Opening Sequence

What is an opening sequence?

Title sequences are extremely important for many reasons, such as the following: 

·         They introduce us to the main characters which will be involved in the film

·         Main people of production are also introduced in the opening sequences such as a director (i.e. Steven Spielberg), the names of actors, sound editors, etc.
·         They introduce the genre of the film- whether it’s a comedy, romantic, thriller, drama, adventure, documentary, Sci-Fi etc.
·         They can introduce us to the key plot, such as a happy even (i.e. winning a lottery ticket) or sad (i.e. death of someone).
·         Opening sequences show the company logos which are the production and distribution organisations that the film has. Some major and popular production company logos are below:



·         Sound is extremely important in any opening sequence which may introduce what the film is going to be about and make some people feel a range of different emotions. For example, if the genre of the movie is a Thriller, the opening sequence can introduce us with eerie music which makes us feel tense.
·         The way the shots are presented is something also very important for an opening sequence. If there are a variety of different shots used which are all fast paced, this can create a sense of urgency and even an excitement for the audience, compared to if there are a few, making them feel more relaxed and can draw them less.
·         Some opening title sequences can mainly focus on the title credits which are longer than other movies which have embedded them in the movie, such as presenting the name of an actor while we are still looking at the action, making it less boring for the audience.