The Generic Conventions Of Film Openings

The Generic Conventions Of
Film Openings
Luke Munt

• The Woman in Black is classified under the genre of horror and in my opinion portrays the majority of the
mainstream generic conventions you would expect to find in a horror film opening sequence.
• The film begins with three small girls who are sitting in the middle of a playroom and interacting with
their toy dolls, the mise-en-scene of this particular point in the scene displays a huge variety of antiques
which establish a setting of an ancient and tired environment. Furthermore, in this scene, all three of the
young girls are dressed in pale white outfits which suggest and has the connotations of innocence and
vulnerability; this could have been deliberate in order to show a clear contrast between the pale innocent
colours of the girls to the dark and monotone colours of the surrounding room. The opening scene also
uses antique furniture and objects as iconography in order to add a sense of deprivation and
ghoulishness; this is very common among a large selection of horror films in order to establish a sense of
danger and horror to come.
• The opening sequence then progresses to where all three of the girls turn their heads in a robotic motion
and stare directly towards the camera, this is also a regular feature of many horrors due to the fact that it
suggests that there is an unknown and unwanted presence in the room which is what the onscreen actors
are drawn towards. Another generic convention included in the opening sequence is a sense of
claustrophobia and being trapped- the three girls turn their heads towards the source of light where a
large window is shown close up, this suggests to the audience that the light at the end of the tunnel will
only come if the girls exit the haunted room via the window. The girls then slowly get up and shuffle
towards the window whilst crushing the precious china cutlery in the process- this is a contrast between
the delicacy of the china and the recklessness of the girl’s footsteps. The end result of the opening scene
is where all three girls jump and plummet downwards from the window ledge. For me, this sets up the
rest of the film extremely effectively and immediately creates a sense of fear amongst the audience.
• In my opinion, the intended target audience for The Woman in Black is for the older teenage years,
however I also believe that this film could be directed towards anyone above the age of 12 (Certificate
Rating 12), this is because its conventions appeal to a wide variety of individuals. The intended target
audience of late teens to late 20s appeals to this age group because of the fact that the film offers
suspense and horror which is exactly what many young people want to experience as a type of thrill-
seeking. Therefore, due to this target audience, in my opinion the demographic social class of this film is
mainly classified as ‘E’- this being a low level of income and most likely to be a student. As well as this, the
psychographic target audience would be for ‘tweenagers’ (children between 10 and 14) and above.

International Gross Profit: $127,730,736
Film Budget: $15,000,000
Film Producer: James Watkins (Originally created as a book by Susan Hill)
Other filmography by James Watkins includes Eden Lake and Bastille Day, although
Bastille Day is not a horror film, Eden Lake is a horror film which suggests this is
what James Watkins specialises in. As well as this, the main individuals which star
in this film are Daniel Radcliffe and Ciarán Hinds, these two actors have appeared
in a wide variety of different film genres and therefore do not specialise in this
area of film.

This part of the opening scene of the ‘Woman in Black’ suggests that there is a hidden presence in the
room with the girls. The audience grasps this idea due to the fact that the three girls are staring directly
towards the camera which gives the audience the impression that there is a possessed spirit within the
room that is almost dictating the three girls actions. Furthermore, the girls have a vacant and blank
expression on their faces suggesting an element of fear.

This screenshot displays the three girls sitting on the floor of what appears to be a playroom
whilst playing with various dolls and accessories. As the audience, we get an instant
impression and ideas concerning the setting and period of when this film is originally set
(this is due to the mise-en-scene which is integrated into the opening scene)
The girls dresses are extremely typical of
the period in time that the film is set (this
being 1916-17), as well as this, in my
opinion the girls are portrayed in a
dominant representation due to the fact
that they are playing with typically female
toys and also due to their general
appearance.
Other mise-en-scene displayed in this
sequence includes antique toys, this is a
regular feature of many horror films due to
the connotations they exemplify, these
include a sense abandonment, disregard
and also death. This is due to the fact that
these objects have a creepy and tatty
appearance.

In this part of the opening scene it displays
the three girls rising from the floor where
they were innocently playing, the toys
which they were playing with are shown in
a fairly close up shot in order to portray the
feeling of lifelessness and danger to come.
The girls then continue to move where they begin to trample and
stumble onto the toys they were previously playing with. A close up
angle is used in order to directly involve the audience into what is
happening. Furthermore, there is an uneasy contrast between the
innocence and delicateness of the young girls and the savage and violent
stamping onto the toys that proceeds to occur. As well as this, the fact
that the dolls and china teapot are being smashed to pieces suggests
connotations of something precious and vulnerable being destroyed.
This is therefore a reflection and indication of what is about to occur to
the 3 girls. (this being where they commit suicide from a window ledge.)

This is a screenshot of the very end of the opening scene, it displays the three girls suspended
on top of the window ledge looking out into the distance. The occurrence at the end of this
scene results in the girls plummeting to their death as they fall from the window ledge.
Even though this may be unobvious to
many, the mise-en –scene is this opening
scene is extremely effective and well
thought out. This is because of the
werewolf like silhouette figure which can
be seen in the background of the
screenshot. After doing brief research, I
discovered that a black werewolf has the
Slavic language connotations of a woman
who had lost several babies in succession.
This therefore has a subtle hidden message
referring to the girls committing suicide
and a mother who has lost her children.

• Forrest Gump is classified under the genres of drama and a romance hybrid. Due to this, in my opinion Forrest
Gump has gone down in history as being one of the world’s greatest all time films because of the storyline being
completely believable and well-acted as well as being appealing to all ages and gender. In this film there are
many generic conventions that you would expect to find in a drama and romance. For example, in the opening
scene, the audience is immediately hooked on the idea of a romance due to the fact that the majority of the
opening scene tracks a white feather until it lands at the feet of Forrest Gump (who is the main character in the
film). This representation of a white feather suggests extreme iconography and connotations of innocence,
romance and preciousness, therefore when the feather lands at Forrest’s feet this implies that the character is
special and is involved in a romantic relationship.
• Despite this, the opening scene of the film doesn’t actually reveal too much else of what the film has in store;
this technique is often used in a drama in order to allow the audience’s curiosity to get the better of them. This
will therefore keep the audience guessing and maintain a state of interest in what is going to occur later on in the
film. However, the opening scene of the film doesn’t display too many generic film conventions of a drama and
romance due to the fact that very little is revealed in the opening few minutes of the film.
• As well as this, more iconography is used when Forrest picks up the white feather and places it in the inside of
one of the book pages in the book stored inside his suitcase. The idea of a feather being placed inside a book
implies that Forrest intends to keep the current situation as a memory forever whilst he is on his travels- this is
only an idea at the time (that he is travelling) due to the appearance of a suitcase. In addition to this, whilst the
opening scene commences, the use of non-diegetic music is used in order to give a sense of mood and scenario
towards the audience even though the actors cannot hear this.
• The intended target audience for this film in my opinion is for all ages and gender due to what the film actually
offers in terms of viewing experience. I make this assumption due to the film offering all the aspects and thrills of
a family film which is therefore suitable to all ages (unless below the certificate rating of PG-13). Furthermore,
the film appeals to the intended target audience due to the film offering a huge variety of events which many
individuals can relate to in some way or another. In terms of socioeconomic class and the demographics of the
target audience, I would make the assumption that the film is intended to appeal to all classes ranging from ‘E’
(low income and unemployed) to ‘A’ (this being higher management).

Film Director: Robert Zemeckis
Film Producers: Wendy Finerman, Steve Tisch, Steve Starkey
• The director of Forrest Gump ‘Robert Zemeckis’ has directed many different films
throughout his career, the films he has produced are all fairly similar in terms of the
genre and popularity of each film produced.
• Other films include the Back to the Future trilogy, Cast Away and Flight, these films have
also gained huge amounts of popularity throughout the years due to the fact that they
are so well made and to having a brilliant plot.
• As well as this, there are several recognised stars which feature in the film; these
include Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), Gary Sinise (Lt. Dan) and Robin Wright (Jenny
Curran). All of these actors/actresses are known especially for this film however also
from many other famous films. These include, Of Mice and Men (Gary Sinise), Saving
Private Ryan and Cast Away (Tom Hanks) and House of Cards (Robin Wright).
The credits displayed in the opening scene of Forrest Gump are included in a subtle yet
intricate way. The credits fade in and out of the opening scene in a white font. This matches
with the idea of the white feather iconography.

Institutional Presence: This is included in the majority of opening sequences in order to notify the
audience of who the film was produced by. The institutional presence also adds a sense of quality and
experience with a history of successful films.

The opening scene of the film begins with an
establishing shot in order to give a sense of surrounding
and location to the audience. This type of establishing
shot will often be filmed via a crane (aerial) shot.
The non-diegetic sound used in the opening scene of the film
in many ways echoes the movement and actions of the white
feather. The white feather is followed and almost tracked by
the camera for the first 2 minutes of the opening scene, the
feather has the connotations of innocence, delicateness and
also freedom which in my opinion is completely reflected in
the music that is also played. This is because the music used is
orchestrated by the piano which has a soft and honest sound
which therefore adds to the calm and harmonious opening.
The fact that the establishing shot includes
lots of tall and dominant buildings gives the
audience the idea that the film is to be
located within a big city.
Furthermore, even though the piece of
music used in the opening scene is
generally calm and harmonious, this is
almost a complete contrast to what you
would associate city life to be like in terms
of the chaos and constant activity that
occurs in a city.

The audiences first real sighting of Forrest Gump begins
with a close-up shot of his footwear and socks. The fact
that Forrest appears to be wearing a smart pair of beige
trousers followed by the bizarre choice of coloured
socks and scruffy and casual trainers is a huge contrast
and also therefore suggests a lot about the type of
individual Forrest is.
The scuffed and mud covered (originally white) trainers
instantly give the critical eye many ideas as to what
Forrest has gone through in terms of his life thus far. For
example, the scuffed and mud covered trainers could
imply that Forrest has been through many tough and
near-death experiences as the trainers could reflect his
life's experience. As well as this, the colourful socks could
also represent the moments of happiness and love that
he has experienced in his life.

The opening scene then progresses and displays a
close-up shot of Forrest’s suitcase and belongings. The
suitcase therefore supports the idea of Forrest enduring
many rough and tough moments in his life. This is
because a suitcase has the connotations of experience
and travel which could in many ways reflect Forrest’s
experience in life.
The mise-en-scene in this screenshot displays a child’s
picture book, this would be viewed as strange and
abnormal in terms of the audiences perspective as a
grown adult would not usually read or even have a
child’s book. This therefore instantly changes the
audiences view upon Forrest and implies that he is
childish and immature in some respects.
Gift wrapped box of chocolates: The box of chocolates
is an extremely iconic prop and suggests connotations of
love and a present for a loving friend. This therefore
implies that Forrest is currently possibly in a loving
relationship.

• Skyfall is classified under the genres of Action, Adventure and Thriller. With these specific types of genres there
are many typical types of generic conventions which are displayed throughout the opening scenes of Skyfall. The
opening scene commences with James Bond walking with authority down a narrow staircase where Bond is
holding a pistol, this in my opinion is already extremely generic to see when viewing an action film, the gun has
iconography and connotations of violence and danger which immediately sets up the film for a potential to
involve intense scenes of combat and risk. Furthermore, in this part of the opening scene of Skyfall, a car chase
occurs in the busy streets of a certain city which is currently unknown to the audience. This car chase involves
shootings and the destruction of mise-en-scene such as the food markets; this is very effective in many
action/thriller films due to this creating a sense of intensity and excitement which therefore maintains the
audiences focus. Other generic conventions of Skyfall include the fact that Bond is wearing a suit and tie directly
from the start of the film, this iconography of a suit suggests strong authority and power which is exceedingly
common among the majority of all action films.
• The intended target audience for this film in my opinion is generally for anyone; however, I have only made this
assumption due to the fact that all James Bond (007) films have a reputation for being appealing to all ages and
genders because of the well-known and well-respected reputation the films hold. Despite this, if I had to decide
on a specific target audience I would assume that Skyfall is most appealing to the male gender of ages 13 and
onwards. In addition to this, in terms of the demographic and socioeconomic target audience, I would assume
that the film is most appealing to individuals who are classified as ‘E’ (this being young and unemployed)-
however the film in my opinion could appeal to a wide variety of different types of people.
• Furthermore, the reason for all James Bond films being so appealing to all ages and gender is due to the fact that
they offer the viewer a whole range of different and varied events and aspects that you would expect to find in a
good quality action thriller. As well as this, the acting is second to none and therefore makes the overall storyline
more believable and engaging.

International Gross Profit: $1,108,561,013
Film Director: Sam Mendes
Sam Mendes has produced and directed a few other major films such as American Beauty and also the
brand new James Bond film ‘Spectre’ however mainly produces and directs shows rather than screened
films. Due to this, there is therefore no respectable pattern as to the types of films in which Sam
Mendes directs and produces.
• Skyfall has many recognised actors/actresses; the main actor that plays the character of James Bond
is called Daniel Craig and has therefore appeared in the last four James Bond films including Skyfall.
Despite this, Daniel Craig has not appeared in too many other major films so there is no definite
pattern as to what type of genre film that Daniel Craig is most well-known for (apart from 007). On
the other hand, several of the other main actors and actresses such as Javier Bardem and Naomie
Harris have appeared in other action and thrillers such as the Pirates of the Caribbean saga and are
therefore mainly recognised as being heavily involved in those genres.
• Finally, the credits in Skyfall have been included right from the very beginning of the film, although
they are not displayed in the YouTube video, the film begins with the soundtrack and credits lasting
for a duration of around a minute in order to allow the audience time to discover who and what is a
part of the film.
• In the opening scene, a non-diegetic piece of music is included in order to add to the suspense,
intensity and seriousness of the scenario- this is music that only the audience can hear and will
therefore make the audience more aware and engaged with the current occurrences within the
scene.

This part of the opening scene of Skyfall displays James Bond walking out of a narrow and cramped
corridor whilst clutching a small pistol gun. This is extremely typical of a 007 James Bond film and
strongly supports ‘Goffman’s Theory’. This is because Goffman’s Theory supports the way in which
James in portrayed, this being strong, superior and dominant in terms of masculinity as a whole.
Furthermore, the fact that James Bond is holding a weapon and is about to burst into the busy streets
of a major city suggests that he is fearless and ready for action.

This part of the opening scene displays James Bond and
a female partner driving down narrow streets of a city
centre. The audience would be able to relate to an
occurrence such as this due to the fact that the scene
shows many ‘extras’ who align the edge of the streets-
this therefore makes the scene believable and also more
realistic because of this.
The over the shoulder shot displays a woman who is in
control of the current situation, furthermore, this car
chase also promotes violence. The reason why this is
significant is due to the fact that this completely goes
against the ‘Goffman’s Theory’. This is because the
female character in this scene does not have the
characteristics which Goffman’s Theory would usually
associate with women. Instead, the alternative
portrayal of the female character is shown in this scene.

This part of the opening scene of Skyfall displays James Bond in a
superior and authoritative position. This is because of the facial
expressions and body language which James Bond is portraying in
this scene, the facial expression displayed is a serious yet firmly
confident appearance. Furthermore, Goffman’s Theory is also
supported thoroughly in this screenshot, this is because the male
gender is portrayed in a strong and powerful image as if the
character is indestructible and superior. Therefore, due to this
positive correlation with Goffman’s Theory, the male gender is
presented and displayed in a dominant representation in this scene.
In this scene, a huge contrast is displayed between the levels of calmness and
composure of certain individuals. For instance, James Bond is perfectly relaxed and
also appears to be completely in control of the situation. On the other hand, the
other people located in the background of this screenshot appear to be in a state
of chaos and panic. Due to this contrast, it again makes James Bond and the male
gender appear strong, decisive and completely in control of the situation. In
addition to this, this representation of the male gender can be seen as very
stereotypical and in many ways an unfair way of representing the male gender as a
whole (the reason as to why this stereotype may be used is due to the fact that the
audience would relate and easily recognise the type of character that is trying to
be portrayed).

• The film ‘Pacific Rim’ is classified under the genres of action, adventure and sci-fi although its main categorisation
is under science fiction. There are many different generic conventions that are expected in these types of genre
film and in many ways this film displays a positive correlation of this. For example, a generic convention displayed
in the opening scene of the film is where there is a powerful and dominant use of computer generated image in
order to develop and show to the audience the extremity of the current situation in the scene. CGI has to be
used an awful lot in many science fiction and action packed films due to the fact that many films require
audacious and impossible stunts or images to occur at certain points within a film.
• Pacific Rim displays the San Francisco Bridge collapsing and also many dinosaur like creatures destroying large
parts of the city in the opening few minutes of the film, this is where CGI would be needed due to the fact that
these images within a film are impossible to create and produce without assisted help from a computer. Another
generic convention of Pacific Rim is the use of intense and dramatic non-diegetic music, this is a regular inclusion
in the majority of action and sci-fi films as this type of music can create a sense of danger and suspense which an
audience will react to. The general use of this intense and dramatic music in Pacific Rim is where music is built up
and down in terms of suspense which will therefore engage the audience and also make the audience feel the
same sense of danger and intensity that is occurring in the film. The final generic convention used in this film is
the use of international news programmes and global communication, what’s meant by this is where many films
will use international news coverage in order to add a sense of global panic and danger- furthermore, this is very
iconic and a very common feature in many natural disaster films.
• In my opinion, the intended target audience for Pacific Rim is more aimed at the male gender although it could
also be for the female gender; this is because the film contains plenty of science fiction and action which is
generally created more for the male audience. Furthermore, the film has a certificate rating of PG-13 which
implies that the target audience is for teenagers and upwards due to many scenes of destruction and violence.
Moreover, the demographic and socioeconomic target audience for this film in my opinion would be aimed
mainly towards the ‘E’ social class (this being young and low income individuals).

Film Director: Guillermo del Toro
Producers: Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Guillermo del Toro, Mary Parent
These producers have directed and produced many films however there is no real pattern
as to what film genre they necessarily direct or produce. Despite this, Mary Patent has
produced many films which are similar to the characteristics of Pacific Rim. For example,
Godzilla, Noah and Kong: Skull Island. This suggests that this producer specialises in CGI
and the relevant skills to produce this type of sci-fi/action film.
Main Actors/Actresses: Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Idris Elba and Charilie Day.
These individuals are not associated with a certain genre of film and have all acted in
many different types of film genres. Therefore there is no clear pattern as to whether they
are associated with a specific genre.
In the opening scene of Pacific Rim, the credits only appear before the film actually
commences and not whilst the opening scene begins to play.

The opening scene of Pacific Rim commences with illuminous green text being displayed across the
screen, the text is a mixture of English and what appears to be Japanese. With this in mind, the
colour choices of the text instantly gives out the connotations of nuclear activity due to the fact that
this is supposedly the colour of uranium. This therefore is an early indication as to what will occur
later on in the film. As well as this, the fact that many different languages have been used suggests
that the film could be a global occurrence rather than just a film set in one specific country. In
addition to this, the fact that ideas and connotations of nuclear are suggested also reflects the genre
of the film- this being a sci-fi and action hybrid.

In this part of the opening scene, the screenshot I have chosen
displays the well recognised Golden Gates Bridge in San Francisco
and also a variety of abandoned cars as well as the dinosaur like
figure in the background. The fact that this part of the scene is set in
a recognisable location will give the audience a sense of location and
will also make the scenario much more believable and shocking as
this is a place where many individuals would have visited in reality.
The fact that many cars have been left abandoned in the middle of a
recognisable location again makes the current scenario within the film much
more believable. As well as this, the fact that a police car has been abandoned
conjures up many ideas- for example, a police car has the connotations and
iconography of authority and also safety. However, in this scene there is a huge
contrast from what a police force would be expected to be doing in the current
scenario. In other words, the sheer size and power of the dinosaur like
creature is emphasised and put into perspective from the audiences point of
view due to the fact that cars and the power of the police clearly have no
impact upon the creatures reckless and life threatening actions.

This screenshot of the opening scene displays a news channel
reporting upon the latest occurrences concerning the creatures
activity. The fact that a news channel has been included into the film
instantly makes the film much more relatable to the audience as a
whole. This is because the news is something that we are all familiar
with and therefore also adds to the believable nature of the film.
A very powerful and unconventional occurrence is also included in
the opening scene of the film. This being the fact that the well
recognised San Francisco Bridge has been completely destroyed by
the creature shown previously. This therefore adds to the current
scenario within the film due to the fact that a well respected and
well recognised national landform has been recklessly destroyed.
Moreover, the audience will most likely find an occurrence such as
this to be extremely shocking and relatable.
The fact that the opening scene
includes a news channel which
appears to be broadcasting live
events also suggests that the
destruction that has occurred is
to be broadcasted worldwide
and therefore having a global
effect which adds to the severity
of the situation.

In this screenshot of the opening scene of Pacific Rim, a clear
establishing shot can be displayed. Furthermore, in this instance the
shot type is used in order to give the audience a sense of the overall
devastation that has been caused by the creatures actions and
activity. As well as this, the shot also mainly consists of the colour
black and grey- these colours are often associated with death and
destruction due to the connotations they hold, this therefore reflects
the current mood and setting of the film.

The Generic Conventions Of Film Openings

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