'Watching Documentary'

The 'Watching' is a Documentary which explores the significance of film openings and their effect on the audience; producers and directors discuss the compulsory elements needed to keep the audience enthused. Thomas Sutcliffe says, "Films need to seduce their audience into long term commitment. While there are many types of seduction, the temptation to go for an instant arousal in almost irresistible." By this Sutcliffe is suggesting that it is extremely important to excite or entice the viewers so much that they have a vigorous urge to keep on watching. He states that an 'instant arousal' may be overwhelming to the audience and may be hard to resist; meaning that by blinding the audience in one part of the film, may leave them satisfied - but by stimulating them through the whole piece, you will be leaving them impressed. 

According to director Jean Jacques Beineix, it is important to wait and 'nurture' the excitement throughout the film rather than an 'instant arousal'. He states that you should let the desire grow and then the satisfaction will appear. You shouldn't give the film everything in the first 5 minutes, you let the skill develop with the storyline to achieve a masterpiece.  

"A good beginning must make the audience feel that it doesn't know nearly enough yet, and at the same time make sure it doesn't know too little". This statement is important as it gives a perfect balance. If the audience knows to much within the first scene; the film is restricted to growth and development. However, if the audience doesn't know enough, it doesn't set any foundation for what they can expect to see within the film. They must know enough to keep on watching and still be enthused; but not know so much as to what will happen in each scene. 

Critic Stanley Kauffmann's interpretation of a 'classic opening': "It would start with an establishing shot of New York city usually shot from the east. Then it was a close up of a building, and the camera would follow up a building to a window, then it would go through the window. Then it would go past the receptionists desk to the private office and there sat the protagonist." This works effectively as, as an audience we can see the location of the film, the profession of the character, and the 'organisation of the world'. It would lead the audience into the film seamlessly and unobtrusively. 

Kyle Cooper's title sequence to 'se7en' was known for revitalising openings of the 90's. The public became more obsessed with the title sequence than the film itself. There are a number of elements which make it so enthralling to watch; for example, there it easily over a hundred different shots merged together in the piece. This creates a fast pace action to the title sequence leaving the audience tense and agitated. The messy handwriting in the diary of whom we assume is some kind of psychotic killer, may be parallel to the characteristics of the antagonist. The typography almost had a handwritten feel make the title sequence seem more personal involving the audience.  

In 'A Touch Of Evil', Orson Welles' aim was for his title sequence to be shown without credits and without music; this was since he wanted to plunge the audience into the film without giving them time to prepare themselves.The studio on the other hand were a lot more tentative. They didn't understand the opening scene so they did what they thought would make it easier for the audience to perceive and added music and titles. Welles' was nowhere near impressed when he saw their final cut and fought with Universal Studios for them to change it back - however he was unsuccessful. 

The Opening of 'The Shining' creates an atmosphere of suspense as from the first shot as an audience we would have no suspicion of there being anything supernatural present. However, as the little girl playing with toys is alone in the woods, we do have a strong sense that something is about to go wrong. The cross cut to a man developing slides who then spills ink on his work is an indication of a series of events ending in something bad. As the ink turns red we are immediately reminded of the girl wearing the red coat (also red having strong connotations of blood/death). This cross cut creates the foundation for suspense.