Extension Activity, Individual Post - Watching Documentary.

(AS MEDIA STUDIES - EXTENSION EXERCISE)

Watching Documentary on Film Openings. 

1. What does Thomas Sutcliffe mean when he says "Films need to seduce their audience into long term commitment. While there are many types of seduction, the temptation to go for instant arousal is almost irresistible"

-  Thomas Sutcliffe tried to express what he meant through the quote of "Sam Fuller", who is a writer and director. Sam Fuller states that "if your first page of the book doesn't give satisfy the audience, you should throw the damn book in the trash." Ultimately meaning that in order to gain the audience's attention you must grab the audiences attention at the very beginning of the film and that's what film makers are trying to achieve today.

2. According to Director Jean Jacques Beineix, what are the risks of "instant arousal"?

- The risks of instant arousal, according to Director Jean Jacques Beineix is that you must nurse your audience into their desires of the movie, accept to wait and let the sanctification grown. If you start strong, you'll have the problem of what's going to happen next, is it going to be strong as the beginning?

3. Explain why "a good beginning must make the audience feel that it doesn't know nearly enough yet, and at the same time make sure that it doesn't know too little" 

- This ultimately emphasises that as a film maker you must draw the rules up for audiences engagement to the film, the crowd is full of anxiety and you must make the relationship of the audience and the film last but not give away everything but still make them wanting to carry on with the film to discover more.

4. What does critic Stanley Kauffmann describe as the classic opening? Why does this work?

- Critic Stanley Kauffmann describe a Classic opening as "an establishing shot - New York - filmed from East side of New York, cross into a shot of a building, camera looks up to buliding, goes through the window, pass the reception desk". You have been told by this simple classic opening process the location, occupation of the hero and everything is in place. Therefore making it work well.

5. Why is Kyle Cooper's title sequence to the film Seven so effective? 

- Kyle Cooper's title sequence to the film Seven was effective because the sequence stimulated and hit the audience, the title sequence also foreshadows and told the story of the film making it effective.

6. What did Orson Welles want to achieve with his opening to the film A touch of evil? What did universal studios do to it ? Why?

- What Orson Welles wanted to achieve with his opening, A Touch of Evil is making the audience head straight into the film with no credits, title or production company logo. This upset the production studios and they took action.