Examples of Opening Sequences
So how do you grab the viewers’ attention from the very beginning of your documentary? It would be fantastic to be able to provide a simple answer to this, but of course it is not so. Many things are influencing what a good opening sequence is and the solutions are manifol.
However the challenge of making a good opening sequence deserves attention. Therefore we have gathered these examples, which hopefully can inspire you and your team for the next opening sequence you are working on.
In addition to our selection of opening sequences we have asked a number of friends from the documentary sector to tell us what their favourite opening is. So each month during 2012 we will have a guest curator adding his or her favourite opening. Guest curator in April is Slovenian Commissioning Editor Hanka Kastelicova. Her selection and motivation will be posted soon towards the end of this page.
Hope you will find this selection of opening sequences inspirering. We recommend that you watch them in full screen.
Thank you to the rights owners, who provided permission to post these opening sequences.
- Jan Rofekamp, CEO, Films Transit
- Ove Rishøj Jensen, EDN Web Editor
Do you want to share comments and input on opening sequences, please go to this section of The EDN Online Forum.
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Guest curator January 2012: Stefan Kloos
Guest curator February 2012: Tue Steen Müller
Guest curator March 2012: Audrius Stonys
Guest curator April 2012: Hanka Kastelicova
Slovenian Commissioning Editor Hanka Kastelicova has chosen Uku Ukai by Audrius Stonys. Here is Hanka's motivation for her selection:
What is an opening scene for? For me it is a place for setting the energy, the mood, prepare the viewer to get in touch with the right phase in which they will follow the story. In Uku Ukai, Audrius Stonys takes time. We follow close ups of two women, in total silence – the younger is caringly making the makeup of the older one. The older one enjoys it, she feels exceptionally well in her body, she enjoys the attention; she enjoys every single wrinkle on her face. Her maturity, wisdom and harmony with herself shines from the sequence. There is a lot of touching – the young girl touches the face of the old one with her fingers and with the brush, and the silence is so deep, that every of these touches feels loud. The viewer has time to feel the intimacy of the moment, the loving connection between the two ladies. There is enough time to calm down and prepare for the story or, in fact, the meditative poem, as many call this film.
