General Codes & Conventions of Film Openings [draft]

Normally in the first two minutes of a film, either before or after the action has begun and characters have been shown, there will be the film distributors. For example Warner Bros. Pictures or Studio Canal. This would normally be followed by the director and the main actors and actresses featured. Some film title sequences are adapted to suit the film genre as in the case with The Matrix. 


Horror: 

• Most horror film openings that i have looked at feature non diegetic music. For example in 'Halloween', John Carpenter (1979) they have used a mixture of both long notes and short notes. This makes the audiences heart beat irregularly and therefore creates the feeling of tension and unease. Additionally the credits fade from yellow to orange to red; possibly signifying fire but also to represent the flickering from the pumpkin light. When the house is seen for the first time on Halloween, we notice that there is a blue tint. The blue tint is used often in horror films as well as in the sci-fi genre. Blue can signify the supernatural and is a cold, chilling colour. 
• In Bride of Chucky, Ronnie Yu (1998) the blue tint has again been used. Additionally in the title sequence the music and serif font used are 'creepy'.

Romantic: 

• Typical features of the romantic genre films include; 

Comedy:


Action: