The Watching documentary

1) What does Thomas Sutcliffe mean when he 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"?

Sutcliffe is saying that the film needs to grab the audiences attention from the beginning to end, and the films needs to keep the attention of the viewers all throughout the film.

2) What are the risks of 'instant arousal' according to Jean Jacques Beineix?

If you start with something strong and vivid then it would be difficult to keep the viewers attention because you would need to create something that will be even more exciting than before.

3) Explain why ' a good beginning must make the audience feel that it doesn't know nearly enough yet, and at the same time make sure that it doesn't know too little'.

If you establish a certain tone and setting, the audience will want to know what is happening and feel as if they need to catch up, understand everything and put the pieces together by themselves. This is the result of the beginning not giving too much away. 

4) What does critic Stanley Kauffmann describe as the classic opening? Why does this work?

It begins with an establishing shot followed by a close up of an building which then focuses onto a window which leads to a shot of the main characters. This works because it gives the audience a sense of what is going on and kind of gives some background information, so a kind of clue, to the audience.

5) Why is Kyle Cooper's title sequence to the film Seven so effective?

Kyle Cooper’s title sequence is effective because it tuned the audience to the right pitch. The title sequence came part of the first scene of the film, it tells a story and introduces us to the obsessive nature of the film and characters. It also foreshadows what will happen.

6) What did Orson Welles want to achieve with his opening to the film A Touch of Evil ? What did Universal studios do to it? Why?

Orsen Wells wanted the audience get into his story without giving the audience time to prepare themselves through his opening to the film A Touch of Evil - he did this by intentionally excluding the scene of credits and title music. Universal Studio’s did not understand Well’s method and so did not go through with it. They added their own sounds and effects.

7) What is meant by "a favourite trick of film Noir"? What is the trick?

The term "a favourite trick of Film Noir" is where your actually putting the ending in beginning of the film. For example, the casino starts of  with an ending; the trick is looking ahead to what is to come.

8) How does the opening to the film 'The Shining' create suspense?

The opening of the film ‘The Shining’ creates suspense through; the up left of the helicopter shot, and the camera following the car in the second scene "like a predator." - high up and from behind. This is telling us that the characters are travelling in the wrong direction.