Screenwriting Thursdays: Memorable Beginnings

Let’s say you’re working on a screenplay: you have the characters figured out, the plot in order, and the rising and falling action perfected.  But in general, viewers will formulate an opinion about a movie within the first quarter of the film.  Is the beginning to your screenplay memorable?

Like the first page of a book or the first riff in a song, the beginning of the movie needs to be memorable in order for viewers to keep watching and recommend it to others.  Horror, action, and comedic films are generally the best at capturing the audience in the beginning.  They need to start off the plot right away, so that viewers won’t get bored.  Unlike  dramas, which can unwind slowly, horror, action, and comedy films need to move quickly.  Regardless of what genre you’re writing in, you can learn about constructing a strong and memorable movie openings from watching other great films.  A few recognizable beginnings, from different genres, are below:

Up: It’s hard to rationalize crying during an animated film.  Up nailed this beginning: the audience learns about the main character’s life and the quest that will set up the plot.  It’s simple, it’s sweet, and it makes you emphathize with the MC no matter how grouchy he gets.

The Godfather: The contrast between the wedding celebrations and a man asking for a hired assassin in a dark room is classic.  This is a classic movie, sure, but the fact that it starts off so strongly is part of its appeal

Se7en: Here’s an example from the horror genre.  Instead of beginning with a ghost jumping out of a closet or brutal violence, as some horror/suspense films do, this one is based on expectation.   That ticking clock and the creepy title sequence starts the audience nail-biting early.

Pulp Fiction: The opening of this movie encapsulates the weirdness/genius of Quentin Tarantino films.  Pulp Fiction’s laughs are usually from unexpected material, or material that really shouldn’t be funny, and the split motives of the adoring couple in the diner works well.  It introduces a major plotline without revealing the main characters, which can be hard to do.