One of my favorite opening scenes in a movie, ever, is the introductory scene to The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.

Tolkien’s novels were written as one continuous story, but Peter Jackson wisely chose to split it into three movies instead.

This opening sequence brilliantly sets the tone for the entire film. It’s like a mini-movie within a movie.

Here, Jackson uses all of the tools at his disposal — music, editing, special effects and so on — to create a captivating experience for the audience.

The movie opens with a close-up shot of an old man writing on a piece of paper with quill pen.

He dries the ink with sand and reads what he has written: “My premonition of fear will come true tonight.”

He then tears off the page and crumples it up. A great beat later we see that he has thrown it into a fire and burns it up.

Concerned, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) walks over to his window and sees that evil is approaching Middle Earth in the form of The Dark Riders — nine black-cloaked figures on horseback who ride out with menacing purpose towards Rivendell.

 

Best Opening Scenes In Movies

What Are Opening Scenes In Movies?

Opening scenes are the first scenes of films. They are often like trailers; they give you a taste of what the movie is going to be about.

Sometimes opening scenes can tell you the overall tone of a film, what kind of message the director is trying to convey, and even hint at the theme of the film. It can also help you relate to certain characters and events in the movie.

Opening scenes are meant to draw people in. In other words, they are usually very intriguing and captivating.

 

 

Their purpose is to make you want more.

There are many types of opening scenes:

  • The simple introduction, which gives film viewers background information about a particular character;
  • the dramatic introduction, which sets up a conflict; and
  • the flashback introduction, which tells viewers about events that had occurred before the beginning of a story.

The last one is often used in detective films when a suspect tells his or her side of the story for a crime he/she did not commit. The first type (the simple introduction) is used most frequently.

Best Opening Scenes In Movies

Opening scenes in movies aren’t the most important part of the film, but they can be a great way to introduce characters or set up a storyline. These are some of the best opening scenes in movies.

The opening scene of “Star Wars” is arguably one of the most famous in movie history. It’s not only iconic because it starts off the first in a series of films (and a franchise), but also because it’s such an exciting sequence.

The scene starts with an Imperial Star Destroyer chasing down Princess Leia’s ship, and then there’s the iconic moment when Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker appear. The opening scene in “Back to the Future” is also unforgettable.

In fact, it even has its own trope — traveling through time to see your parents when they were younger. The jaunty theme song is played while we see Marty McFly skateboarding on his way to school, which makes for a fun and engaging introduction.

A classic opening sequence is from Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws.” As you might remember, this is about a shark terrorizing beachgoers on Amity Island. Most of us have heard about Jaws, but we don’t really know anything about him until this opening scene.

Best Movie Intros Of All Time

Intro is a term used in the film industry to describe the first scene of a movie or play. It’s also used in video games and other media.

The intro sets the mood for the rest of the film, so choosing a good one is essential to make your audience interested in the plot.

The Dark Knight Rises is one of those films that you can spend hours breaking down, but there’s no denying that its opening was stellar. In such a bleak world, Hans Zimmer’s heavy score instantly lets audiences know that we’re not in for an easy ride with this latest Batman installment.

The scene picks up with a shot of a young Bruce Wayne being told that his parents have been killed. This wouldn’t be such an effective intro if it didn’t immediately follow the news of their death.

The camera then zooms out to reveal Gotham City, and the legend set in stone: “Bruce Wayne – Murdered His Parents – April 29th, 1981.”

The epic scale of this introduction provides an immediate juxtaposition between how bleak Bruce Wayne’s life has become and how much hope he brings to his city as Batman.

Best Opening Scenes In Movies

These opening scenes are great and I love them, but I have to say that the greatest opening scene in movie history is the one that takes place in the first five minutes of “Pulp Fiction.” The moment when Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) walk into a diner is an instant classic.

It’s perfect for introducing the characters, who truly define what these two actors are capable of. I can watch this movie over and over again and never get tired of it.

Quentin Tarantino’s style of script writing and directing is unparalleled, and he knows how to use his actors to their full potential.

For those who haven’t seen “Pulp Fiction,” you may want to stop reading now so you can enjoy the movie without any preconceived notions. The diner scene in begins with Jules Winnfield ordering a couple of coffees from Jimmie Dimmick (played by Debi Mazar), a waitress at Jack Rabbit Slim’s.

But we already know that Jules is not your typical customer; as soon as he sits down, he immediately pulls out his gigantic gun and points it under the table at another patron — Marvin (Phil LaMarr).

Opening Movie Sequence

Opening Movie Sequence on Behance.

This is a cool project. It’s an animation of project thumbnails with a little movie poster flair. 

I was a little worried that the animation would be too distracting, but it’s actually a nice way to introduce people to the work in this portfolio.

After Effects is a great tool for creating an opening movie for your website. It’s relatively easy to use and it can be used in many different ways.

You can even add a video file or photo as the background of your sequence.

This is the opening sequence of a TV show. It’s not directly related to ecommerce but it involves video, which is relevant.

Plus, I wanted to see if I could create an animation with After Effects.

Movie openers are often a crucial piece of the story, setting up the characters and the situation in just a few minutes.

   

Top Movie Intros

The top movie intros are the opening scenes of films which set up the plot and allow for a suspension of disbelief. It is here that we see the main character, his or her surroundings and the type of situation they are in.

It is here that we experience an emotional connection with the character depending on how we are introduced to them. A great movie intro can leave us hungry for more and wondering what will happen next while a low quality intro will make us lose interest in the film altogether.

The power of a good movie intro cannot be underestimated especially in today’s world where attention spans are waning at an alarming rate. Movies have become so popular that just about everyone has watched some form of it whether it be at home, in theatres or on television.

Some of you reading this have probably seen over 100 movies this year alone! So it is no wonder why filmmakers put so much thought into creating engaging movie intros.

Best Film Openings – Comedy

Opening sequences can make or break a movie. If you don’t believe me, check out the following list of atrocious openings. Tropic Thunder (2008) – The first 15 minutes of this film are so hilarious I’m willing to overlook how it completely falls apart as an action-comedy by the end.

The introduction to the Group X actors is simply a montage of their best onscreen moments, which is a great way to introduce us to this group of actors (all of whom are now dead, in case you were wondering).

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) – This opening is fun and funny, but it’s mainly for laughs. It’s not just funny because of the song and Todd Phillips’ cameo, but also because it gives us real insight into Peter LaFleur’s character.

We know from the start that he’s not going to be afraid to stand up for what he believes in, even if it means facing off against an entire gym full of buff guys.

The Hangover (2009) – I didn’t think this film could work as well as it did when I first saw the trailer back in the beginning of 2009. But after viewing the opening scene with Stu waking up next to a naked, i was convinced that it would be a hit

Opening Scene Examples

Here are some examples of opening scenes from a variety of different genres and media.

TRAIN STATION

A train station platform in the early hours of the morning. The sky is overcast, with a light drizzle falling.

A train pulls into the station, and people get off. The main character is JIM, a young man in his early twenties, wearing a long black coat. He steps onto the platform and looks around for a moment before pulling out his cell phone and dialing a number.

It rings twice before an answering machine picks up. We hear a young woman’s voice on the message – it’s JIM’s girlfriend, AMY.* JIM: Amy? It’s me Jim, I’m at the station. I got your message.I’m gonna come see you now, okay? I’ll be there soon, See you soon, Amy, Bye.

He hangs up and puts his phone away as he waits for another train to arrive.*

The subway doors hiss open, revealing JIM standing there looking lost or forlorn or both. He doesn’t look like he belongs here; he glances around nervously as he walks onto the train car, heading toward an empty seat in the back near the door.

 

Ambitious Opening Scenes To Movies

Ever wonder where some of the most iconic opening scenes in movies come from? You may be surprised to learn that many of them were born out of pure coincidence.

A few others were completely accidental and the filmmakers had no idea they would become so famous.

An opening scene is one of the most important parts of a movie because it’s one of the first things audiences see, and it can set the tone for the rest of the film. It can also leave a lasting impression on viewers.

Many people will remember an opening scene even if they don’t recall anything else about a particular movie. Here are some of the most memorable and ambitious opening scenes in movies:

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

In this classic children’s tale, Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away from her farm in Kansas after a tornado hits. Her house lands on top of a witch, killing her, and she wakes up in Munchkinland where everything is colorful and happy.

Only later does she discover that it’s all an illusion created by Glinda, The Good Witch Of The North, who wants to scare away The Wicked Witch Of The East. 

The Godfather – Best Opening Scenes In Movies

The Godfather action: The Godfather opening scenes are among the most memorable in movie history. The film’s director, Francis Ford Coppola, said he wanted to show the audience the Corleone family’s story from the beginning.

He wanted to show how power corrupted and how it happened so subtly. Two of the most memorable movie scenes were shown in the movie’s opening: The Baptism of Michael Corleone.

Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) is the youngest son in a New York Mafia family. He is a successful businessman who has just married his college sweetheart, Kay Adams (Diane Keaton).

Kay is a beautiful blonde and he loves her dearly, but he doesn’t tell her what he does for a living until she makes him angry one day.

He tells her that he and his family are involved in criminal activities. She leaves him and returns with her parents to their house on Long Island, where they live quietly and comfortably. Michael goes to speak to his father, Vito (Marlo Brando), at their family compound in Long Island.

Vito asks him if he has told Kay the truth about his business dealings. Michael says no, and Vito warns him not to do it because it will ruin her life

Action/Heist Openings Scenes

Action-packed openings and their converse, suspenseful openings, must be handled with the utmost delicacy. The audience is bombarded with so much stimuli that unless you grab them from the first second, they’ll be completely lost.

Action/heist openings are tricky to write, not just because of the pace, but because there are so many elements to get right. You’re trying to introduce a large cast of characters as well as the situation and stakes immediately. You have to do it all in about 30 pages.

It’s easier than you think, though! First we’ll go over what an action/heist opening needs to accomplish and then give you some tips on how to make your own opening just as riveting as the best ones out there. What Is an Action/Heist Opening?

An action/heist opening is one which introduces a seemingly simple situation which quickly escalates into something much more complex and interesting. It’s like a movie trailer, in that it’s shorter than a full-length episode but must capture your interest right away and make you want to see more.
 

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