Drama Openings

   One thing that has been sitting in the back of my mind is, how to dramas typically open? Is it a cold open or more of a title sequence and then an introduction. I went to youtube and looked for some example openings. The opening scene for 12 Years a Slave begins with a cold open. The screen fades from black to a field with a group of slaves listening to instructions. This immediately establishes the setting and begins to establish the conflict for the plot. In another opening, specifically Titanic, it begins with a short title sequence. It introduces the production company, and then the title of the film. then it fades to a shot of submarines diving into the deep ocean. This film opening was different form the first one, and after watching both, I have a feeling I will go with the cold open style. It introduces the plot and setting in an easier manner, which I feel will make for a better story.