Opening Sequences - Jaws

This is the opening sequence from the first Jaws movie. The opening sequence introduces the notorious shark as it eats a drunken young female while shes taking a midnight dip. 


The opening starts with a Universal Studios logo, this shows us that the film is made by universal. We then see some credits and fade to being underwater, we see coral and sea life underwater and it feels as if we are swimming along. This is showing us that the film is set around the sea or under water, the credit text is white and in the centre of the screen with the underwater behind it. Then as we are swimming along under water a sound starts, it is a jumpy and loud sound that disturbs the wildlife in the sea. This is telling us that whatever it was it is scary and disturbing, relating to the shark. This starts to set the genre of the film. We then go to a group of people partying on a beach drinking and smoking etc. A happy mood is set as they are all having fun and having a laugh. We know its cold as the people are all dressed sensibly and some are wrapped up warm and warming up of the fire, couples are cuddling and kissing. Then we are introduced to a couple who are both very drunk, the camera focuses on them as they run towards the beach to go for a swim, they take their clothes of as they are running. As they are running they pass a pointed wooden fence, this symbolises the sharks teeth. The camera follows them to the beach and then the girl runs into the water and swims out. The boy is to drunk to swim so he lays on the beach. The camera shows the girl in the water from diffrent angles and we can hear her rippiling in the water. Then we see her from the sharks point of view from under the water, her legs and arms moving in the water, now the sound from the credits starts again.  The music starts to get lounder and faster as the shark gets closer to the girl, the effect of this music brings suspence and makes the audience believe something bad is about to happen. Then the shark attacks the girl, we can only see the girl from above the water. We see her splashing and we hear her screaming, she is being dragged around in the water by the shark and eventually is dragged under by the shark. When she has been killed and taken under by the shark the water is still again and the sound stops. We then see the drunken man on the beach oblivious to what had just happend.

The effect of this opening sequence is to tell the audidence that the film is about the shark. It sets the scence and the location of the film. We are introduced to the sound when the shark is near, this tells the audience that when that sound is played the shark is near and going to attack.
The opening sequence relates to ours as it is thrilling and it has the same aim, to set the story to the aiudience.