Film opening techniques

There are many techniques available to film makers which immediately help set the tone for the movie and capture the audience's attention. In Sleepy Hollow (1996) shot composition is employed through a series of close ups and extreme close ups which are used to create a mysterious and ominous feel to the movie. This along with the sound: which is tense, atmospheric non-diegetic music, helps the audience to realise that the movie is mysterious, strange and will keep the audience guessing for a long time.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) and City of God (2002) both have scenes which have been edited to include shot lengths which are fast paced jump cuts, this creates a sense of tension and excitement. In City of God narrative devices are also employed , a split narrative is also used along with a framing scene to create a sense of violence which appears to be part of the characters every day lives.

In The Last Samurai (2003) the narrative device, prolepsis, is used to show a mans premonition; this gives the audience insight into what will happen further on in the movie. A hue of blue colour is also employed to create a mysterious cold feel to the clip, as well as making it obvious it is a different time frame to the rest of the movie. The scene is also misty which just confirms it is a premonition. In the scene a metaphor is used but the audience will no realise this until later on in the film. Flags of our Fathers (2006) also employs a narrative device in the form analepsis, looking into the past. The scene is distorted with muffled sound and a strange mise-en-scene of a desolate war torn landscape. All these techniques tie in together to emphasise that this is a dream which is not only confusing to the audience, but also to the dreamer himself.