Horror Opening Sequence ConventionsJesse Hammond

The Purpose of an Opening Sequence

The start (opening) of a film must engage the audience and captivate them so that they want to

carry on watching. The opening gives hints towards the narrative of the film so that the audience watch to find out more. Giving away a hint of what the film

intales intrigues the audience.

Film institutions One of the first thing an audience sees within an

opening sequence is the film institution’s logo. This tells the audience which company produced the

film, it is common to see more than one company (using two institutions spread the cost). Depending

on the genre some institutions edit their logo to reflect the genre.

Micro featuresThe use of cinematography is a great tool to convey moods and atmospheres, the most commonly used

shot within opening sequences are establishing shots as they set the setting for the audience. Key

characters are normally introduced to allow the audience to understand their importance within the

film and to gain knowledge of their personality. Another early introduction is the main settings within the film, allowing the audience to follow through the

film without getting confused. Themes are also hinted at to allow the audience to guess the plot, and

engage them so that they carry on watching.

Opening creditsDuring the opening sequence credits appear that include the most important people involved within the film which include; directors, writers, camera

men, and key actors in order of appearance (some films may include more or less people). The actual

film title is normally one of the last things to be seen within the opening sequence as it has been

built up to it. The title normally connotations to the audience so that their imagination runs wild, trying to guess what the film is about. The title is always in the style and theme of the film’s genre normally

through font, size and colour.

GenreOpening sequences establish the genre or any

subgenres instantly through conventions commonly known and recognised. Most common conventions

used are low lighting, male antagonist, isolated locations, and creepy music.

MusicMusic is a very strong convention used within

opening sequences, it easily reflects themes and genres. The music can captivate the audience making them more interested so they carry on

watching. Music can also build tension, by building pace or convey a mood to set the opening scene, the music used is mostly always non-diegetic to

unease an audience especially within horror opening sequences. The opening credits are also

presented during the music.

NarrativeThe narratives within opening sequences usually follow the beginning of Todorov’s theory, with an equilibrium. Occasionally a voiceover is used in

many films to introduce the narrative always descriptive and helps the audience to engage in the

plot and grow to like or dislike characters. Most opening sequences have a non-linear structure to entice audiences, making them want to find out

more.