Response To the 'Watching' Documentary

Watching the documentary gave me an insight of the depth of a film and its aim for the viewers. 

Thomas Sutcliffe 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."

By this he means you should grab the audience in a most based way and announce as much ambition and in the first minutes of the film. For example using a sharp shot will grab the audience's attention and draw them into the story. 

However according to Director Jean Jacques Beinex, instant arousal means you are simply giving the film away making the audience 'not wait'. 

"If your start very strong then you have to raise the question what are you going to do next. You've aroused the audience already"

A good beginning is what the audience will judge the film on immediately, however you have to be careful not to give to much away as there would be nothing left for the audience to be excited about. the beginning sets the scene and type of film it is.

Stanley Kauffmann describes the classic opening as the first shot being a long shot establishing the followed by a "close up of his bedroom window". One critic said these classic openings are a way of raising questions from the audience. You might think you know it but you don't, therefore you shouldn't take anything for granted.

Kyle Cooper's title sequence to 'Se7en' is so effective because it draws the viewers right in, grabs their attention and feels as if the title sequence is already part of the movie. It almost became the opening of the movie as it introduced the obsession qualities of the character and included foreshadowing the events of the movie too. 

Orson Welles wanted to create a title sequence without any scores, music and no credits so that the audience can get straight into the movie 'Touch of Evil. Universal Studios didn't agree and decided to add the titles while the movie started instead hoping to produce his initial effect. 

'A favourite trick of Film Noir'  is beginning the film with the ending making the audience aware of what's to come. 

The opening of the film shining is a great example of creating suspense. A birds eye shot creates the feeling of a predator pursuing they prey. This tells us that those in the car are travelling in the worn direction. A major deal of suspense is created to alert the audience of what is to come. The audience are given a hint that something bad is going to happen but we do not know when, how and why.