What’s the purpose of a film’s opening sequence?

The opening of a film is a highly important piece of the film making process. Not only does it draw the attention of the audience but also clearly establishes era and genre of the film which, as an audience member, it answers questions and also traditionally, you see a famous actor(ess) who is playing the lead in the film, and this usually draws connotations of heroism or villainous feelings towards this character through use of camera shots and movement.

Examples of different thriller films opening sequence

The Matrix- The Matrix is a sci-fi thriller made in 1999, the opening scene however contains conventions of Film Noir and shows a femme fatale in Trinity beating up member of the police force. It used groundbreaking special effects and the opening sequence was used to effectively show the world in which the Matrix was set and set up a film that got stunning reviews.

The Spy Who Loved Me- A 1977 James Bond film, its opening sequence contained a marvellously aesthetic ski sequence which involved a backward flip. These moves contains OO7 and when he opens his parachute, the Union Jack is shown to present Bond's loyalty to his country. Later in the sequence he exchanges dialogue with his love interest in which she says 'But James, I need you' to which Bond replies 'So does England'. An explosive start to a Bond film which proved a popular film in the trilogy.

Star Wars- The 1977 Star Wars is renounced at one of the best opening sequences in film history. The opening sequence involves a spaceship chase scene, and clearly establishes the genre, era and setting of the film. It started the franchise of Star Wars globally.

In the opening scene of The Dark Night (2008) directed by Christopher Nolan, the film is launched at the beginning of the titles as the Batman theme is played throughout the opening titles, this is clearly distinctive to the audience who associate that particular score with the trilogy of Batman films. This music is played a very low volume to create tension and creates a clear beginning to the film. To coincide with the films dark themes, the logos of Warner Bros foreshadows the opening of the film, which shows a bank heist before Nolan even introduces Batman. The darkness is a clear theme throughout the opening scene and the dark clouds behind the logo of Warner Bros connotes the evil that is yet to be created by the Joker played by Heath Ledger. Also within the title sequence, a cloud or smoke is presented to the audience, but as the smoke disperses, the bat symbol associated with Batman is visible, this is done to clearly set the scene that the audience are watching a Batman film and the newest of a trilogy. This is an alternative from writing 'The Dark Night' and in presenting the Bat symbol they provide a clear sense of beginning and build an anticipation within the audience.

The first shot is an establishing shot which clearly shows skyscrapers and tall, professional buildings. This presents to the audience where the film is going to be set; an industrial, modern city. Also, it clarifies time period and setting to ease the audience into the film. There is also a non diegetic, dull sound which replaces the trilogy music usually associated with Batman. This subtle change in tone

and intensity grabs the audiences attention and as it grows increasingly louder throughout the shot, it builds up tension and anticipates the audience as to what is to happen. Nolan uses non diegetic sound to full affect to increase the intensity in the film but also to symbolise what is going to happen in this opening sequence. After this establishing shot, a zoom is used to focus onto one specific window of the blue-tinted skyscraper. Shortly after the shot settles into place, there is a smash to the central window, this smash is amplified in editing to make it more powerful, effective and dramatic. Following this smash, there is a fast paced cut to a man wearing a clown mask in a nearby building. This character is observed to be wearing a clown mask, thus hiding his face and character from the audience, this makes the audience feel negatively towards this character, partly due to the fact he is holding a gun, and is conveyed to be the character responsible for the smashing of the window, which presents him in a bad light, also, the low key lighting and darkness when the cut is mad connotes the idea of evil and shadiness. The next shot is an over the shoulder shot which, thanks to continuity editing, shows us, albeit briefly, another character present alongside the man who is originally shown. After breaking the window, the two characters are seen to have a grappling hook pointed to another building, and after the destruction of a window seen beforehand, the audience becomes aware these characters are the antagonists. Their creepy masks are familiar to those used in Batman comics, that familiarity ensure the audience conclude that this is the work of The Joker, or his henchmen, as The Joker is the villain and a recognisable pillar in the Batman trilogy.

Following this, there is a mid long shot showing a person holding a similar mask to that of the attackers seen in the previous shot. The camera is seen to zoom into the mask as oppose to the person, thus conveying to the audience that the mask holds greater importance to the narrative than the

person who is behind it. When the cut is made from the over the shoulder shot to this mid shot, A loud clanging noise is present, which increases intensity and creates a sense of fear and anxiety amongst the audience. This music increases its volume, pitch and pace as the camera zooms into the mask, which creates anticipation and leaves the audience asking certain questions; who is this man? what is that mask? What importance does it have? Who are they?

As the camera stops zooming, a car is seen to come into the shot, and the man carrying the mask proceeds to wear it, as this happens, contrapuntal sound is used as the music becomes more upbeat and positive music, this creates a contrast and foreshadows that good will conquer evil eventually. Non-diegetic sound is used to emphasise the vehicles arrive into shot, the tyres screech and this indicates that the car was travelling at a high speed, also, it makes the scene more harsh, if no emphasis was placed onto the car, then the close up of  the mask seems irrelevant and unimportant. The volume being created dominates the scene and draws attention back to reality and away for the almost dream like sequence of the mask.

Cross cutting is a technique that shows a scene whilst another is happening, its a clever and effective editing style which adds depth, intensity and creates tension within the narrative as it shows a course of events that influence the shape and direction of the scene. Cross cutting is used to full effect in this opening sequence. We are shown the characters we saw traditionally as they begin to zipwire towards another building, the camera is at a slight tilt which connotes danger around these antagonists as they exit the building they are standing in. This cuts into a birds eye view of the city below, presenting the audience with a sense of perspective as to the height and danger these people are going through as they zip wire towards another building. Also, as an audience member, its interactive in the sense that it presents you as the forth person on the zip wire before cutting away to show the characters on the zip wire to a mid shot to give the audience a sense of realism and present the danger these people are putting themselves in to reach the other building. Match on action is used to great effective within this sequence of shots as the see the men onset their journey, then see them on the wire before another low shot showing the denouncement of their descent.  A quick dynamic cut is used to replicate the intensity and tension being built with in this scene as an over the shoulder shot is used following the landing of the characters seen previously. As an audience member, the use of the over the shoulder shot puts us in the car with the people in masks.

 This is where we hear our first exchange of dialogue, The people within the car are talking about the 'job' they are conducting and then reference the 'two men on the roof', the dialogue provides context to what we've seen up to this point, however, the most important line spoken is 'I know why they call him The Joker' this concludes the evilness of these apparent henchmen and shows the audience they are carrying out a plot for their master, who must be The Joker. This also presents The Joker as the main antagonist in this film.

The low-key lighting present in the car reflects the thugs darkness and creates a mysterious and ominous atmosphere within the vehicle, and the contrast of the blue sky presents the calm before the storm, and although all is well in this city, it is all about to be turned on its head by the job these men are about to conduct. This cuts to a discussion between the two men located on the roof of the building. 'So why do they call him the Joker?' this puts more focus on The Joker and shows the spotlight is firmly on him and his entrance. 'I hear he wears make up', this gives the audience a physical presentation of how The Joker is looking and fans of the trilogy will be excited as The Joker is the main antagonist to Batman throughout the series, and fans will be keen to see the next chapter with in their battle to be on top, to see the battle of good vs evil and this is presented here. After these discussions regarding the Joker, we see a man with a bag enter the building presented to us at a low angle to connote power and significance, could this be The Joker?

After a tracking shot of the robbers running into what becomes apparent is a bank, a quicker cut is used back to the men of the roof. 'A silent alarm' shows clear expertise in the role they are carrying out to aide this particular robbery, also, the amount of wires and electricals present . After this brief discussion we cut back into the building, this quick exchange of cuts builds tension and anticipation of what is being constructed by the villains in this opening sequence. After the alarm, we see the same bag that's been shown throughout the sequence, this conveys the significance of what is inside it. The next shot is a mid shot of the Bank manager who looks calm as he takes off his glasses, his suit shows to the audience he is of the upper class and isn't feared or worried regarding the break in of his bank. A slow cut is used show the entrance of the metal drill penetrating the metal door, this slow cut helps the audience see the difference between the frantic nature of the killers on the bottom floor and their mission to kill and get supremacy, whereas their is a more skilled, reserved nature present within the robbers who are breaking into the bank, the mixture of slow and quick cuts show that many things are happening at once and shows the fractiousness of the killers who are strategically robbing this bank before the police or Batman become present.

After the line 'Nobody move', the bank manager fires a shot at one of the thugs, this shows the bravery of the man and his desire to stop evil. This also symbolises the power The Joker has over his henchmen, because despite their killing and work, they will definitely be killed by him as he seeks power and wealth. There is a quick cut that shows the man being electrocuted at the vault as the antagonists plans seem to be falling apart and this is carried on by the series of shot reserve shot exchanged between the bank manager and the robbers, as a more neutral angle is used to present the bank manager, as although he is fighting evil, he will be killed by the villains as they seek power and control over the bank, the neutral mid shot is used because although he is showing tremendous bravery in attempting to combat the villains, he is ultimately to late to start fighting back and has let several of his workers be assassinated by the villains.

Interestingly, as the bank manager is shot in the leg, he shakes but there is no blood present, this is to ensure that the age certificate of the film stays a 12A, so young comic book fans can see the next instalment of the trilogy in cinemas and the companies involved in the film maximise profit. A shot of the character in the mask who shot the manager is shown and as he is shown, the Joker theme tune is present, this is climaxing The Joker's incoming entrance and excites the fans who want to see his first appearance in the film.

We cut back to the men working on the vault, and once again the motif of the bag is present as a close up shows the contents of it being rolled out, this adds another layer to the narrative and it becomes evident the villains are about to break into the vault and steal all the money present with in, the dialogue exchanged talks about 'the boss' and how there should be 'one less share', this shows the ruthlessness of The Joker and also portrays to the audience the greed present with in these villains as they are willing to kill each other for a larger stake in the money. As the vault open, we see a close up of one character spinning the vault to open it, as this is happening, it is clear that the other man draws a gun and shoots, but we never see the shot entering the victim and this is again to ensure the age certificate remains at 12A. The character on the floor of he bank is seen to be calmly strolling around the base of the bank, in control and power of the situation he has created. Another masked man comes into shot and loads his gun which is met with a soft underscore to build intensity and tension to the scene, this is when the elusive Joker first speaks and this is met with the volume of the underscore increases to reveal his identity and this to the audience is exciting as he is a figure stone of the Batman trilogy and this really kick starts the film.

The opening sequence in the Dark Knight is really interesting as it doesn't feature Batman at all, its an intense bank heist which obviously builds up the narrative and acts as a trigger point, it clearly presents evil and catapults the audience into the film, its clear they are watching a Batman film but also clear that they are watching an action thriller, and this differs to other films who ease the audience in, this was a film that was hugely anticipated by fans of the Batman trilogy and that excitement is built with a big budget, explosive bank heist to make the mouths of Batman fans water.