Below are my responses to the questions, in which I took note of whilst watching the documentary:
1. ''Films need to seduce their audience into long term commitment. While there are many types of seduction, the temptation to go for instant arousal is almost irresistible''- Thomas Sutcliffe.
Through this quote Thomas Sutcliffe, was explaining the importance of films, instantly grabbing and intriguing their audiences in the first few minutes. This quote has particularly inspired me to take this into initiative, when producing and editing my thriller opening.
One film opening that successfully follows this is 'Final Destination 5', in which creates a sense of excitement through the use of fast pace editing and piercing and explosive mise en scene and images:
Above is an image of an example of the stylistic editing used in this opening, to create a fast, violent, piercing and hazardous effect thorough the use of smashing glass irresistibly tempting the audience.
2. According to Director Jean Jacques Beineix, the risks of 'instant arousal', is that they don't raise or rear your anticipation to wait for the point of the film, in which you are content.
3. ''A good beginning must make the audience feel that it doesn't know nearly enough yet, and at the same time make sure that it doesn't know too little''
This quote is accurate in that the reason that a good beginning shouldn't reveal too much or too little, due to the fact that there should be a balance, in which intrigues and excites the audience through mystery, but also doesn't create too much mystery, which will lose the audiences engagement.
4. The film critic Stanley Kauffmann described the classic opening to have an ''establishing shot of new york city' then a 'close up of the building and up the building to and through the window, past the reception and through to the office and there is Carrie Grant''.
He then explained that this, in fact worked as it was not only the process in which established the occupation and authority of the hero, but revealed the 'organisation of the world'.
One film that successfully follows this classic opening is the thriller 'Panic Room':
5. Kyle Cooper's title sequence to the thriller 'Seven' was particularly effective, as it feels as if a part of the film:
It effectively tells a story, introduced you to the main character and successfully used foreshadowing to hint certain aspects of the film.
Above is the first example of the opening telling a mysterious story through the various use of investigative mise en scene and editing- further suggesting the plot of the film.
Above is a close-up shot of the protagonist of the opening, handling a sharp blade with their gritty fingers, effectively introducing the main character as risky, hazardous and in some ways impure.
Above is another close-up shot of the text of book highlighting or covering text from a book about pregnancy, perhaps foreshadowing pregnancy or concealment as one of the themes of the film.
The opening is quoted as a 'Psychotic entrance', due to it's tuning and telling the audience that the movie is going to energize them for what is going to happen.
6. For the opening of the film 'Touch of Evil', Orson Wells wanted to plunge the audience straight into the film by excluding the credits and titles. He also wanted to control the audience, by making them forget that they are watching a film.
However Universal Studious thought this was too much of a risk and so put credits underneath the opening in the final cut.
7. The quote 'a favourite trick of Film Noir', is defined as the trick in which some directors use to make the beginning of a film feel like the end or the destination. This is effective because if the audience didn't realize the reasons for the beginning the first time, it is clear the second time they watch it.
The opening of the film 'Casino' is an example of a film in which uses the 'favourite trick of Film Noir', in it's opening as we are first introduced to the the dramatic consequence of something, in which we later find out the reason for this at the end, which also makes more sense for the audience the second time you watch the film:
8. The beginning of the thriller 'The Shining', creates suspense in it's opening. In addition it successfully uses the 'favourite trick of Film Noir':
As shown above the camera pursues the car like a predator, high up and from behind. The far helicopter shot puts emphasis on the minuscule car, also remaining fixed on it creating a sense of danger and eventual capture.
As shown here in the long shot of the contented yellow car, the camera tracks it from behind and further remains fixed on it, creating a sense of danger and suspense, implying that the individuals in it are travelling in the wrong direction.
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