Target Audience (Opening Sequence)

My target audience for my Opening Sequence was young adults and teenagers. This was mainly because it is an action film that would grip this age group but not as much the older generation as it isn't the genre of film that they would enjoy. Also it would be easer to base the film for a specific genre so that when releasing it they can base it around encouraging that age group to see it. Young adults and teenagers seem to also have the same interests so when advertising and filming it would be easyer to attract those particular interests then trying to get a range in so that an older audience would also enjoy the film.

 

Thirdly, as I am a teenager it would be easier to know what they would want to see or what would hook them into seeing it. As the main character is a young girl this would also make it easier for my target audience to relate to her so when she is taken they would want to see what happens to her. I believe that this movie would appeal to both males and females as even though it is an action film that is traditionally thought of as more guy orientated, the main character is a young girl so the female audience could relate to her and therefore enjoy the film as well.

Where I Am Shooting My Opening Sequence (Opening Sequence)

Map of Kalkan: 

Map of the area I will be shooting in, where the market is:

Photo of the area that I am filming in:

Photo's of the market that the kidnap will take place:

Character List (Opening Sequence)

Father (John):

The father is one of the main parts in the opening sequence as apart from the beginning is shown to spend the most time with Lucy. Like when she asks about the bag or when wondering around the market. The mother on the other hand is more interested in the stalls and shopping. Then him and his daughter are separated and he is shown to be with his wife, building tension as they have now lost sight of their daughter and her whereabouts. When the mother finds and asks where Lucy is he keeps more of a cool head but as they call for her in the market looks more panicked and worried.

Daughter (Lucy):

Is, along with the father, the main character in the opening sequence. The camera follows her around the market the most and always cuts back to her throughout. She looks like the typical teenager with her shorts and bright top which unlike the parents stand out. The way she handles herself in the market show she is quite mature and old, but when is so easily tricked into going behind the market show that she is still naive and young as she doesn't protest. So her representation changes as the sequence goes on making the viewers worry about her adding to the tension.

Mother (Margret):

The mother in the opening sequence is easily likeable and warm. She is important as she represents how any mother would react when their daughter has disappeared and how desperate she is to find her. Having her react in a panicked way adds to the tension of the opening sequence, drawing the viewers in as they feel the same things as her especially because they know what has happened to Lucy and know that the panic she feels now will be heightened when she finds out her daughter was taken.

Kidnapper 1 (Abdi):

A major part of the opening sequence as he is the one to take Lucy behind the market where she is taken. He looks more the part of the kidnapper with his dark hair and clothes making him look dangerous and immediately puts the viewer on edge when he is first shown. He talks very fast and is convincing in tricking Lucy to go with him behind the market as he sounds genuine. He has his sunglasses on the whole time, covering his eyes adding to his mysterious and dominant appearance again making the viewer wonder who he is.

Kidnapper 2 (Fahri):

More of a minor part and doesn't appear much in the opening sequence except at the end when he helps his companion kidnap Lucy. He as well looks very normal and doesn't stand out as someone who would be able to take a child as he is also dresses in plain shorts and a top. This makes him look less guilty or a suspect.

Costume And Prop List (Opening Sequence)

• Casual clothing for the family
• Daughter- wear short shorts or a crop top so she attracts attention, stands out to the camera and is in contrast to the locals who aren't in such bright clothes. As she stands out it also shows maybe why she was kidnaped as obviously not a local. She will also need a small bag reinforce her individuality and maturity. 
• Contrasted to the parents who look like tourists but are not that noticeable in what they wear.
• Mother- in shorts and a plain T-shirt which looks like a lazy outfit, reinforced by the fact she was on holiday unlike daughter who clearly thought out her outfit to stand out like teenagers do when they get dressed. Shows age gap.
• Father- Again like mother wearing swimming trunks and a t-shirt showing that he doesn't really want to be there and is ready to go back to the hotel and swim. He also contrasts to the cu
• I will need objects from the market which the actors will be picking up to look at like people would at a market. These can be found when we arrive at the market.
• There will need to be a van or car that the daughter is smuggled into when she is kidnapped

Equipment List (Opening Sequence)

• I am using a cannon 500D camera to film as well as a Nikon, which another will use in some scenes to get another angle when filming so that we don't have to repeat the scenes so many times to get more then one angle. 
  

• I will also use a tripod when filming some scenes to get a steady shot, but most of the time will hand hold the camera to give a more shaky feel

• To make a more realistic warm natural light I will use natural light in the market but if a particular area is dark I have lights to brighten up the scene so that the light when editing the opening sequence does not vary and therefore looks more fluid.
• On set I will bring some makeup incase I need to top up an actor or if some runs off their faces to put on so they look the same in each shot.
• When filming the props will be important to have and choose when at the market so I don't waste time trying to find the perfect things to use. The actors also need props like sunglasses and bags that they will keep with them and wear in the same ways so that it doesn't confuse the viewer if in one scene they have something and in the next it is gone.
• Finally to edit together my opening sequence I will use final cut pro, as this is a more professional and better quality software the iMovie.

Synopsis Of Opening Sequence (Opening Sequence)

GONE is going to be a action and a drama film as it is about a kidnap,  I will mainly aim the film at young adults and teenagers. A teenager (Lucy Hytner) is on holiday with her family in Turkey and when at a traditional Turkish market wonders off on her own where she is lured into talking to a "stall keeper"(Dick Jones) who takes her around the back of the market and with his companion (Nick Williams) is taken. The parents (Charley Boorman and Tini Aldrige) are left frantically searching for their daughter but don't realise yet that their daughter is gone, my opening sequence will end with Lucy being dragged by the two kidnappers behind a van.

Opening Sequence Story Board (Opening Sequence)

This storyboard was more useful then the one I used for my preliminary task as it was easier to do and easier to use. On my other one I used Storyboard That which was extremely basic and I couldn't get the detail that I need, like what the set will actually look like and the close up details of different shots. However when I made it my self I could add in that specific detail that is important to have wen filming or I might forget to get the extra shots, like the closeups of different areas of the market. I could also write more at the bottom of the image without cutting out the bottom. Also, when in the market and filming, I would know exactly what I needed to do. 

Opening Sequence Pitch (Opening Sequence)

Opening Sequence Pitch from Kinvara Boorman on Vimeo.

Powerpoint- Opening Sequence Pitch (Opening Sequence)

Opening sequence analysis from kinvaraboorman

I used powerpoint to create this then put it onto slide share so that I could publish it. It was a good idea to do it this way as i knew how to use powerpoint and could get the information across easily and simply. Having it on here meant I could design it how I wanted to match my genre and idea, if I used another system it may not have been as effective as I don't know how to use other softwares. However, it may have been a better idea to used a software called Pressy as their powerpoint's are more interesting  and looks cooler. If I need to do a powerpoint in the future then I will use this other software. 

Forms and Conventions Of An Opening Sequence (Opening Sequence)

In traditional movies the opening sequence is used to introduce the actors in the film, the people behind the film, like the producer and the editor, as well as those film companies that invest in the movie, like Warner Brothers. In my opening sequence I will stick to the traditional structure to therefore point out to the viewer that this is an opening sequence and not a full movie. What is also important for an opening sequence is setting up the genre of the film, which for mien is a drama action film as it is about a child being kidnapped. This genre is set up when the child is kidnapped as it is high drama and action seeing as the viewers are left wondering what will happen next and how the rest of the movie will pan out- like if she will be found. In my opening sequence, like others, I am introducing the setting as well. My film is set in Turkey and to show this I will be setting it in a Turkish market, this is so that the audience can get an idea of the culture, the types of people living there and the quality of the area. This will again add to the theme of the film and the set up.

What conventions I will stick to list:

- Credits- actors/people behind scene/investor companies

- Setting up the genre

- Building the background of the movie

- Gripping the viewer

- Introducing the main characters

However I will change some of the conventions of an opening sequence as firstly my movie is set in Turkey. Not many other films are set in Turkey which will not only intrigue people as some may not know much about the country but also encourage people to see the film as they haven't seen another film like it. Secondly I will change the conventions by making my own font for the credits. this will make the film more individual and stand out as viewers can recognise the film by its credits.

What I will change list:

- Setting it is Turkey- not many people know about it

- Font for the credits to make it stand out

Inspiration For Opening Sequence (Opening Sequence)

There have been quite a number of other kidnap films, none however set in Turkey so that makes my opening sequence a niche market, so when looking for inspiration it wasn't too hard to find. One of my main inspirations was Taken as this was very similar to mien, the daughter goes on holiday with a friend and is kidnapped. Even though in my film the daughter is taken at a market while there with her family they still have the same concept. It was useful to watch the film and gain ideas for my own and how to make my different so it doesn't seem like a replica of Taken. I also used the trailer for the movie to work out how to build tension and make the viewer want to see more in just a few minutes. This was very useful to do as I got some clear ideas of how i was going to do mien.

Another film I used for inspiration was Man On Fire. This is a movie about an old agent who is hired to be a bodyguard for a little girl, as he is trying to protect her she is kidnapped. This was an inspiration as again in the trailer they made it gripping and made the viewer want to see more. It also gave me more of an idea of younger kidnappings as the girl in this movie was very young and gave me new ideas for how I would present the daughter in my opening sequence and how important it is to show her character before she is kidnapped so that the viewer can be more involved with the film and therefore make it more gripping. I also got an idea of how I would present the parents as they followed their journey as well in Man On Fire. It is important to introduce them as well as then throughout the film the viewer can emphasise with them for the loss of their daughter.

Mind Map Sketch Of Initial Ideas (Opening Sequence)

As I was brainstorming ideas for my opening sequence I thought of ones that would be relatively easy to do but also challenging as I believe that the more challenging they will be the more impressive and effective they will be. I also tried to think of ideas that were original and would be set apart from other opening sequences but also make a genre that would be popular. For example for my gambling idea, even though there have been other gambling movies, it would be popular but also be effective as I could start the tension right from the beginning as the group of people place high bets, maybe even dangerous ones. The dramatic one, like someone running away from something or someone, would hook the viewer in from the beginning as they would immediately want to know what it is that is chasing them and why. I also had to take under consideration what would be most easily accessed to do, like areas to film and actors to make it as enthralling as possible.

I settled on doing a kidnap opening sequence. This is because I was going to Turkey on holiday so I thought that the opening sequence would be in a niche market as no other kidnap films have been set in Turkey giving it a unique selling point. I could also build tension easily as I could start with a traditional family holiday then showing the child wonder off on her own and be taken. Finally I settled on this idea as I had a lot of people going on the same holiday who I knew and could be used as actors who looked and suited the parts. Therefore making my opening sequence individual and effective.

History Of Title Sequences (Opening Sequence)

Titles In Silent Films:
A title sequence is used by a movie to present their title, key production and cast members. In the early 'silent film' era they began using title sequences by putting them on cards to give context and inter-titles. The title sequence was used to signal the start and end of a movie and were also used periodically throughout the silent film to give essential knowledge for the audience to understand what was going on in the movie. One of the main title sequence movies was  'Intolerance' where the directors name is featured in five different ways. It is also one of the first movies to use title sequences.

The Development Of Title Sequences:

After the invention of televisions in the 1950s movies struggled to be as popular as they were. During this time film makers came up with drastically different ideas to keep people interested, and to not lose the film industry. One of the main ideas that changed the movie industry was changing the way that title sequences were used. This was when title sequence design was born. Examples of these famous new title sequences were movies such as 'To Kill A Mockingbird' and 'Almost Famous'. In some movies like 'The Wizard Of Oz' the opening credits roll with a background of (sometimes moving) clouds, this was very common in the movie industry at the time as well.

The Digital Era And How It Changed Title Sequencing:

In the mid 1990s title sequencing changed again. This was dew to new developments in the film industry and the digital era. This allowed title sequences to be more creative and interesting, therefore creating countless new ideas on how to do it. Some ran their credits over their opening sequence and others even opted to get rid of opening sequences all together and have them all at the end. For example in Kenneth Branagh's 'Hamlet'  he doesn't have many credits, but they are shown as the camera pans across the base os the statue of dead King Hamlet. Most of his credits come at the end.

Now You See me Opening Sequence Analysis (Opening Sequence)

Now You See Me

  Now you see me is about four magicians who are summoned together by some unknown figure. A year later they are the Four Henchmen, big time stage illusionists. In their first show they supposedly rob a bank setting the police and FBI on them. It is a thriller but also a drama. I think that it is aimed at adults and teenagers because some of the content of the film is quite complicated. The director could then go into more detail without having to explain too much for younger viewers.

  The movie is a drama and a thriller. The opening sequence to the movie introduces each of the main characters, and their specialized magic trick. Each of the characters is shown doing their trick to groups of people and all succeeding. J Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenburg) manages to have previously guessed a random persons choice of card and proves this when the chosen card comes up on a building. The narrative of the opening sequence is mainly to introduce the characters and what each of their tricks is. 

  The opening sequence captures the audience’s interest by keeping the opening short and fast moving. This pulls in the audience and makes them want to see more because they are only briefly shown each character and what they do. What also pulls the viewer in is the music that is constantly in the background. It matches what is going on in the shot and evokes feelings in the viewer to match what is going on.   

The camera in the opening sequence is constantly moving from close ups to long shots. The speed and angles of these changes varies according to what is going on in the scene and the mood. If there is a tense part in the opening then the camera moved more quickly then when the atmosphere was calmer. Angles of the shots in the opening sequence were very important as, as well as the speed of the shots, the angles also created moods in the audience. For example when Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson) is reading someone’s “mind”, to find out what they are thinking, the camera moves to close ups of the mans expressions to show his give away that McKinney uses to read his mind. This was used to not only show the audience how he can read the persons mind, but also builds tension as the mans secret is about to be given away. This shows the camera angles and speed of the transitions to creates the correct atmosphere in the scenes.

   Not only is the camera work important in this scene but also the editing. As the characters are performing magic tricks it is important to make it seem as easy and fast flowing as possible so the audience doesn’t doubt the tricks being done. An example of this editing is shown when Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) is able to take someone’s watch while a random stranger reveals his “trick”. The editing here shows short cuts of Jack placing his hand on the person to stop him from ruining the trick while he undoes the watch and takes it.

The editing here is cleaver because without the guy or the viewers knowing someone just got robed quite obviously because subtly the audience is shown how it is done. It is only when the guy notices that his watch is gone that the audience does as well.

  

    After the opening sequence I think that the viewer would want to know why there was a person watching each of the magicians. And why these magicians were specifically chosen to show to the viewer. So without giving away too much of the story the opening to this movie has shown just enough about each character to keep the audience interested, but not enough to give too much away. 

Step Up 4: Revolution Opening Sequence Analysis (Opening Sequence)

Step Up 4: Revolution

  Step Up: Miami Heat is about a flash dance mob that has entered a YouTube contest to win 10,000 dollars. To win they have to be the first channel to reach 100,000 viewers. Emily arrives in Miami in hope to join professional dance school called Wind Wood. After getting an internship she is told to find her inspiration and so she joins the flash mob. Her and Sean, the leader of the mob, then have to work together to save the local neighbourhood from Emily's dad building an expensive hotel there. I think this movie is aimed at most ages as it is easy to follow and a fun movie.

  The movie is a rom-com and a drama. The opening sequence shows the Mob dancing their first flash mob.  Having their first dance shown in the opening sequence draws the viewer in as they are left wondering why the Mob chose to do a flash mob and what their aim of it was. It is fast moving and interesting to watch as the speed keeps the viewers attention as well as having lots happening in a short period of time. The music in the background matches this as it is also fast and matches what is going on in the scene. The narrative of the opening sequence is to mainly introduce the Mob.  

  The camera in the opening sequence is constantly changing angles on the dancers showing the audience what each of them is doing and when. Not only this but it also shows each of the audience in the movies reactions. There is a feeling of excitement throughout everyone watching which is passed onto the viewers . This would keep them interested in the movie and want to see what else happens. Having both at the same time shows a verity of people which hypes up the excitement in the scene and in the audience. Also, showing the audience reinforces the fact that the dance is totally random and unexpected. The camera shots also have close ups of different dance groups. This shows how much verity of dance moves they have and their styles. Having so much swapping around confuses the viewer and as they are showing o much in such a short space of time it draws their interest even more as they see so much. The speed and the attention to detail adds to the atmosphere in the scene.

The editing is also important in this scene. The speed of the camera work swapping from place to pace is due to the editing. Having it as smooth and fast moving means that the viewer doesn’t get board and want to stop watching. In this opening sequence it is showing short clips of the spray paint artists doing the logo of The Mob on screens of glass. Only showing short parts of it, the stages from beginning to end, keeps the viewers interest as they want to know what is being made. This is another factor that would keep the viewers interested, as they would want to see what the graffiti artist was working towards.

  After the opening sequence I think that the audience would want to know why these dancers were shown shutting down a street to do a flash mob. They would also want to know how the story leads on from this, and if they are going to do any other dances. This opening sequence is very cleaver as it doesn’t give anything about the story away which would lead the viewer to wonder what the point of it was.  

Inglorious Basterds Opening Sequence Analysis (Opening Sequence)

Inglorious Basterds

  Inglorious Basterds is set in Nazi-occupied France. Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the death of her family by Colonel Hans Landa, and narrowly escapes with her life. Several years later she plots her revenge. She is offered to host an event at her movie theater and all major Nazis will be there, where she plans to take them down. The “Basterds”, a ruthless killing group led by Lt. Aldo Raine, also hear of this event and also plan to attack there.  I think that the film is aimed at a young adult and adult audience due to its violent and gory context. At times it can also be quite complicated and for someone younger then this would not understand and take little enjoyment from it. 

  The movie is an action and a drama. The opening sequence to the movie is Colonel Hans Landa, who is a Nazi soldier looking for hidden Jews, coming into a house to find the last Jewish family in the area. The man hiding the Jews is the first we see, when the Nazi car is driving towards them we see him looking suspicious. The audience is not told why he is, which hold their interest, as they want to find out what they are hiding to look so skeptical. While the `colonel is in the house and talking to the man the audience is then shown that the Jewish family are right below their feet, under the floor. This adds even more anticipation and nerves because they are all in such close proximity of each other. Finally, in the last shot we see one of the Jews escaping setting up the tone for the rest of the movie, knowing that the main story is the Colonel finding that girl. The viewers want to carry on watching to see how this all plays out.

  The opening scene is long and drawn out. This adds to the tension in the scene as it keeps the audience on their toes throughout. Tension keeps being added throughout the scene, this tension is highlight with by the music. When the Nazi car first turns up Fur-Elise is playing in the background but with a twist making it sound more cynical then pretty. During the interrogation the music is quite again highlighting the nervousness that the man must be feeling. At one time there is juts a ticking clock when the Colonel says the consequences if any Jews are found and gives the man the ultimatum of saying where the Jews are or being punished. All this eary calm music again makes the viewer tense and unsure. The music drastically changes to very loud opera singers to highlight the apprehension when the Jews are being shot at through the floorboards.

  The camera work in the opening sequence always moves slowly and fluidly. This adds to the eary calm, or the juxtaposition between the tension and the calmness both of the men try to preserve. When the camera moves down the man who owns the houses legs we see how close the Jews are to them, this adds even more tension with seeing them and guaranteeing their existence, and the lies the man is telling. When the man lies the camera also zooms in on what he is doing, almost like it is his distraction from what he is saying, but also to show the Colonel that he is innocent and has nothing to hide. In the end of the scene the camera shows a long shot of her running away and a close up of the Colonel about to shoot his gun. This adds tension to the scene as it is unclear weather he will shoot or not.

  

    The editing is also very important in this scene. As the investigation goes on the editing stays slow and paced. Their conversation is shown to be calm and collected, even having the Colonel and the man smoking. But this is an eary calm that is created by the editing. It is also very cleaver as it shows bits of information at different times which increases the uncertainty in the atmosphere. When the man admits to be hiding Jews the editing of each of their faces becomes longer, to she the sadness in the mans face and confliction as to what he should do, and the anger and knowing on the Colonels.

  After the opening sequence I think the viewer would most likely like to know what would happen to the girl and if the ‘Jew Hunter’ will find her. This big question would grip the audience and make them watch the movie as the first scene was so tense that it sets the whole movie up to be extremely edgy.