Initial Treatment

My initial treatment is basically my first synopsis idea. If the opening sequences are to be executed well, there must be an original overview of a storyline that would be a complete feature-length film storyline. My overview is basically to utilize the state-of-the-art Academy building as our setting but create a science fiction-esque opening sequence merged with action.

Opening Sequences
Four university students are all revising for a particular subject after university as the atmosphere feels dark and empty (a nod/reference to critically-acclaimed Miracle Fish.) Shots such as low-angle shots will be taken to give a clearer insight into the emptiness of the building. However, there are particular sound elements that will also be used in the background as if there are other people in the building.

There will be arc shots that will be taken to show different sections of the building (e.g. university rooms etc.) and there will possibly be blood elements to add more intensity to the situation but not give away the full storyline. The students will be alerted to the background sounds and walk around the university inspecting. However, each student will disappear as the others will be cautious of this and look around. There will be sounds of footsteps and objects (e.g. slamming doors or banging on walls) and as the others investigate the situation more, they later find out their friends' bodies lying motionless on the floor.

There will be one university student left in the sequence and lighting effects/focus shots (shots that will focus on this particular person) will be applied to give an unpredictable aura. He will walk into a room and then drop his pencil as his facial expression would be of shock (a shot will be taken of the pencil drop with sound added to it when it drops.) After this shot, it will switch swiftly to a normal day in which the last person finishes to read a story of this sequence to the others and closing the book; as if the opening sequence was his story or just a dream/imagination.

Overview
The plot basically revolves around four university students from a fictional university that feel like dropping out after the amount of hard work and because of the fact that they seem to miss home.
However, there are plot twists that occur later on in the movie (e.g. characters disappearing and more clues emerging) that reinforce the unpredictable vibe of the whole film.

Ideas for Opening Sequence

To summarise it all in a blog-post, I had a group discussion with Shingai and Liban about the specific type of Genre we should pick for the opening sequence as it would help give us a clearer insight into how we can execute our opening sequence with the right music, timing and atmosphere being utilized.

We are still having thoughts about pre-production ideas but we may come to a conclusion being that the genre of our opening sequence will be an action/thriller type of opening sequence as it would captivate the viewers straight away but not give away too much of our synopsis. Our ideas included an entrance scene utilizing the Academy facilities, the elevator (as it would contribute to our plot & production values as it would give us ideas to do great shots, e.g. reverse angle shots) and reception.

The cast has been confirmed to be Shingai, Liban and I (with Nile O-Meally Newell being a possibility.) This also benefits us heavily as I feel our ideas would merge together well in a small group and our plans would come into fruition with the opening sequence we are attempting to film. We have even discussed about possible costume designs although these costumes are still early thoughts (our ideas included suits and shades. Think of Men in Black or Reservoir Dogs as a reference) as the mood we were thinking of was more of a "shady organization" type of feel; another possible reference would be to the futuristic movie hit, The Matrix.

Opening Sequence Analysis

Game of Thrones

The opening sequence of "Game of Thrones" differentiates from other opening sequences as opening sequences usually feature characters and text to help us interpret what the opening sequence could lead to whereas despite the fact it does feature the cast and song, this sequence uses animations and settings (e.g. cities and towns rise from the landscape, perhaps to show the rise/growth; as it is linked to thrones.)

This is a masterful method of creating an opening sequence as it doesn't give away the storyline much but for a sequence that does not offer a lot, it gives you an insight as to what the story could be - the main purpose of an opening sequence.

Summary:

Set in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, where "summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime," Game of Thrones chronicles the violent dynastic struggles among the kingdom's noble families for control of the Iron Throne; as the series opens, additional threats from the snow and ice covered region north of Westeros and from the eastern continent across a narrow sea are simultaneously beginning to rise.