Movie Opener Brainstorming & Research

Movie Opener Brainstorming & Research

Within this blog, I will look at 8 different movie openers, give my opinion on them, then brainstorm an idea of what I want my movie opener to look like for my project.

Opener #1: Rise

    This opener uses a lot of quick cuts to move the film along to the action. I really like the use of the music while the young man is practicing soccer and the fading in and out of the music based on whether he has his headphones on or not is a really nice touch that lets the audience listen to what he is hearing. The other man that is in the opener seems to know the young man and based on their silent interaction at the end, there may be some tension between the two. Also, the use of low and high-angle shots during the practicing sequence adds some nice dynamic to what could have been a rather mundane montage.

Opener #2: Dear Lover

    The next opener starts off with a lovely piece of music that sets the tone of the film right from the start. I really enjoyed the scenery shots at the beginning as it then focuses on the girl sitting by the pond. Something I wasn't expecting was the use of flashbacks and they also use a filter over those scenes in order to differentiate them from the present. I also liked how the film establishes that the two women are in love without them needing to state it because of the body language and actions they take.

Opener #3: Dare to Thrill

    This opener immediately starts off with a lively tone as the pop music begins and the characters all look like they are having a good time. Something I found really interesting was their use of their subtitles and how they were a much different style than the previous two openers; they were colorful, used a different font, and appeared through the opener, not just at the beginning. Moreover, the shocking surprise at the end, leaving the audience wondering what it was that the characters had found in the trunk of the car, pulls the watchers in and gets them interested in what comes next.

Opener #4: Always Watching

    Right from the start, the audience can tell what can of film this is going to be, as a result of the eerie music playing and the alarming shots that play at the beginning. The dialogue between the man and the therapist is done in the intro very well, as we get to understand a bit of who these characters are without revealing everything about them. The cross-cutting shots between the main character and his friend also serve as a nice representation of how the main character believes he can become his best friend.

Opener #5: The Blue Boar

    I believe that this opening by far has the best music as it seems to be a musical since also contains an original score made just for it. Something else that the opener does that no other opening has done before is the use of costumes, which adds very nicely to the context of the opening, setting ut up perhaps in the past. Also, during the scenes of the mother speaking to her daughter, the omission of the top part of her head, and the zeroing in on her mouth, establishes the importance of her words as the daughter later ignores and rebels against her orders. Lastly, I really like the inclusion of the title of the opener at the end and the graphic match with the branches and the boar.

Opener #6: White Coat

    This opener focuses a lot on ambiance and setting, establishing a dark, gloomy, and mysterious tone. The score used for the opener plays a role in setting up the tone, applying a sinister feel to what the main character is doing in his apparently evil laboratory. This opener uses a lot of close-up shots, focusing on many different scientific tools and operations that the character does through the runtime. There is no dialogue used throughout the opener, but the audience can get a feel for who the character is through his actions.

Opener #7: Stalker

    We have another horror film opener, and this one uses a lot of different sound effects to convey the tones of the scenes. While the main character doesn't have any dialogue, her facial expressions and body language allow the audience to understand what she is feeling. Although this opener may be the first to use sound effects that are added in post-production, the way they are roughly inserted into the scenes does not flow very well. Also, this opener does not use any music at all unlike the others, which could have added some tension to the scenes.

Opener #8: Nostalgia

    This opening is the only to use paintings to establish the setting, that being a house by a lake. Like some of the previous opening, there is no dialogue from any of the characters, but there is music playing, which creates a sort of somber and sad mood for the audience. There are many close-up shots of the old lady during the film, emphasizing her facial features and her hands. The close-up shots also focus on what seems to be old photos and items assumedly owned by the old lady, perhaps hinting at her past. 

    Now that I have seen and reviewed all of these different movie openers, I believe I have formed an idea of what I want my opener to look like. Since I want my movie to be a horror film, I want my opener to hook the audience in immediately, perhaps with some catchy music or some interesting visuals. Then, I want to maintain the audience's attention while also building something in the background which the audience may or may not realize at first. The opener will ultimately end with a simple plot twist that the audience may not have been expecting. I don't plans on using things like over-the-top sound effects or costumes because I would like the film to feel a bit more ground and realistic.