Function of Opening Sequences Task 2.1

An opening sequence rarely has much happening in dramatic terms, so the job of the opening sequence is to establish:

• Character and/or setting - establishing shot for setting and introducing a character through an action/dialogue
• Narrative context - storyline of film
• Enigma or mystery - suspense and foreshadowing

For example, in the opening sequence of Jaws, there is an establishing shot showing the audience that the scene is by the coast. It also introduces the sort of characters that will be involved in the film - young teenagers. The storyline is also shown in the beginning of the film as Chrissie is attacked by some sort of sea monster and killed, foreshadowing the film is about deaths and this mysterious creature. Normally dramatic things dont really happen in the beginning of a film, but this death really shocks the viewers and gets them prepared for the rest of the film.