Extension Task: 'Watching' Documentary

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 means that if the film doesn’t draw you in immediately the film may seem pointless. For example if the film begins with one of the best scenes it draws the audience drawn in and makes them want to watch more. While there are a variety of ways for a film opening, the producers are usually drawn straight into the best of scene which cannot be beaten by any other scene in the movie.

2) According to Director Jean Jacques Beineix, what are the risks of ‘

instant arousal’?

The risk is that if you start the film opening off strong how are you going to top it and build the tension and draw the audience in even more. However, if you start on a subtle opening the film can build up creating more action/tension.

4) What does critic Stanley Kauffmann describe as the classic opening?

·     Establishing shot

·     Close up of building

·     Travels up the building

·     To a window

·     Into the window

·     Past reception desk

·     To private office

·     To main character

Why does this work?

The simple process explains where it is taking place and what the occupation of the main character was. Overall it told the organisation of the world and that everything is in place.

5) Why is Kyle Cooper’s title sequence to the film Seven so effective?

·     Tunes the viewer to the right dissonant pitch

·        Became like the first scene of the film

·        Introduces to the obsessive nature of the character

·        Foreshadows what’s going to happen

6) What did Orson Welles want to achieve with his opening to the film ATouch of Evil?

·        Plunge the audience into the story without giving them time to prepare themselves

What did Universal Studios do to it? Why?

·        The put title music underneath it and the credits so the effects were lost

·        They didn’t understand as they didn’t understand the film opening as they didn’t understand the story itself

7) What is meant by “a favourite trick of Film Noir ”?

·        The beginning is like a ending and not is not really a beginning at all

What is the trick?

·        ‘The trick is to feel like a destination as much as a departure point looking ahead to what is to come and if you can’t see it first time round it will almost certainly be clear when the film is viewed second time round’

8) How does the opening to the film The Shining create suspense?

·        The beginning is picturesque

·        But from second view the screen is full of omens

·        The camera peruses the car like a predator, high up and from behind

·        Its attention never strays from what is conventionally spectacular but remains fixed on the ting object

·        Everything tells us that these people are traveling in the wrong direction