Opening sequences

Opening sequences are very important to presenting the narrative and setting up the plot. Most opening sequences do this by introducing the main character(s), establishing the setting and genre. This is usually done by using iconography of the specific genre, using establishing shots of cities or generally the area in which the film will be shot (suburbs, countryside, etc.) and making some sort of emotional connection with the character e.g in Juno we are immediately informed about how she is pregnant so straight away we make a connection with her. However sometimes key things like setting/ location are kept from the audience, this helps to create the sense of enigma and is especially useful in creating suspense in action/thriller films. For example in Max Payne there is no establishing shot it just goes straight to the character drowning and begins from the end which helps to create the enigma of the story and captivates the audience (which is another important aspect to opening  sequences).

Generally opening sequence also include the some of the main credits. These can be made a part of the sequence (words of objects in the scenes changed into the credits) or just put on the screen. I think the way the credits are depends highly on the genre of  film it is and the target audience for example teen films are much more likely to have integrated credits.