AI filmmaking glossary
Cold open
Last updated: November 2, 2026
Definition
A cold open is the opening of an episode that drops the viewer straight into a moment of tension before any title, recap or explanation. In a vertical micro-drama it is the first two seconds on screen, the shot that has to stop the scroll, so it leads with a face, an action or a line, never with setup.
How it works in FXI Studio
In FXI Studio, the cold open is the first beat of the episode plan in Director Mode and usually a single shot. Board it as a still first and judge it at phone size: if the first frame does not hold attention on its own, the motion will not save it.
Open on a recurring Cast character so the face is recognizable from episode 1, and keep titles and lower thirds out of the first two seconds.
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