I've been disputing the importance of opening shots having being fed up of the ones that are drone shots of a city in which the story is set at that point. But I honestly think that having the opening shot introduce something else of the film is much more striking, like a symbol of a central conflict in the film. So I was wondering how much you guys place emphasis on the introduction to setting vs introduction to something else in opening shots...
Filmmaking / Directing : Opening Shots by Chaitanya Srivastava
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IMO, the opening shot is like the first bar of a sonata. Those notes are an introductory to the whole piece. They need to encompass, in one shot (8-10 seconds) all the atmosphere your audience is in for. Whether its an action shot, establishing shot or some type of close-up that will lead to a wider visual, the Opening shot is the hook. If it falls flat or is underwhelming, it's going to create an obstacle the story will have to overcome in order to connect with your audience.
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Chaitanya Srivastava and Matthew Parvin Great discussion!
I tend to like opening shots that are less about establishing location and more about introducing a visual or even sound motif that comes into play in the film at some point.
Years ago I had seen a film with an opening shot along the lines of what Chaitanya is expressing - if I remember the name I will post/reference it here.
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The opening shot of anything I write must serve a purpose, whether a thematic purpose , a world-building one or a character (I love the rule Soderbergh placed on himself when directing biopics to always open with a close-up of his subject).
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I LOVE coming up with a great opening image that really captures what the whole script is about. Sometimes it's not quite the first image as the first scene (1/2 - 1 page) but if I can get it down to the first line - it's great. I use it to set the tone and the theme.
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As a screenwriter, I'm with James and Noel.
"Man on fire' has lame opening over the Mexico city with that central church seen zillionth time....still helluva film
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Your opening scene is needed to glue the audience's butt to the seat.
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I designed my open shot for my next film as an ONER -- To grab the audience with something inviting to the ride! I believe in it!
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If the opening shots are compelling and grab the audience's attention, they could be related to the central conflict. There are a lot of films that do this, although it's a vice that's used more in the TV world. If you think you have a great hook for the film, then I say do it. This is an art form after all. Best of luck!
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A crisis/jeopardy scene is a good place to start albeit it may be a flashback. A lot of non linear films start with second act crisis and then we want to find out why and how this happened to protagonists. I agree the drone overhead location opening shots get old fast now but they have their place if executed well and serve the story or highlight a reveal.