What Makes an Effective Title Sequence?

What Makes an Effective Title Sequence?

After completing appropriate research in what makes a title sequence effective, I have discovered specific features it must contain. 

A title sequence must give you insight into the film but not reveal everything. If it does, then it doesn't classify as an opening title sequence and will not leave the audience continuing to watch as they have worked out the plot of the entire film.

This also ties in with making the title sequence understandable for their audience. If it is confusing, the audience are going to become disengaged. Moreover, the genre needs to be clear for the audience to understand and interpret.

One way to engage your audience is an appropriate use of sound. Sound hooks are a good feature to use as they make the focused sound for example, a twig snapping, a hook would make the sound more clear and would show the true source of the sound.

Another way to engage your audience is the introduction of location and characters. This allows the audience to make a connection with the scene and characters, especially if they have names as it is more personal.

Different characteristics are for different opening title sequences, depending on their genre. For example, in action film, you would expect chase sequences and fast cuts. On the other hand, in a romance film, you would expect a picturesque location with the use of pathetic fallacy and slow, upbeat music. 

Enigma codes are key to an effective title sequence as it leaves the audience questioning and wanting to know more. This is exactly what you need to engage your audience. 

These features are the ones you should include in successfully creating an effective opening sequence.  

Preliminary Task

Reseach for Two Case Studies

Preliminary Storyboard

Ideas PowerPoint

Ideas powerpoint from thetaleofdemise

Preliminary Task Real Ideas

Preliminary Task Real Ideas

Josh, Sophie and I decided we are going to have a conversation about something real (to make things less complicated). We decided we would have a conversation about Sophie saving up for an Apple Mac computer. This would allow us to be able to continue and have a flowing conversation without having to script what we say.

We also decided where we would set our preliminary task. We would like ours in a classroom that we could initially start outside (for our establishing shot) and then easily obtain a shot of Josh walking through the door, entering the classroom. 

Our preliminary task would include a number of shots to portray our ability. We planned on using an eyeline shot and a shot reverse shot for our converstaion. We would also use low angles when Josh walked through the door. We decided to do this to connote his dominance over Sophie and I as, later on,  Josh reveals how Sophie could earn more money. 

Preliminary Task Scenarios

Preliminary Task Scenarios

1. Friends arguing 
2. Couples arguing
3. Friends playing a game
4. Class discussion 
5. Parent/teacher conference
6. Gossiping
7. Friends talking about school
8. Spreading rumours
9. Friends sharing something on a mobile/device
10. Talking about a TV programme last night

Theories of Narrative

I have researched two theories of narrative which are theories concerning the structure of narratives. I wish to use these to create an interesting narrative for the film which I can reflect within my opening sequence as the aim of an opening sequence is to set up the narrative.

TZVETAN TODOROV'S THEORY - he noticed a repeating pattern in narrative and thus made the following theory:

Equilibrium - An existing state of harmony.
Disequilibrium - The equilibrium is disrupted by an even or "evil" character which leads to a chain of events.
New Equilibrium - The evil is overcome and the harmony exists once more.

This theory is basically saying that narrative is just a repeating pattern of harmony, disruption and harmony. This theory is true for most films and therefore we would most probably accept the fact that our film will follow this theory. The narrative set up in the opening sequence music appear to set up the first stage 'equilibrium' of the movie, this means it will have to start peaceful but still have a sense of foreboding for what is going to disturb this.

VLADIMIR PROPP'S THEORY - After studying Russian fairy tales, well know for their narratives dependent on characters to move the narrative along, he came up with the following theory:

THE SEVEN SPHERES OF ACTION - WHAT THE CHARACTER DOES IN THE NARRATIVE

THE VILLAIN - creates the narrative complication
THE DONOR - gives the hero something which helps in the resolution of the narrative
THE HELPER - gives the hero help to resolve the narrative
THE PRINCESS - has to be saved by the hero
THE DISPATCHER - sends the hero on his task
THE HERO - saves the day and resolves the narrative, sometimes he has been on a quest of similar
THE FALSE HERO - appears to be good but has been bad all along

This theory is stating that characters are crucial to move the plot along, as in our opening sequence we are only introduced to one of characters and it is unsure what genre she falls into from the small clips we get of her. From her innocent actions and vulnerability we are lead to believe she is the princess of the opening sequence, this helps to introduce the idea that she is going to have to be saved from a villainous character, setting up the story line for this to happen within.

Shot List

Storyboard of Preliminary Task

Research on Jobs Which Appear in Credits

Common opening credits order:

This is the original basis for a films credit, these aren’t true for every movie, sometimes the change the order slightly but this is the principle lay out.

·         Name of studio – The name of the production studio or distribution company is normally the first thing we see on a movie. Sometimes it just contains the name of the company, other times it shows a logo (for example the Disney castle)

·         Name of the production company – normally a group of companies invest into the making of a film so their names would follow after a title such as “In association with…” or “A … production”

·         Producer or directors name – “A film by…” or “A … film”

·         Starring, main actors – Shows the names of the principal actors, mostly the main stars, for example is a well know Hollywood actor, for example Johnny Depp, is in a movie his name would appear here.

·         Featuring- other actors, normally not as well know. Normally two or three names appear on the same credit.

·         Films title – this can appear in many different points in a movie but mostly in this place, sometimes it appears before the actors names or right at the end just after the directors name has appeared.

·         Casting by – the casting director(s).

·         Music by – the composer of the films music of who created the original score.

·         Production designer – these vary dependent on the genre of film but can include:

• o   SET DESIGN
• o   COSTUMES or COSTUMES BY or GOWNS (older movies)
• o   HAIRDRESSER
• o   MAKE-UP ARTIST
• o   SOUND RECORDING (older movies)
• o   VISUAL EFFECTS DIRECTOR or VISUAL EFFECTS BY

·         Editor – who edited the movie

·         Director of photography

·         Producer/ produced by/ executive producer – sometimes contains the co- producers. “Also produced by”  

·         Based on the book/ character by – if it is based on a novel of some kind their name will appear here, similarly if the film is based on a character, for example from a comic book, the characters creator’s name will be here.

·         Writers/ written by – who wrote the screenplay

·         Director! – normally only one director, their credit is show last.

Trailer Analysis

 Analysis of Trailer

Mise-en-scene and sound created tension throughout the trailer of Spectre in a variety of ways to intise their audience.

A voice over is used at the very beginning to kick start the trailer. The voiceover is a use of asynchronus, non diegetic sound. The voiceover doesn't include much but what it does say creates mystery by speaking in a low toned voice. This is done so the audience have lots of questions raised about the film and makes them want to find the answer to these questions. Consequently, this draws in a wider audience and could, over all, increase the audience which view the film at the cinema as they are unable to wait to find the answer to the questions.

The speech throughout the trailer is very minimalistic. Key phrases and words are used throughout the trailer to not give the film away to the audience before they have seen the film. This allows for a wider audience to want to see the film as it leaves enigma codes.

Pleonastic sound is used throughout the entire trailer and is used to exagerate the sound of explosions and gun shots. This is done to shock or scare the audience. The use of pleonastic sound is needed because audiences nowadays are used to seeing guns and explosions as many films include these aspects. As a result, film industries need to be able to shock their audience and the way they go round this is by increasing the sound levels to make things more dramatic. This appeals to the audience more as they are experiencing something different which encourages more people to go and see the film.

The camera angles used in the trailer of Spectre add lots of tension and mystery. This is used by shooting in lots of over the shoulder shots where the protagonist and antagonist cannot be seen. Moreover, the camera angles of the protagonist, Daniel Craig, connote vunerability as they are shot from a high angle.

Low key lighting also links in to the vunerability of the protagonist. The use of low key lighting adds tones of mystery as you're unable to see clearly what was going on. The use of low key lighting made it unclear for the audience to identify the protagonist and the antagonist. This made the audience question who was bad and who was good. The level of low key lighting used in the trailer could connote that this film is going to have a different ending than other James Bond films. This is because most of the trailer was shot in low key lighting which could connote that the protagonist is in a lot more danger than usual. 

The kenisics used throughout the trailer are extrememly serious. This allows the audience to interpret the genre of the film and the severity that may happen throughout it. This could connote that James Bond (Daniel Craig) is in a lot more trouble and in a tougher situation than his usual adventures. As a result of this, the audience may feel more inclined to watch the film when it is initially released. This increases the box office figures.

Spectre uses mise-en-scene, sound, lighting and camera shots/angles to connote mystery which intises people to watch the film before it is released on DVD. This increases the box office figures for Spectre and allows for a bigger profit.