{"id":79482,"date":"2016-08-08T11:50:00","date_gmt":"2016-08-08T16:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=79482"},"modified":"2016-08-09T11:17:25","modified_gmt":"2016-08-09T16:17:25","slug":"hook-your-audience-with-the-first-shot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/hook-your-audience-with-the-first-shot\/","title":{"rendered":"Hook Your Audience With the First Shot"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your film or video project’s first shot is incredibly important. Whether you’re establishing a time and place or unveiling a mystery, a compelling first frame is vital.<\/h2>\n

Top image: A Clockwork Orange<\/a>\u00a0via\u00a0Warner Bros.<\/a><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

It’s vital that you make your video or film’s first frame<\/strong> as enticing as possible. Doing so will set the tone and allow you to\u00a0immediately begin telling\u00a0your story. A\u00a0unique beginning\u00a0<\/strong>will\u00a0stick with your audience long after they finish watching your work.<\/p>\n

Let’s take a look at some examples of interesting first shots,<\/strong> explore why<\/em> they’re interesting, and learn how you can apply the same techniques to your next video or film.<\/p>\n

Shot Composition<\/h3>\n

\"HookImage via The Cinema Guild<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

If you decide to use a wide<\/a> or medium shot<\/a>\u00a0that exposes your characters’ bodies, the background<\/strong>, positioning<\/strong> and lighting<\/strong> must be figured out prior to shooting.<\/p>\n

Take the image above for example, from Lisandro Alonso’s<\/a> Jauja<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0The two characters are positioned and angled in such a meticulous way that the shot resembles a painting<\/strong>. This particular shot sets up what follows, which is a series of static, long, drawn-out scenes that echo this first shot.<\/p>\n

\"HookImage via\u00a0Warner Bros.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The first shot from Interstellar<\/em><\/a>, seen above, demonstrates an undeniable sense of\u00a0mystery<\/strong>. Proposing a question to your viewers from the get-go is is a sure-fire way to hook them. Why is there a bookcase? Why is everything covered in dust? Where’s the blackhole<\/strong> I was promised?<\/p>\n

In a movie filled with twists, turns, and thrills<\/strong>, the audience immediately expects explanations to follow in the impending hours. Presenting strange questions right off the bat can yield a fantastic\u00a0payoff in the end.<\/p>\n

Establishing Location<\/h3>\n

\"HookImage via Paramount Vantage<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Establishing the location<\/strong> and environment<\/strong>\u00a0of your video in the opening shot is informative and classically effective. This type of shot (like the one above from There Will Be Blood<\/a><\/em>) tells the audience the “where” of your video (and sometimes, as seen below, the “when”) and often gives\u00a0them an idea of the mood.<\/p>\n

If you captured several establishing shots<\/strong> and B-roll<\/strong> that you’re unsure of what to do with, throwing one of those at the opening is an excellent introductory statement. News packages, corporate videos<\/a>, and\u00a0sitcoms\u00a0all make use the of the establishing shot<\/strong> to open the video.<\/p>\n

\"HookImage via\u00a020th Century Fox<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

In The Terminator<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(seen above),\u00a0James Cameron<\/a> gives us a\u00a0familiar location<\/strong>, but then throws in some out-of-nowhere details that hook the audience.<\/p>\n

\"HookImage via\u00a0USA<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A perfect example of combining these tactics \u2014\u00a0mystery<\/strong> and location\u2014\u00a0<\/strong>was seen in the popular USA series,\u00a0Mr. Robot<\/em><\/a>. The above\u00a0silhouette shot<\/strong>\u00a0with the city in the background<\/strong> gives us information on where the show will be taking place. It also\u00a0presents a couple of questions:\u00a0Who are these people? And what are they doing?<\/p>\n

Introduce Characters<\/h3>\n

\"Hook\u00a0Image via CBS Films<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

An immediate portrait shot<\/strong> of your main subject is the perfect way to jump right into a story<\/strong>. This can save a lot of unnecessary expositional dialogue<\/strong> that might give off an amateurish vibe.\u00a0Inside Llewyn Davis<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(above) presents the titular character right from the start, immediately throwing the audience into his psyche as he begins his opening “monologue.”<\/p>\n

Another classic example of this can be seen in the opening of\u00a0A Clockwork Orange<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>(see top image), which presents an\u00a0intimidating,\u00a0unavoidable shot<\/strong> of Alex DeLarge. Not only can this method save pointless dialogue<\/strong>, it can also express the character’s intent within the first few seconds of the narrative.<\/p>\n

Alternative Methods<\/h3>\n

\"HookImage via Annapurna\u00a0Pictures<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Your opening frame<\/strong> doesn’t necessarily have to feature an action<\/strong> or characters<\/strong>. It can be an object<\/strong>, part of the body<\/strong>, or purely obscure<\/strong>. The image above (from The Master<\/em><\/a>) is shown throughout the course of the movie as a theme, reflecting the main character’s stream of consciousness. The instant recognition<\/strong> takes the audience back to the beginning of the film and instills the intended feelings.<\/p>\n

You’ve probably seen Jacob T. Swinney’s<\/a> excellent side-by-side videos comparing the first and last frames of\u00a0popular movies. If you’re planning to come full circle\u00a0or connect your story in a similar way, these entrancing\u00a0videos can give you an idea of just why the first frame\u00a0is so important.<\/p>\n