What Is A "Cold Open"?
Transcript
00:00What is a cold open?
00:04One of the most important challenges for producers of television shows
00:08and motion pictures is to keep the audience interested from the very
00:12first minutes of the broadcast.
00:14This is often accomplished through the use of a dramatic device
00:17known as a cold open, sometimes called a teaser.
00:21It is a snippet of action shown before the actual beginning of a show
00:25or movie's opening credits.
00:28Sometimes this opening segment is a quick reprise of previous plotlines,
00:33or it may be an attention-grabbing cliffhanger that hooks the viewer
00:36into the rest of the show.
00:38Soap operas often use a cold open to bring viewers up to speed on the
00:42plotlines the new episode will explore.
00:45A crime show might show details of the actual crime and then run the
00:49opening credits several minutes later.
00:53Action-adventure movies such as the James Bond spy series often show
00:57the hero making a dramatic escape from enemies who may or may not have
01:01anything to do with the actual plot.
01:05The point is to discourage viewers from changing the channel during the
01:08opening credits, or to set the pace for the rest of the film.
01:13Some television shows, such as most late-night talk shows, do not use
01:17this technique.
01:19The opening credits run precisely at the beginning, and an announcer or
01:22graphics introduce the guest line-up.
01:25A sketch comedy show may use a cold open, however, such as a short skit
01:30based on a current event.
01:32The actual credits do not run until a character has delivered a catchphrase
01:36or excitement-generating stunt.
01:39The use of this element can be traced back to at least the 1960s, as
01:43network producers noticed that viewers were often switching channels
01:47during the opening credits of familiar shows without waiting for the
01:50first scene.
01:52To counteract this, many shows were restructured to include a teaser
01:56sequence.
01:57At the start of a sitcom, for example, the main characters might be
02:01shown receiving a mysterious package and showing shock at the unseen
02:05contents.
02:06This scene would hook curious viewers who wanted to know what was in
02:09that box and what might happen next.
02:13A cold open for a drama might show the end of an episode with a voice-over
02:17explaining how the characters wound up in their predicament.
02:21Curious viewers would naturally want to see the beginning of the story
02:24once they have become hooked on the teaser ending.
02:28The opening might also end with a curious or cryptic piece of dialogue,
02:32which would naturally induce curiosity in many viewers.
02:36A good one is all about making sure the audience wants to return to the
02:40show after the first commercial break or opening credits.
02:44For more clear, concise answers to common and not-so-common questions,
02:48visit the Conjecture Corporation website.