The Structure of Film Openings

• A narrative opening with the titles running throughout: The shining and Panic Room

- Eerie music suggests genre.
- Shot in a very remote location.
- Large isolated hotel
- Psychological thriller (shining) indicated through sound and camerawork


- Brings us straight into the movie.
- City location
- Introduction to characters
- Titles were apart of the buildings
              

                            Generally no effects aside f rom titles.

• A discrete title sequence: Enemy of the State and Arlington Road

- Political Espionage/ could be action
- Fast-paced editing: jump cuts
- Non-diegetic sound
- Gun shots, helicopters, symbolic to the title; could show what the film will include
- No production company

- Negative setting combined with red; could suggest something will happen.

                       In all discrete title sequences, it's not always clear what the genre of the film is. There is non-diegetic sound which hints the genre. Usually a manipulation of time (fast and slow). Moving handheld camera, overlapping images - opacity changed and images layered.

• Stylized editing: Taking of Pelham 123

- There's a mixture of lots of ideas.
- Mixture of slow and fast-paced moments
- Titles are heavily edited