How film openings attract audienes and audience theories

Film openings contain many things that are used to attract and entice an audience into wanting to watch that particular film. One of the key things they do is give hints at what the genre and the story line may be throughout the whole of the film, doing this doesn't give away everything that may happen in the film, but it does make the audience think about what might happen and make them want to continue to watch the film. Another thing that happens in film openings is credits, this happens to the audience can see who the film is made by and who is starring in it because then the audience may recognise some of the names and be more likely to continue to watch the film.

Film openings also contain audience theories, for example the hypodermic needle theory is normally present in film openings, this is when a film gives out a message or information and it is directly received by the audience and it subconsciously affects our behaviour and thoughts. This theory is usually present in film openings because if a film opening effects or teaches the audience something then it is likely to interest them and make them want to watch it more. The uses and gratifications theory understands why and how people watch certain types of media opposed to others to satisfy a certain need. This theory is present in many film openings as people will be trying to satisfy a certain need, normally something like entertainment or personal identity.

Se7en (1995)

Se7en is an example of how a film opening can attract an audience due to appealing actors and story line, but also have a negative effect in terms of the Hypodermic Needle Theory and the Uses and Gratifications Theory. This film opening presents many clues about the story line of the film due to the fact you can see many close up shots of someone creating what looks like a book about various people or in this case victims. This film opening will also attract the audience as it has two very famous actors starring in the film 'Brad Pitt' and 'Morgan Freeman' whose names are presented to the audience only a few seconds into the opening. These points can be seen as positive as so far they have attracted a large audience to continue to view the film. However in the film opening and later on in the film there are negative effects which begin to happen, the main plot of the film is investigation, in depth, a chain of brutal murders, this plot is also visible in the opening as you can see the murder plotting and making the book about the victims. Movies about murder and violence are normally prime examples of how the Hypodermic Needle Theory works, people will watch this film and see the violence and murder and this could possibly give a small amount of the audience ideas about doing something similar to what is in the film without them even realising. Also people who have murderous thoughts and feelings may go to watch this film to satisfy and indulge these thoughts.

This post will help me when I come to making my film opening as it has given me an insight into what is typically found in a film opening and also what that does to draw an audience in and give them a big intrest in a film.