Rough Outline of My Opening Sequence (1st Draft)

In my opening sequence I will focus on introducing the protagonist, showcasing his skills and characteristics (his character traits) to help the audience understand who he is and how he will perform the mission later on in the film's narrative. This will make the audience feel connected to the ‘hero’ as they follow his journey, ultimately watching him uncover a government conspiracy, creating clear expectations surrounding his potential for success or failure.

My opening sequence will be split into distinct scenes that will allow the audience to build a connection with the protagonist and to understand what the character is like early on, through showing elements of his daily routine which imply that he is no longer the highly trained individual he once was and that he has lost his edge as he has become more domesticated. 

The different scenes may include: the protagonist waking up, a morning montage of preparing breakfast badly (for example the coffee spilling over, him burning the toast), a calming moment, opening the letter and preparing to leave.

The first scene will include the protagonist engaging in everyday tasks, which suggests to the audience that he has a peaceful lifestyle now that he has retired from active duty. Subtly, these tasks will hint at his abilities as he will be doing press-ups/pull ups which suggests he is physically strong, chopping wood for his fire which suggests he is resourcefulness, polishing/fixing his car which highlights his attention to detail - but, I also want to imply through the way he does these things that he may no longer be in the shape he once was. 

As the audience witness him doing these normal tasks I want them to question whether he still has the skills and capacity to be able to go on another mission even though he left the Secret Service. Additionally, to add to the depth of his character there will be framed photographs in his home showing him as strong and accomplished in his younger years to emphasises his capability and past experience, and perhaps to the contrast with the present.

After he has completed his tasks, the second scene will be him sitting down to enjoy his morning coffee (which he has allowed to overflow on the machine), whilst solving the sudoku in the newspaper, which also highlights his intelligence. Suddenly, a letter is posted through a door and this is when the third sequence happens. The protagonist swiftly notices it (there will be a reaction shot of the protagonist quickly moving his head towards the door which will cut to the letter on the floor) showing his heightened awareness of his surroundings. 

This will be contrasted with his more tentative movements which will suggest he is aching after his morning fitness routine (reinforcing that he is currently not in quite the same shape as he was in his prime). When the letter arrives, he picks up the phone and says “Yes, I got it” which indicates that he may have been expecting to be called back one day and that he still has the Secret Service number saved on his phone. The letter labelled “private and confidential” in bold sans-serif font creates suspense for the audience as they don’t know what to expect, nor whether he will be up to the task. After reading it, he learns he must return to Secret Service headquarters for a mission debrief that he will be leading as he is the only one capable of it.

Finally, he grabs his gun, cap and sunglasses to keep a low profile as he heads out, unaware of the challenges awaiting him on this unexpected mission, which is the last scene of the opening sequence.