What an opening sequence should do...

An opening sequence should firmly establish a time and place as well as introducing characters. It should also set up enigmas that should be resolved, and set up the initial equilibrium which is disrupted or will be disrupted later in the film. In an opening sequence you need to reassure the audience by demonstrating the conventions of the chosen genre including typical characters, settings, narratives and film language. 

So therefore, in our opening sequence we will have to establish the party, through the music and atmosphere, but also be able to indicate the fact that something bad will happen. To reassure the audience that our film is of the horror genre we could use tense music building up to a climax for example the film jaws used music, which is now recognised by everyone, when the shark was around so that the audience knew that an attack was about to take place.

In our opening sequence we want to achieve excitement and interest though the characters, and there actions. We will also aim to establish an enigma of who the killer is, and why the killer is doing this.

Beth