opening codes and conventions

8/20/2019 Opening Codes and Conventions

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FILM OPENINGS –

CODES & CONVENTIONS

By Conor Window 12A


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CONVENTIONS

Production/Studio Company Logos.

Sound – Non-diegetic sound tracks, synchronous sound efects and

possibly speech/narration. itles – names o! cast and gre" members.

#e$ealing the %enre.

Character &ntroduction

opics and hemes.

'nigma


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PRODUCTION/STUDIO LOGO

(t the $ery beginning o! e$ery )lm, the logo o! theproduction and studio companies in$ol$ed "ith the mo$ie

are sho"n. (udiences all around the "orld are used to this,and "ill e*pect it at the beginning o! e$ery mo$ie. his logomay connote the +uality o! the )lm, as the productioncompanies could be globally recognied as $ery high

+uality. elo" are three e*amples o! top +uality, globallyrecognied production companies.


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SOUND

Sound is a $ery important part o! an opening se+uence. hismay ben a non-diegetic sound track or tracks, used in e$ery)lm. his could also be narration, this possibly coming !romthe main character or a by stander "ho has seen the e$entsun!old. hirdly, sound during an opening se+uence could bediegetic speech or sound efects used to introduce acharacter or set the scene.


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TITLEShe titles are $ery important in order to attract audiencemembers. hese denote to the the audience the names o! themo$ie, director, the main stars, as "ell as other cast and cre"members and the producers names. his is signi)cant as itmay in!orm an audience member that their !a$ourite actor ordirector is in$ol$ed in this mo$ie. his also gi$es credit toe$ery indi$idual !or the part they played, a$oiding legalissues.


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REVEALING THE GENRE

he opening se+uence o! the )lm allo"s the audience tomake a udgment and establish "hich genre the )lm is, dueto the key con$entions that ha$e been displayed in the )rst!e" minutes. or e*ample, a crime/thriller mo$ie "ill ha$elo"-key lighting, as "ell as slo" paced, eerie and suspense!ulmusic in order to connote mystery and build suspenseamongst audience members. he colour red may be used toconnote blood, danger and death.


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CHARACTER INTRODUCTION

his is one o! the key con$entions o! opening se+uences inmo$ies. his denotes to the audience the main protagonist 0orprotagonists1 o! the )lm in "hich the )lm "ill be !ollo"ing.

Speci)c actors "ho play this leading roles may also connotethe genre o! the mo$ie, !or e*ample, actors #obert 2e Niroand 3oe Pesci are usually seen acting in mo$ies aboutgangsters together. his introduction may signi!y thecrime/gangster genre o! the mo$ie at the $ery beginning.


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TOPICS & THEMEShe topic or theme is the narrati$e "ithin the genre. his isestablished during a mo$ies opening as the characters areintroduced. 4o"e$er this may only denote part o! the mo$ies

narrati$e, lea$ing them guessing "hat "ill happen ne*t. (ne*ample o! this "ould be a murder or a bank robbery at thebeginning o! the )lm, such as those in %ood!ellas and he2ark 5night. 4o"e$er some may challenge the codes andcon$entions o! their genre in order to disorientate thedemographic.


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ENIGMA

'nigma codes can be used to spark +uestions amongstaudience members. his is most efecti$e at the $ery start o!a mo$ie, as it lea$es a sense o! uncertainty and mystery

throughout the rest o! the )lm. his keeps the audienceengaged, as "ell as intrigued, as they "ish to sol$e thismystery. (t the beginning o! Pulp iction a couple begin toshout "ith guns at a table, ho"e$er the audience is unsure o!"here they are or "hat their moti$es are in doing so.4o"e$er "e later disco$er they are attempting to rob a

diner.

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