Film Opening Techniques in Action Genre Films (Research)

In the Action genre there are several opening scene styles, but here are the most utilize ones based on the resources such as Ranidance.org and StudioBinder, and more. These openings are:

In Media Res: Start in the middle of the action.

What is it: It's about immediately introducing the audience to a moment of high tension, without explanations, introductions, or context.

Why it works: Because it forces the audience to pay attention, it creates immediate momentum that sets the tone.

How to use it: It's recommended to use a pivotal moment in the story, ideally one that will impact the protagonist, and let the visuals and audio reflect what's happening at that moment.  Care must be taken with the subsequent development, as it's a reciprocal cycle that gradually builds meaning. However, since our goal is to create an opening sequence, we will focus solely on how to begin in the middle of the action without providing context.

Why it appeals to me as an editor? As an editor on this production, this type of opening sequence appeals to me because I can start with abrupt transitions instead of subtle ones, but it's crucial to know what I want to edit to avoid revealing more information than we intend, and also to properly control the cuts and shots, as there needs to be narrative coherence amidst the chaos. I can also include smash cuts to create a dramatic shift and surprise the audience, or cross-cutting, as I can switch between events happening simultaneously to create tension and show different perspectives on an event that is often related to the other. The transitions implemented will influence the narrative, pacing, and emotional impact of the opening scene, and the cuts will influence how the audience perceives the story.

I think this would be a very good option for our production, as the team could put their creativity to the test, and it would also save us time explaining the entire story and avoid telling it completely.  It would also be a way to "ensure" that the audience is captivated, and we would have to be very coordinated, which could improve our coordination and keep us responsible with deadlines.

Media Production Example:

Opening Scene Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)

In this opening scene is a perfect example of how this story begins in the middle of the action, creating an immediate crisis. In this case, we can observe that, as soon as the scene begins, we don't see anyone, only grass, which catches our attention. But what begins to generate the feeling that something is wrong (disequilibrium) in the scene is when we hear the dialogue and the head of the control center begins to say, and I quote: "Benji, do you copy me?". Upon hearing this, we immediately know that there is communication through an intercom and, from the phrase "do you copy me?", we can infer that it is an agent. Not receiving an immediate response, we know that something is not right, and this is confirmed when Benji's first words are a curse. The disequilibrium is reinforced when the boss asks about another agent: "Where is Ethan?", which shows that there is uncertainty. But, a little later, Benji says that they are executing "plan C," meaning that bad things have already happened that have interrupted the fulfillment of their objective and that, for example, plans A and B didn't work. Later, we can see that we are provided with more context and shown the "mission" through Benji's binoculars, but also because although we have no idea how they got there, we only know that there is action after action after action and that we cannot be distracted or we will lose the thread of the story.

Cinematography: different character perspectives are used, creating a relationship and confusion between perspectives to increase tension and capture attention. Deep focus is used in most shots to focus the audience not on a single point but on the environment so that they can adapt to the surroundings. However, they want to focus attention on the characters by placing them in the hot spots of the rule of thirds so as not to lose sight of the main subject, and using panoramic and montage shots to give some context to the scene. Editing: Straight cuts are used to maintain momentum and tension, and cross-cutting is used in the story to show events from different perspectives.  Amidst the chaos, a logic and coherent order can be discerned, allowing the narrative to progress.

Editing: Timing straight cuts in specific moments to maintain momentum, suspense without overwhelming the audience, in thi scene there are not transition use but instead straight cuts that allow the immediate change of environments that are part of one, that helps to demonstrated that all of this is happening at the same time and has correlation/ effects in others.

Sound: Primarily diegetic sound is used to immediately immerse the audience in the world of the action, rather than just dialogue between the characters. This gradually reveals who is who, but also includes environmental sounds, such as the airplane engine, to create a sense of realism and there is no music in the majority of time to emphasize suspense.

Mise-en-scène: It's clear we are in the midst of action because the characters' clothing differs depending on their location. Some wear elegant attire that suggests their rank, while those in the field wear suits specially designed for camouflage or to withstand long periods of activity.  The chosen environments are also diverse; there are unusual people with weapons, an airplane in the middle of nowhere instead of an airport, and very advanced technology systems. The fact that they communicate through intercoms, and we are privy to these conversations without breaking the fourth wall, immerses us in the story, but also subtly suggests that others in this world could be listening, thus maintaining the secrecy of their mission.

All of these elements are included to create immediate action and confusion without explanations, and little by little it becomes clear who is who and what is happening and why.

Flash-forward: Show the future, and then the story behind.

What is it: Start the scene with something that happens later, before or after the climax, and then explain how the characters got into that situation.

Why it works: Since it marks the beginning of the near-end, if the audience likes how the ending is unfolding, they will want to stay because their expectations, based on intuition, suggest it will be a satisfying ending, and therefore they want to see something where they know they won't feel like they wasted their time.  Also, it creates curiosity about how things got to that point and perhaps inspires them to learn how to achieve something similar themselves.

How to use it: It's recommended to use a scene that is full of tension, whether physical, emotional, or moral. Be careful not to fall into the common mistake of revealing the ending of the film; instead, create a scene that hints at the near-ending, and begin with that near-ending, gradually explaining how things led up to that point.

Why it appeals to me as an editor? As an editor, this option caught my attention because I can create a sense of urgency for the audience to find out how they got there, but I can also use a wide variety of editing skills. For example, the color range of the future scene should be different from the current one to hint that it's in the future, or I could use a dip-to-white transition to go back in time or even use a jump cut in reverse to indicate the time reversal. I think this is a good option because I could use many editing techniques that would improve the cinematography and give meaning to the story. It would also be good for the production team because it would engage the audience and draw them in with action. However, there's the risk of revealing too much, but it would be an opening scene that many people could relate to so it can work.

Media Production Example:

Future- Still from Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Present- Still from Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Opening Scene Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

In this 3-minute opening scene, the use of flash-forward is clearly visible, where different aspects lead us to wonder how he reached "glory" if he is being tortured.

This raises tension and curiosity in the audience.

Mise-en-scène: We can analyze that in this excerpt a specific range of colors is used to differentiate the moment of the future "the flash forward," which looks technological with many people shouting support and joy, an interview where apparently the boy is the center of attention and he is wearing decent clothes, while in the present there is more use of warm light that represents the character's instability and looks more depressing and unpleasant both because of the environment and because there are few people of bad taste since they have dirty clothes and show their "low" condition and torture.

Editing: Match cuts are used to connect the future with the present, for example, at minute 1:20 when he is slapped, it connects with the future of a pat on the back of support and celebration.

Cinematography: It is interesting to see that in the future scenes a lot of low-angle shots are used to focus on the character and show that he is doing well in a high position, that people love him, and there are also panoramic shots to show the amount of support and the environment, while in the present high-angle shots are used to focus on the boy to show him as humble, powerless, and that he is nobody, and also more selective focus to connect with the reactions and expressions of the characters' faces instead of the environment. 

Sound: The use of dialogue connects the present and the future, but while progress is seen, it's also accompanied by a louder celebration that eventually overwhelms the boy's voice. Meanwhile, in the present, the groans become louder, and silence becomes more pervasive.

It's incredible how all these elements are used to go around the theme and the question of how this boy underwent such a drastic change and how he got there, creating immediate action.

Takeaways & Lessons: I've learned that opening scenes in this genre are appealing to create and a way to grab the audience's attention in an unforced manner, more like a surprise element.  I've also learned that, depending on the story I want to tell, I can integrate elements of these techniques to add action, maintain the narrative flow without giving away the entire story, but at the same time preventing it from becoming dull or boring. This creates curiosity and tension, which can align with our goals of a captivating production with technical elements used elegantly and successfully in an opening scene.

Film Opening Techniques & Elements in Mystery Genre Films (Research)

The opening scene: the most important, crucial, and fundamental minutes for deciding the fate of our story. It establishes the tone, mood, and characters. It can't be wasted in in superfluous visual and techniques, because in a world full of short attention spans these minutes decide if the audience is going to hear the whole story.

Hook the audience: The ideal goal is to engage the audience right away specially as apprentices with a low-budget, and unknown actors, we need to transform our weaknesses into advantages.

Establish the World: In the mystery genre this is done through different opening scene styles, but here are the most utilize ones based on the resources such as Ranidance.org and StudioBinder, and more. These openings are:

Voiceover Setup: The character tells the story in their perspective and own voice.

What is it: The films open with narration from a character or a causal agent of the story, usually offering backstory, reflection, or thematic setup (story's meaning)

Why it works: It quickly introduces the world and situation without much detail. This can be very useful because we want to engage the audience in these two minutes and it allows us to create mystery and intrigue, since the audience's initial thoughts would be driven by the narrator's perspective, which can allow us to introduce a plot twist later on, creating suspense about whether the narrator was the good guy, the bad guy, the object (causal agent), or none of the above.

How to use it: It is suggested that the voiceover be used appropriately, not only to provide information or facts, but also to reveal character perspective—and leave the rest to our audience. It's important to be subtle and avoid overdoing it or giving too many details, as this would spoil the mystery. Ideally, this perspective should evolve and change throughout the story; however, in the case of just an opening, it's important to keep it consistent and use rhetorical questions to engage the audience, creating an echo in our audience thoughts.

Why it appeals to me as an editor? This style of opening sequence really appeals to me because I can play with transitions and create confusion.  For example, I could use shots from the cinematographer that focus on a specific character and make people believe that this character is the narrator when they're not, which creates suspense and a desire to find out who this mysterious narrator is.  It's also a more direct approach because breaking the fourth wall creates a more immediate connection with the audience.  Furthermore, depending on what I want to edit—that is, what I decide to show at a specific moment in the narrative—I can create juxtaposition. For instance, I could take the audio that the director recorded with the villain's voice, showing him saying that what they're seeing is an injustice, but then I could edit it to a scene where a police officer is saving people. I can play with the audience POV and expectations. And I think this will be a good option for our Production since we can introduce the story in a coherent way, however the risk would be that if it's not edited properly the audio will lack attractiveness, and we get the risk of also telling the while story in the opening scene, even do still a good option to edit and do cinematography since actors don't need to learn a script they can read it which will save time of shooting the same shot repeatedly.

Media Production Example:

Goodfellas (1990)

In this opening scene, we can see a very clear example of voiceover, where the narrator is the boy who will surely be the main character of this film. But how do we know that? Even though he only talks about Jimmy "The Gent," we can agree that he talks about him as a role model. We infer this because, through his narration, he provides facts about what this character does. However, the most interesting thing is that he shows us his opinion; the illegal activities and stealing that Jimmy did didn't seem bad to him because, in the end, he gave money to everyone and was very generous, but above all, because he evoked respect among people. This gives us the expectation that Henry (the narrator boy) wants to follow in his footsteps.

Editing: In this scene, we can see the editing work. When the boy is narrating and mentions Jimmy's name and the respect he evokes, we see Jimmy being introduced, entering the scene when his name is mentioned. Later, we see the boy's face, and we infer that it's him because when he starts to say "I...", he's there. But beyond that, we see his lips closed almost all the time; he doesn't say anything, and this makes us understand that what we are hearing in the narration are his thoughts. But also, every time he mentions something interesting about Jimmy, he proves it with the visuals, for example, "he gives money to the man who opened the door," and then proceeds to show him taking out bills and giving them to the man; is incredible how editing at the right moment can introduce characters.

Mise-en-scène: Furthermore, the scene creates mystery through what we can see: the place where they are is rather dimly lighted, only men in rough but formal clothing that makes them look like "gangsters," a place of gambling and money, where a boy shouldn't supposedly be, and we know this because Henry's clothes are more common compared to the adults there. With small details that are intentional, we can analyze and shape perspectives.

Sound: This scene, make an exchange and combination between the narration (non-diegetic sound) which is stronger than the dialogues in the scene (diegetic sound), with the purpose of emphasizing the contrast between Henry's consciousness and reactions, but also to clarify he is the protagonists, while the diegetic sound stand in the back to make the narration real, chaotic, logic to compress auditory space.

Cinematography: Semi-wide shots are used especially when Jimmy gives a lot of effort to visualize his control and power, there are also subtle dollies and pans to show Jimmy's reaction with his hands and also keeping the focus on the hotspots while Henry and another character occupy mid-range spaces but leaving some distance between Jimmy and them to show respect and not create tension (this follows the rule of thirds.)

Intrigue: A style that captivates and confuses us, but leaves us on the edge of our seats, wanting to see more.

What it is: An opening scene that begins with a strange, inexplicable, or unusual situation, image, or sound that immediately raises questions.

Why it works: As humans, curiosity is inevitable and a weakness for many, so it's one of the most powerful advantages. If something seems out of place and beyond our understanding, the audience is drawn in.  Furthermore, they want to prove that their initial assumptions are correct to feel smarter, and this is perfect because they'll want to stay and solve not just a part of the puzzle, but the whole thing. Who wouldn't accept a challenge?

How to use it: It is recommended to use it strategically, starting with a question, without explanation or details, in order to create ambiguity, tension, suspense, intrigue, and mystery. The goal is to create and atmosphere full of doubts and unanswered questions, it is imperative to do it in a progressive way to let the question round in the mind of the audience, before introducing a new one.

-It also works for thrillers, sci-fic and horror movies.

Why it appeals to me as an editor? This type of opening catches my attention, because although it can be complicated to understand, it's interesting. For example, with editing, I can create intrigue; a match cut could show the correlation between two objects or reactions, but it would confuse the audience since it transports them to a different, unexpected place, which can raise questions. Or I could start with a montage to show the passage of time without showing the initial event, but instead starting directly with the next one, or use an eyeline match, which can show us the correlation between what the character sees. In some cases, this can lead us to wonder why they are looking at something, and if we cut to suspenseful music or a profound silence, it can create the illusion of fear, and the audience begins to connect the pieces little by little, slowly solving the mystery.

I think this would be a good idea that we could implement in our story since it naturally creates suspense and can help us avoid the mistake of intentionally trying to tell the entire story in the opening scene.

Media Production Example:

Donnie Darko (2001)

In this opening scene, we can appreciate a clear example of intrigue through:

Cinematography - as it begins with a panoramic shot showing the remote mountains in the early morning and somewhat dark (Mise-en-scène), which, when combined with the lack of dialogue, helps avoid editing errors. Sound - it includes sounds of nature, which is intended to immerse us in the environment and makes it seem mysterious, especially since we only see one place and try to adapt to the surroundings, until we move on to the introduction of the character Donnie, the boy lying down who apparently fell off his bicycle. This was an intelligent decision because you start to wonder: who is he? Why is he alone? Why, if he apparently fell, doesn't he groan or express pain, but simply continues? Extending the silence creates more questions, and we switch to seeing the boy's point of view, where more questions arise: where is he going?

Furthermore, we see that the camera moves slowly, creating a sense of mystery and tension as it pans around the area, setting the tone for the scene.

Then the camera tracks and pans selectively to show Donnie's journey to his neighborhood.

And most importantly for me, the editing, using an approach of long establishing shots, creates a continuity of events that maintains the narrative logic. Also, the use of cuts between Donnie's perspective and the surrounding environment (road, bikes) suddenly hints at a vulnerability, which could foreshadow the contrast between a calm suburban setting (happy people walking in pajamas = peace, this is Mise-en-scène and happy music (sound)). The audience might sense that something is about to happen.

Takeaways & Lessons: I've learned much more about how certain opening styles can be more specific and work better in a particular genre. I've gained a better understanding of the options I have for creating that sense of mystery, and I now have a foundation to build upon. I've clarified my doubts about how to create tension without forcing it and how to maintain narrative logic. Depending on the decisions we make as a production team, we can implement ideas where we can use this type of openings to meet our goals and be specific about what we want the audience to feel and understand.

The Action Genre in Films: A Research Study

 What is the Action genre?

Defined as films that are full of risk and stakes. And it usually makes you want to watch it over and over again because you never get bored.

Fun Fact: To make a film that is appropriately categorized as action, it doesn't necessarily need an action sequence, but the content must be action-oriented, meaning it should include chases, danger, and fights.

Why does it appeal to me as the Editor?

As an editor on this production team, this genre appeals to me because it's not just about explosions and fights, but everything has to be appropriately fragmented, meaning the timing creates the story stakes since every minute has a purpose, and depending on how I cut it, or the transitions I implement, I can change not only the viewer's perspective, as I can direct attention to something or someone, or I can leave a void, in addition to controlling the story. For example, if I make a match cut, doubt invades the audience: what happened?

Media Production Example:

Die Hard (1988)- Opening Scene

To test the research, I decided to use this excerpt from the movie Die Hard, which, by the way, was ranked among the greatest action movie villains. In this 1:30m opening scene, we see many things happening and yet nothing at the same time. They begin by establishing "casual" relationships, nothing out of the ordinary, until the weapon is revealed in the pocket. Here begins the real contradiction: Is he the bad guy, or the good guy? Is he lying about being a cop or not? With just the direct cut to the weapon and then to the other character's gaze, we can understand how he feels, and we feel the same way, creating tension, until there's another straight cut to the man picking up a teddy bear, which confuses us but gives us a sense that something is off,  Who is he? Why did he come? Weapon = fight, or not? You see what catches attention is not what's happening, but how is happening, the most "common" environment that most of us can relate to, suddenly transform into a place of increased tension.

Why would I choose to incorporate this genre into our production?

One essential aspect of this genre is that you can start from any part of the story. We can start with the protagonist running away from the villains or vice versa, or a chase that grabs attention. Since our purpose is to create the opening scene, it's important to hook the audience within those two minutes, and one of the best options, in my opinion, is action. Not only do you try to figure out what happened, but it's also an invasion of emotions and thoughts.

It must be said that this genre is generally used with varied sub-genres. I sincerely think that this genre will be a good option for us, I consider this a feasible idea since as a team we can follow an action sequence to start and make sure we are following the conventions of this genre "quest, tension, protagonist, antagonist"- this will help us apply the Structuralism theory by Levi-Strauss since we can make sense of the world not for what is happening but for what is not e.g. there's not peace but rather a fight=something causes the fight, and also points out the theory of Postmodernism by Baudrillar -the reality in the movie is more attractive than our own e.g. most of us have never seen a car chase and we would like to feel the adrenaline but without seeing it in real life because that's too much" plus following the sequence we wouldn't take too much time trying to find how to do it, which can save us time and give us a guide, since we are apprentices.

Takeaways and lesson: I learned that the Action genre is popular, because it never gets bored, plus the production team has the power to control the story and the degree of tension, and as an editor I can direct the audience attention since we as humans are driven to identify motion first, we can make something "normal" or "boring" an action, and the editing will give live or terminate that complete or incomplete action. Furthermore, I found this genre to be an audience engaging (it's appropriate for all types of audiences)

The Mystery Genre in Films: A Research study

 What is the mystery genre?

It all revolves around something or someone (a Casual Agent) who will provide a solution to a question, a puzzle, or a crime. 

Fun Fact: this make so much sense since the word mystery means something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain.

Why does it appeal to me as an editor?

As an editor on this production team, this genre appeals to me because the essential elements used in it are particularly attractive, in my opinion. They are designed to create a connection with the audience, leading them to analyze things more deeply, blending suspense, intrigue, and the pursuit of the truth. The mindset and reality behind each visual, sound, transition, and color have a specific purpose, and a small change can create a different expectation and reality in each person's mind. So this genre can make my role have a more direct impact, since every transition, cut and edition can "control" not only the environment, and the story , but also even more the audience expectations and reality, since I may or may or may not give them the necessary clues to solve the mystery, and have an answer for what happen or why it happen.

Why would I choose to incorporate this genre into our production?

One essential aspect of this genre is that it's included from the very beginning; you don't have to wait long to find something that doesn't fit, or something that makes you think twice about its denotative meaning through its connotative meaning. Without giving too much away, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, creating even more confusion. Which will support the Semiotic theory-Barthes that says that we make sense of the world through a series of signs that hold meaning (everything has a meaning) but also we can start with a direct break to the Equilibrium theory-Todorov since we start in a state of disequilibrium where nothing make sense and our structuralism sense can be completely gone since nothing is what we think it is or may be it is. (Structuralism theory by Levi- Strauss).

It must be say, that generally this genre is used with a combination of others.

This genre will be a good fit for us, since our goal is to create an opening scene of a maximum of two minutes, I consider this a feasible and realistic idea plus it leaves a big space for the rest of the production team to add their own ideas, creating a perfectly a non-force hybrid genre movie, furthermore we can discuss what story-telling we would like, and since the mystery genre has a great variety of story-telling sequences we can do easily do it, since we can start with the mystery or the solution, or the casual agent, or just a place, a song; the options are broad.

Mystery genre apply in movies with other genres, such as horror,fantasy,bibliograhpy,drama.

-This image provides by European Studios showcase the mouldability of mystery as a genre in the film industry. 

Media production example:

Tell No One (2006) proves the concepts that I mentioned before, this movie is considered a complex-hybrid categorized as Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, and a psychological thriller. But again every other side-genre that is apply in this movie, all moves around and plays with the main mystery in this case of the disappearing wife of the pediatrician, and we know this because in the opening scene they stablish the mystery, and all the relationship and events afterwards, goes from that central point. And we as audience want to keep watching, because we want to know what happen, and even our senses start being in a debate did the Dr.  was responsible for the death of his wife or not? and all of this just in the first 3:00 minutes of the film. In the trailer you can see how every moment of what happen builds the mystery and how the abrupt editions, like straight cuts or fade to blacks, and the music changes, or the sound changes form dialogue to non, everything set up the mood to build the mystery.

-I wasn't able to find the opening scene as a video, so I can't directly put it in here, however I include a picture of the website where you can see where it says Scene 1, and the movie genre, to corroborate the information. Furthermore, I include the trailer of the movie for you to have a more specific understanding of the mystery genre, as I did.

Tell No One (2006) Scene 1.

Tell No One (2006) -Trailer

Takeaways and lesson: I learned that the mystery genre is broad, that the production team has the power to control its degree of generality or specificity, and that it we can control the story, the audience thoughts, and emotions in a particular way. And therefore, with a great power comes great responsibility since we must be aware of everything or we can easily loss the track of the story that we want to tell. Moreover, I found this genre to be a valid, creative, engaging, adaptable, and ideal option, and the best part it's appropriate for all types of audiences!

Hello World!

 I'm excited to begin a new experience and adventure in my life, so I want to share my excitement with you.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoy learning and exploring new things, but I often like to combine safe and risky decisions, thus achieving a balance. 

At the same time, I believe that every day we learn something new, even if it's small, and that habits don't just appear on their own, but are built. Also, from my own experience, I can say that maturity and experience don't depend solely on age and that what you sow, that you will reap.

Well, to say something more striking, I must say that I love flowers and music. Although many may say the same, I believe the meaning is unique to each person. For example, I love dandelions because I think they have unique designs which resembles precise and brushstrokes  and at the same time they not only expose their beauty in the moments they bloom but rather when you blow on them; they spill their true beauty, and although at first glance it seems that they just vanished they really leave an impact on the environment and I think the same thing happens with life, even though it is short we can leave a mark not only while we live in it but a legacy when we leave, and in the case of music, particularly the piano, which I am passionate about. It's incredible melodies are like life itself, with soft and sweet keys and others deep and sour but together they make the most beautiful and unique of melodies.

-MystoryHisglory!