opening sequence

How can we analyse the opening sequence of a film?

A title sequence is the beginning scenes of a film, this are normally the first scenes that an audience see. And it is normally the introduction of a film.

Ingredient	Description / Purpose
Producers editors names - credits
Music	Sets the mood explains whether it is a horror movie or romance etc
Main character	Lets the audience see who is in the film and a bit about their background
Cast	Tells you who is in the film.
Setting	So the audience can see the location of the film.
Genre	Lets the audience know what type of movie they are watching and what the film is about.

Memento :

 The opening title sequence for the film memento begins with a credit sequence this then introduces us to the main characters and the cast and crew for example the protagonist played by “Gary Pearce” and the director Chris Nolan. The transition used to introduce the text is a slow fade, the text is then presented as a blue font this could connote sadness of the character.

The size of the letters are quite big but they are far apart this could suggest a gap in the characters memory the style is quite plain .

The setting is established as the audience are introduced to one of the characters who is a man that has just shot someone but doesn’t remember doing it , this allows the audience to interact with the characters as they can see how frustrated and confused the protagonist is as he has to take a picture so he can remember it  so this might let the audience feel some pity towards him .  This then links to the conventions of the genre as by having slow music at the beginning symbolises that something sad is about to happen.  The genre of the film is crime as there is a shot with blood dripping down the walls and a close up of a bullet on the floor this then links to the setting as the music speeds up when the man is killed also there is dark lighting this could connote the feelings of the character as he might be on the edge and have a hint of mystery and frustration behind him also the colour black symbolises death.