There are no specific rules for what has to be in a film opening, but all have similarities.
Most film openings consist of actors/actresses name, production logo, directors, producers etc. Some film openings don't have any titles at the beginning or save them to the credits at the end, for example the 2008 film Twilight. Here are a few we analysed...
Brief Encounter - (David Lean 1945)
''Brief Encounter' starts with a Black and White image of New York with the words 'GFC' in Big white lettering and then fades into the production logo. Are film is going to be similar to this, our logo is even similar. Our opening clip is going to fade out from black into a long shot which is the same as Brief Encounter; it fades from Black into a long shot of a train pulling away. When the train pulls away then the title of the film comes on in big white serif lettering along with the director’s name, followed by actors and actresses names, still on the same clip. For the majority of the first 2 minutes it is just titles which are in contrast to ours, as ours is moving image. Another similarity is that Brief Encounter is in black and white, as is ours and they have non-diegetic piano music playing as do we. In the first two minutes of Brief Encounter there really is no anchorage into what the films going to be about as it is still focusing on the same image and we only got brief introduction into one character.Brief Encounter - The opening 2 minutesIt starts with a black and white scene of New York with 'G.F.C' in big white lettering then fades into production logo whilst non-diegetic music, big brass band, old music comes on. It fades from black into a long shot of a steam train pulling out of the station and moving away from the camera. Lots of smoke covers half of the shot which could signify mystery. The platform is deserted and is dimly lit by 2 overhanging lights but is backlit and there is still an after smoke in the air.When the train moves away into the distance, the Title of the films fades into the shot along with the director’s name above it in smaller writing. This is not common nowadays; the directors name is normally separated from the Title. Non-diegetic piano music starts playing. It remains on the same shot whilst the actors and actresses names come on screen, the font gets smaller as it goes along signifying they aren't as important as the ones at the beginning. The music changes into an orchestra, string music, more titles come on, composers, editors etc.After the last titles, a train comes into the platform, towards the camera and the music dies out.It then goes into a high angle shot of the train and then a medium -long shot of the a man who appears to be dressed as the conductor at his looks as his pocket watch when the train pulls in and his clothing, black blazer and waistcoat with a hat signifies he works at the station. It then goes into a long shot of the back of the train. The man then walks across the railway lines to get to the other side would could signify his position, that he’s allowed to do that and the time era, that it was more acceptable then than it is now.There is then a match-on-action shot where he walks through a door and then there is a medium shot of him on the other side and in the station cafe
Atonement - (Joe Wright 2007)
Most film openings consist of actors/actresses name, production logo, directors, producers etc. Some film openings don't have any titles at the beginning or save them to the credits at the end, for example the 2008 film Twilight. Here are a few we analysed...
Brief Encounter - (David Lean 1945)
''Brief Encounter' starts with a Black and White image of New York with the words 'GFC' in Big white lettering and then fades into the production logo. Are film is going to be similar to this, our logo is even similar. Our opening clip is going to fade out from black into a long shot which is the same as Brief Encounter; it fades from Black into a long shot of a train pulling away. When the train pulls away then the title of the film comes on in big white serif lettering along with the director’s name, followed by actors and actresses names, still on the same clip. For the majority of the first 2 minutes it is just titles which are in contrast to ours, as ours is moving image. Another similarity is that Brief Encounter is in black and white, as is ours and they have non-diegetic piano music playing as do we. In the first two minutes of Brief Encounter there really is no anchorage into what the films going to be about as it is still focusing on the same image and we only got brief introduction into one character.Brief Encounter - The opening 2 minutesIt starts with a black and white scene of New York with 'G.F.C' in big white lettering then fades into production logo whilst non-diegetic music, big brass band, old music comes on. It fades from black into a long shot of a steam train pulling out of the station and moving away from the camera. Lots of smoke covers half of the shot which could signify mystery. The platform is deserted and is dimly lit by 2 overhanging lights but is backlit and there is still an after smoke in the air.When the train moves away into the distance, the Title of the films fades into the shot along with the director’s name above it in smaller writing. This is not common nowadays; the directors name is normally separated from the Title. Non-diegetic piano music starts playing. It remains on the same shot whilst the actors and actresses names come on screen, the font gets smaller as it goes along signifying they aren't as important as the ones at the beginning. The music changes into an orchestra, string music, more titles come on, composers, editors etc.After the last titles, a train comes into the platform, towards the camera and the music dies out.It then goes into a high angle shot of the train and then a medium -long shot of the a man who appears to be dressed as the conductor at his looks as his pocket watch when the train pulls in and his clothing, black blazer and waistcoat with a hat signifies he works at the station. It then goes into a long shot of the back of the train. The man then walks across the railway lines to get to the other side would could signify his position, that he’s allowed to do that and the time era, that it was more acceptable then than it is now.There is then a match-on-action shot where he walks through a door and then there is a medium shot of him on the other side and in the station cafe
Atonement - (Joe Wright 2007)
It starts off with a black screen with the production company in small white lettering in a typewriter font, there is a diegetic typewriter noise in the background. When the Title 'Atonement' comes on letter by letter and the typewriter noise becomes more exaggerated.It then jumps straight to a medium-close up shot of a model-doll house and the words 'England 1935' come on at the bottom of the screen in small white lettering. The typewriting noise is still going on. The camera then pans the room; it follows a line of toy, plastic animals which signifies it is a child's room. The camera then identifies the typewriter is a young girl, still typing, the camera moves slowly in, the typing gets louder and quicker, signifying that maybe she is mad. It then goes quickly into a high angle of the back of her head and the camera then pans to the side of her head then quickly goes into an extreme-close up of her eyes, so you can see her facial expression. The camera is still panning and non-diegetic soft, piano music starts playing.The camera then goes into a close up of her hands typing, the camera then pans to the top of the typewriter and onto the paper, stopping on the words ' The end' which is a contrast to th film itself as it is the beginning of the film. The girl then rips the paper out of the paper dramatically and aggressively, again signifying that she is mad or in a rush, and places it on top of other papers. She then places another piece on top and the camera zooms onto it and identifies the girls name, it is then taken quickly away followed by the camera quickly going into a medium shot of her walking quickly towards the door, The camera zooms out at the same time turning into a long shot.Our film is similar to this opening as ours starts with a Black screen with the production name on it and also has subtitles informing the audience what year its set it.
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