Key conventions

Key conventions

One of the main points of an opening sequence is to introduce the main cast and crew.  

The title sequence should also indicate how the narrative might work out.

Opening sequences often use an enigma code to throw up questions for the audience or use a disruption that the audience will want to see solved. As seen in Brick .

An opening sequence should also introduce key characters and tell the audience a bit about them. For example, like Dave from kick Ass, who throughout the exposition is seen to have a lack of female attention. This lack of female attention could also be seen as a disruption because it is for this reason that his life is uneventful and also the reason he want to become a super hero.

An opening sequence should also show an example of binary opposites. For example, in shifty when we see our hero  he is always in a close up shot, he also gets much more screen time than the guy we see unwrapping the heroin  whose face we do not see and who also has a lot less screen time.

Lastly an opening sequence should also give the audience an idea of what genre the text is. For example after the opening scene of Kick Ass we are aware that it is a teen comedy.

Moods or tones are also introduced to the audience in the opening credits. For example in “In Search Of A Midnight Kiss” the tone is bitter sweet. This is shown through the narration by the main character over the opening credits. He slowly builds up a picture for the audience, introducing the tone of the text.

The opening sequence to a film should also introduce the key theme or themes of the text. For example in “Shifty” the main theme is drugs.

 The time and place should also be established in the opening sequence. As seen in “Kick Ass” where we are shown that large sky scrapers and the American dress along with the American accent of Dave (who’s narrating the opening credits.) this tells the audience that it is an average day, in New York.