After browsing Youtube for educational videos on how to produce the best film opening I can, I came across this video on youtube by 'Now You See It'. In it, the narrator discusses the importance of opening shots. I'm thinking this will come in handy when trying to map out what shots are needed for my idea of choice.
Here are some of the main points I took from my viewing:
opening shots are used to convey main ideas, premises, or character arcs
its the first bit of information we get about a film whether it be a person or a computer screen
sometimes they reflect the entire movie
shot from behind a character's head = signs of weakness that will be prominent throughout the film
its the first thing your audience will see, so make it count
I've been looking into some notable film openings, particularly regarding the drama genre. Whiplash has always really stuck out as one of my favorite openings. It's super simple with nothing very "in your face" but instantly introduces you to the main characters and the conflict that's yet to come. I love the way the Chazelle describes the process of creating the opening in this video from the New York Times. He talks about how he thinks many filmmakers waste their opening minutes of the film, while he believes it's the most important part of the movie because of you "haven't lost the audience... yet". He uses elements of intense drumming noises and interesting lighting to establish right away what his tone is: "an undercurtain of dread". One thing he says at the end of the video will definitely stay in my mind as I go along with this project "I like movies that give you the entire movie in a microcosm of the opening scene." Bye for now,
IM TheNewYorkTimes. "'Whiplash' | Anatomy of a Scene W/ Director Damien Chazelle | The New York Times." YouTube. YouTube, 11 Oct. 2014. Web. 06 Mar. 2017. "Opening Shots Tell Us Everything." YouTube. YouTube, 31 July 2015. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.
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