheres to the traditional expectations of a western film. The tone is quite suspenseful as the audience is left waiting to witness the family's fate. Due to it being a western film, we might expect the target audience to be largely male. However, since the film is a more recent release, it might be attempting to target a wider audience. The opening introduces the audience to five main characters. Firstly, the family, consisting of the mother, the father and the son. The father appears to the audience as the one in charge of the family. This is seen through his position at the head of the table as well as the fact that he is the one to answer the door. This also done through his diegetic dialogue in which he calmly reassures his family that "it will be ok". In the way, the mother and son are depicted as being under the protection of the father. We are also introduced to two individuals who enter the house with hats worn to conceal their identity. One of them uses two guns to threaten the family which creates the sense that these are evil individuals.
The scene first uses an establishing shot to show the barren, desert landscape which is typical of western films. We then enter a household. The meal has just been prepared and the family remind themselves to say grace, which can be heard through diegetic dialogue. This sets up an idyllic portrayal of the family home. The father is placed at the head of the table in the middle of the shot, firmly establishing him as the member of the family who is in charge.
This is then disturbed by a neigh and the pleonastic diegetic sound-effect of a knock at the door, alerting the family to a visitor. a hand held camera shot is used to follow the father easily to the door. He opens the door to reveal one individual in the foreground with several others and their horses in the background. His hat conceals his identity. The father says "no" and a non-diegetic soundtrack begins to play, changing the tone to one of suspense and fear.
The mystery individual enters the house with steady and spaced out footsteps. He walks slowly and a long drawn out shot creates a sense of anticipation within the audience. The father shakes his head as another individual enters and there is an eyeline match to show him looking at the gun displayed on the wall. This might signify that he feels danger is ahead. The first individual sits at the head of the table and holds two guns to the heads of the mother and son. Close-ups on their terrified faces, help the audience to picture the terror they are experiencing.
I believe that this is a successful opening as it establishes a compelling storyline in a matter of only three minutes. We know nothing about the relationship between the cowboys and the family and yet the audience feels encouraged to watch the rest of it to find out how they are connected.
Released in 2015 by Eon Productions, "Spectre" is directed by Sam Mendes. Its main cast include Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux and Ralph Fiennes.
In the opening sequence, the audience is introduced to the setting in which the scene takes place through a tracking shot and text that follows telling us that it is in Mexico City. The next set of text tells us that it is The Day of the Dead. The diegetic music of drums playing in the streets help to set the scene, which is one of a celebration. In the midst of the crowd, the camera begins following a man and a woman who are romantically involved into an apartment building. However, the man suddenly leaves and walks along the roof of the building to get a close look at one of the window's of the apartment building. Through this window, we see one of the men that we had previously witnessed in the crowd. The main male protagonist fires his gun at the window, presenting a conflict between these two individuals. From this opening, the audience might expect the rest of the film to follow the rest of the conflict between the individuals and to find out what has caused them to be in this conflict.
The opening follows several conventions of the action genre to make it clear that this is an action film. For example, the opening clearly determines a villain and a hero, the hero being the man dressed in a suit and the man who is first seen in the street and then shot at through the window being the villain. There is also a clear struggle for power between the hero and the villain as after the man dressed in a suit shoots the man, he is shot back at. Although the chase is not fast paced, the element of one person following another also adheres to the convention of a genre. The use of weapons, in this case guns, also makes it clear that this is in action film. The fact that the characters wear a disguise throughout the opening gives it a mysterious tone. In addition, the diegetic soundtrack that plays throughout adds to the suspense. The violent elements of this genre might mean that it is targeting a mature audience. The main characters in the sequence seem to be the supposed hero and villain, but the woman that is first scene walking hand in hand with the apparent hero also makes an appearance. However, she is not given much of a voice and therefore we are not told much about her character. She instead seems to be there to satisfy the male gaze.
The first key moment is when we are first introduced to the scene with a tracking shot that establishes the setting along with the text edited onto the screen. The opening maintains a sense of mystery as the audience is not yet sure of the significance of the location or what characters are involved. Furthermore, the costumes conceal the identity of all the characters in the scene which maintains a sense of secrecy, causing intrigue in the audience. The tracking shots follow through the crowd until the focus shifts to one particular masked individual, dressed in a white suit. This suggests that this individual will be important to the narrative later on. We then see a man and a woman walking hand in hand which shows us that they are likely to be romantically involved and also suggests that they will have some significance to the narrative. The tracking shots help the audience to feel as if they too are in the crowd, following the protagonist.
Once inside the building, the protagonist looks behind him before entering the room with the woman which creates the impression, that he has a mission that the audience are not yet aware of. As the woman lies on the bed she asks him "Where are you going" and there is a hand help pan shot, marking a change in the plot to the protagonist responding with "I won't be long" before leaving dropping the costume he is wearing on the floor. The man now wears a suit and pulls out a gun as he walks across the roof indicating that he is some sort of spy which is a common convention of the action genre.
Once on the roof, he hides behind a wall through which we can see the individual we saw earlier with several other people. The protagonist takes time before firing at the antagonist through the window, setting off the action.
I believe that this is a successful opening seen as even though there is hardly any dialogue, the filmmaker has still made the narrative clear to the audience. Although, the scene does not jump straight into the action like other action films. The film adheres to other conventions of the action genre to firmly establish it as an action film.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, "Jaws" was released by Universal Pictures in 1975. The film stars Roy Schneider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary and more.
In the opening sequence, we are introduced to a group of teenagers having a party around a bonfire on the beach. One girl leaves the campfire to go swimming, and a drunken boy chases after her, but is ultimately too drunk and lies at the shore as the girl swims out to sea. The girl is pulled into the water and begins to scream. We assume that the rest of the film will follow the discovery of the girl's death and the impact that this shark has on the other people who swim in the sea, unaware of the danger.
The film begins with an eerie non-diegetic soundtrack that sets a foreboding tone. The opening establishes the film as a horror by following various conventions of the genre. Firstly, the lack of lighting makes the dark setting and the first victim is a young blonde woman, typical of horror films. Additionally, although the scene starts with a group of people the beach appears desolate and isolated. The young woman leaves the gathering and swims into the dark waters making the audience feel fearful for the young girl. We are introduced to a gathering of young people. They smoke and drink around a campfire which indicates that they are care-free and blissfully unaware of the dark turn that the night is about to take. We are also introduced to a young woman called Chrissie who catches the eye of one of the young man in the group. The young woman appears free-spirited due to her spontaneous idea to go out to sea. The young man's unstable running and diegetic dialogue in which he states: "What's your name again?" suggest that he is foolish as he decides to follow her despite clearly being drunk.
The scene opens with a group of young people gathered round a campfire drinking, smoking and kissing, indicating that they are relaxed and here to enjoy themselves. There is scant light available as the only source of light is the campfire. This sets a slightly eerie atmosphere. In addition, the diegetic sound effect of harmonicas, guitar and chatter add to the happy and care-free atmosphere. A tracking shot is used to capture the movement in the scene before focussing in one one individual who sits turned away from the group, letting us know he will be important to the narrative.
In the next key moment, we see the young man follow the young woman as she runs off for the sea. We can now only see the character's silhouettes and the man's drunken state as well as their isolation from the group sets a cautionary tone. A wide angle shot is used to show how small the figures are in amongst the vast beach.
The man struggles to get undressed so he can join Chrissie in the water leaving her swimming out to sea in the complete darkness. It is at this moment that a parallel non-diegetic soundtrack with a sinister tone plays. A low angle shot is used which creates the impression that something lies beneath the waters and the shots are long and drawn-out creating suspense. Suddenly, Chrissie is pulled from the water, confirming the audience's suspicions. She treads the water desperately and through her diegetic dialogue we can hear her screaming, creating a sense of panic. She puts up a fight but is pulled under the water for a final time. These shots are juxtaposed with the next shot where we see the young man lying on the beach blissfully unaware of the horrors that have just occurred.
I believe this is a successful opening as it establishes the setting immediately and hints at the narrative in only a matter of minutes. Although we are never told that there is a shark, the filmmaker makes skilful use of camera, mise-en-scene, editing and sound so that by the end of the scene the audience is aware that there is a shark swimming in the dark waters.
Released in 1982 by Universal Pictures, "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial" was directed By Steven Spielberg. The main cast includes Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace and Robert MacNaughton.
In the opening sequence, it is night, and a space ship has landed in the middle of a forest. We can hear and see small creatures, whom one can assume are aliens moving about around the space ship. We follow a lone alien through the forest and as he looks to observe the lit-up landscape of a town below him, several cars pull up from which multiple men emerge, led by a man with a large torch. The creatures prepare to escape in the space ship, leaving the lone alone hidden in the bushes who lets out a scream as he runs towards the space ship. However, it leaves and so the creature hides in the bushes again. From this opening sequence, the audience will expect to follow the journey of this creature and how it connects with the household that we are shown at the end of the scene. It appears from the opening sequence that the film is targeting a wide audience, both male and female, and ranging from children to adults. This is because the film seems to have quite a lighthearted tone that seems appropriate for a young audience. It has a fantastical element that is likely to appeal to small children and adults alike.
The film establishes itself as a Sci-Fi film from the very start. A common convention of the sci-fi genre are extra-terrestrial creatures and a the appearance of objects or activity that would not normally be seen in our normal, day-to-day lives. The opening follows this convention by introducing us to a space ship full of extra terrestrials, making it clear that this is a sci-fi film. We are introduced to several characters. Firstly, we witness a number of extra terrestrials in and around the space ship. We are also introduced to a group of men who search around for the creatures, but we do not gain an insight into their individual characters. However, the opening sequence, focusses largely on one particular extra terrestrial who goes out on his own discovering the forest.This creates the impression that he has a great amount of curiosity and enjoys exploring his surroundings. However, when he is left behind by the space ship we get the sense that this creature is a little inexperienced and foolish. The creature also attempts to steal a small pine tree which suggests that he might be a bit mischievous. The tone of the opening is quite mysterious which is emphasised by the mystical diegetic soundtrack and the dark setting. The shots slowly reveal the setting and the space ship, little by little, rather than revealing everything all at once which also contributes to the mysterious tone.
The scene opens with a shot of the dark night sky lit up by stars, which pans slowly down to the setting, a forest. This may symbolise that these extra-terrestrial creatures have arrived to earth from somewhere in the sky, emphasising that they are foreign creatures. The space ship is hinted at slowly through a series of tracking shots which circle around it, creating intrigue as to what the glowing object is behind the pine trees in the foreground. After the space ship is revealed, we transition to the inside of the space ship.
After witnessing several of the extra terrestrials briefly, the scene shifts its focus to one particular creature. We follow him through the woods. The pleonastic sound-effect of the creature grunting reminds us that the creature is from a different planet and it gets louder at certain points which is paired with a low angle shot, creating the impression that we are experiencing the world from the creature's point of view. The trees appear large from the low angle which emphasises the largeness of the human world in comparison to the smaller creature.
The tone of the soundtrack shifts as a group of cars, the first sign of human life, arrive. There is a close-up of the car exhaust and the men's feet as they trudge through the dirt. This is paired with the diegetic pleonastic sound effect of keys. This immediately presents these characters as powerful in comparison to the gentle, non-threatening grumbles that the extra terrestrials make. This creates a suspense, as the audience watches to see if the humans will be able to find the creature. During the chase, the soundtrack picks up pace and the creatures growls quicken while the non-diegetic ambience of rustling bushes can be heard. There is a brief POV shot which helps the audience to feel the creature's panic. The shots are edited in quick succession, adding to the tension.
I believe that this is a successful opening scene as it introduces the setting, characters and the story line without telling us what will happen next. Despite the lack of dialogue, the use of other non-diegetic and diegetic sound, paired with mise-en-scene and a variety of different camera angles and movement make the story line easy to follow. Additionally, by following a number of Sci-Fi conventions, it is made clear to the audience that this is the genre of the film.
