Whether it be opening titles on a plain old black screen, or an incorporation of motion graphics, or simply jumping right into the film and its plot, film openings need to be categorized so one doesn't get lost in the world of films (especially if a particular someone is trying to figure out how they want their own film opening to be).
Considering that thousands of films are produced each year, it seems impossible for your average high-school student to categorize all of them while writing a short blogpost without losing hours of sleep; however, I've managed to go through some of the main ones suggested by The Story Breakdown which include:
1. Prologue
Prologues are significantly distinguishable from the main scenes of a film, and are usually played during the opening before the title card shows up. They are scenes that stand on their own individually, without needing to be backed up by the plot of the film. They generally have their own foundation, consisting of a beginning, middle, and end, which cue the viewer on any backstory of either the world of the film or the main character that takes place before the central storyline and events which take place during the duration of the film. Prologues can be further categorized into 2 parts being either:
i, Prologue montage with a voiceover
A prologue with a voiceover is usually a narration of a main character, which leans into their point of view and drives the audience to a relatively biased (and possibly unreliable and exaggerated) storytelling experience. These can be considered common in folktales and fantasy movies.
An example of a prologue montage with a voiceover can be the opening of Love Actually (2003). You would see scenes cut to loved ones hugging each other in Heathrow airport, while the narrator expresses his personal feelings on the concept of love which does establish a romantic theme, yet throughout the opening, you're not truly clued in on what's about to happen next. This shows how the opening is rather independent, but still a crucial part of the film perfectly blending in with its main theme.
ii, Prologue scene without any voiceover
It isn't essential for prologues to have a voiceover or any narration, in fact, it could jump right onto its own story. More than often, these can be flashbacks of past events, providing essential backstory, although it may be tricky to do this effectively, because sometimes the flashback can be unnecessary and redundant when seen with the rest of the film.
One of the many examples of a a prologue scene without any voiceover is the opening of Spider-Man Homecoming (2017). The opening mentions and shows “post battle” instances, which let the audience know that some conflict has definitely taken place in the past in the world of the film. The scene shows events that take place 8 years before the main events of the film, and give hints on the antagonist’s backstory. The main character and protagonist, Spider-Man, has not been introduced in the first 4 minutes, showing that this scene has its own structure and story irrespective of the main plot, yet is essential to develop a backstory to follow through the whole film.
*Till minute 4:15*
2. Inciting incident
An inciting incident refers to any event that sets the main character's journey and/or the plot of the film. Some films tend to jump right onto such an incident right in the beginning for maximum impact rather than building it up, leaving the audience on their toes. Such an incident could also be a major life changer for the main character, especially right during the opening of the film, for example, starting a new job, the death of a loved one, or discovering magical/supernatural powers or elements (if you're being quirky).
The opening of Knives Out (2019) is an example of an inciting incident opening, where right in the first minute of the film, a character is found dead unexpectedly (considering that we see a woman walk up to his room to serve him with a meal), which sets the course of the rest of the film.
3. Day in the life
To my surprise, “A Day In The Life” does not refer only to The Beatles' song, but also a type of film opening which portrays the life of the main character in its “usual” state before the events or a film change, or completely derail it. This could either be an “exciting” or an “uneventful” day, depending on the circumstances displayed in the film opening, and what constitutes as normal for the main character
In the Opening of Logan (2017), the main character is faced with a conflict and a fight breaks out, yet the concept of a fight does not seem unusual for the character, therefore it can be referred to as an “exciting” day in life (certainly for the audience, definitely not exciting for him)
4. Cold open
The first thing that pops in my mind when I hear the word cold open is the entirety of the TV show Brooklyn 99 (2013-2021), but we're here to talk about films. A cold open, also known as a teaser sequence, jumps right into the action and immerses the viewer right from the first scene. These are common in action and thriller films, where they provide a relative amount of context and cues on the theme and set a mood, but are still kept considerably separate from the narrative. They can also be entirely unrelated to the film, and be present simply for the adrenaline boost.
The Matrix (1999) begins with booming action, leaving the audience curious to find out what's next irrespective of the main storyline.
5. Flash forward
A flash forward opening is a scene that takes place in the present timeline of the film, and the events that chronologically lead to the same event happening are shown throughout the rest of the film (because keeping track of a movie’s plot isn't already hard enough). Therefore, the plot of the film revolves around the development of the very first scene.
Inception (2010) beings with the main character in his present timeline, and jumps onto the past. through out the film, his actions will lead up to the first scene.
To conclude this post, the introduction of either the protagonist, antagonist, or generally the world of the film is common for most films out there. Openings are what build up the tension, set the mood and theme, irrespective of the type of film opening. Some openings can be the cliché waking up in bed scene, or filled with unimaginable action, which all depends on the film itself and its making.
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