Cold Open

A cold open drops the audience into the story before the opening titles: an inciting moment, a mystery, a flash-forward, or a set piece that establishes tone. It's especially common in television and genre features.

An effective cold open raises a question the story will answer and signals what kind of film this is. It should connect to the main story, often foreshadowing the inciting incident, rather than serving as an unrelated hook. Strong openings matter on the page too; see first ten pages mistakes.