Opening sequence - Mad men

I know this is not the opening sequence to a film but I have just started to watch it and love it so much I wanted to write about it. Mad men is about people working in an advertising agency and the struggles they face there and in their personal lives. This is what is shown after the opening credits on the very first episode: 

In an interview about the opening sequence The series creator/executive producer Matthew Weiner says "An american business man jumps out of the window - that makes a statement... Its part of our iconography.":

From the beginning, the animated approach gives a mysterious, dream like vibe, and the silhouette of who we assume is the protagonist (Don Draper) will be somewhat of an enigma himself. 

The falling objects could signify the main characters life is built on shaky grounds, and could be about to fall apart.

There are a few things we can gather from the next few shots. We see him falling. On the surface it could look like he jumped out if the window but it probably really means that his life is on the edge of an abyss. Also we can tell the the programme will be about advertising from all the pictures on the buildings that surround him as he falls. We can also tell from the style of the photos the programme will be set in the late 1950s or early 1960s. 

The significance of Don falling through the picture of the happy family, past the legs of the woman and through the drink - which above it says -

"Enjoy the best American has to offer." These represent the pressures he faces at work, his issues with his family life, the affairs he has, his huge use of alcohol and cigarettes. Not to mention his wealthy life style.

The idea that these images are towering over him and he is falling between then signifies he has no way of escape his family, alcoholism, his high stress job, and everything else that are shown on the walls on the buildings as he falls.

And then finally at the end this iconic imagine is shown, which has Don Draper relaxed in an arm chair, holding a cigarette. from this we know, there is going to be A LOT of smoking. 
In this shot he signifies the epitome of suave coolness of the advertising industry at the start of the 1960s, and the fact that it is shown at the end could signify he keeps composed while dealing with all the pressures of his life. Or the the shot could just be laying ground for the cool setting of the series. 


The song played 'A beautiful mine' is also contemporary enough to appeal to a young audience.
at the start the music sets up a tension underlying the pressures affecting the protagonist. The music resolves at the end, reflecting the coolness of the final shot.