How can a film opening attract an audience? - Documentary "Watching"

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”

If the opening of the film starts with a shock it will leave the audience wanting more, sometimes film makers will have a gradual build up to the main action sequence but other times some films have the action right at the start to pluck the attention of of the audience so they are wanting more of the film from the beginning.

2)      According to Director Jean Jacques Beineix, what are the risks of ‘instant arousal’? 

He means by instantly giving the audience the best part you have to keep that same level stimulation throughout the rest of the movie. So giving someone that same level of excitement during the remainder of the film will be difficult due to the fact that the audience will expect the same level of 'arousal' during the rest of the film.

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”

A good beginning lets the audience have a slight idea of what the movie is about which gives them a taste of interest while still allowing room for questions that need to be answered.

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

He talks about an opening of when they present the audience with an establishing shot of the setting, the camera should be moving slowly showing the audience what we should be focusing on. This lets the audience have a simple idea of what the film is going to be about while also letting them look at the setting of the scene to also further their understanding of what is going on.

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

The reason the style Kyle Coopers uses is so effective is that it captures the audiences attention, In a way it tells you a tale which in itself feature traits that either the main character have or what we are focusing on.

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?

He wanted to create uncertainty and interest within the audience by not using credits or music in the opening, Universal who didn't get what we was trying to go for put credit and music at the opening. Due to this the effect Orson Welles was trying to achieve was lost.

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

This is when the opening scene is also the ending, which foreshadows what happens. This makes it very hard to keep the curiosity of the audience due to them already knowing the outcome of the movie.