The History of the Opening Title

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Conventions of the Thriller genre

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Extension Activity (Question 7) - Who makes title sequences?

Although Kenworthy's opening sequence is predominately animation, and I plan for my opening sequence to be filmed rather than animated, there are still aspects of his opening sequence that I can take inspiration from. An example of this is the fast pace of the sequence, which helps attract the audiences attention and, in the case of my thriller genre sequence, could increase tension and apprehension in the audience when used with specific aspects of mise en scene. Furthermore, Kenworthy's work also proves how important sound and music is in creating a desired atmosphere, and I will therefore ensure that I use and carefully choose the music for my opening sequence.

Analysing Thriller: 'Se7en Opening Sequence'

Analysing Thriller: 'The Silence of the Lambs'

Analysing the structure of titles in 'Back To The Future'

'Legally Blonde' Analysis

The first aspect to be considered in the analysis of 'Legally Blonde' is editing. For example, the clip features the use of slow motion, when one of Elle's friends takes the letter. Not only does this let the audience take in the details of the setting, but it also helps create a feeling in the clip as being 'dream-like', and almost surreal. Furthermore the slow motion can be considered to show how Elle is relishing the day, as it is the 'perfect day', and that she wants it to go slow because of this.

Furthermore, the part in which this slow motion suddenly speeds up back to normal pace again when Elle's friend turns around and begins to walk highlights how busy the house is and that even though Elle is enjoying the day, there is still a large amount going on. This shows her popularity, as it makes her life appear constantly exciting, never with time to spare.

Thirdly is the application of cross cutting, predominately between Elle getting ready and the letter being passed from person to person. This shows the connection between the two, allowing the audience to understand that the letter is for Elle without needing to know her name or see the name on the letter.

Another piece of editing is the action match used when Elle's dog picks up the letter and carries it towards her. This shows how spoiled, or pampered, Elle is at it emphasises how she doesn't have to do anything herself. The letter was delivered to her without her having to move at all, whilst those around her rushed around instead for her.

Finally, the last piece of editing used is in the credits, with them being edited in and out in a fading effect, with pink hues behind them. The pink specifically can be considered to highlight the femininity of Elle and also to establish the type of audience the movie is aiming towards, whilst the fade helps to draw in the audience's attention, even as the scene was unfolding.

Moving on to camerawork, the first piece of camerawork is the close up shot of the letter when it had been put into the basket one of Elle's friend's bicycle. This emphasises the importance of it, and also allows the audience to see the name written on it. It therefore, when paired with the cross cutting, already provides a suggestion as to what the name of the protagonist could be and gives some information to the audience without the use of any dialogue.

Another close up used is the close up on Elle's blonde hair in the beginning of the opening, when she is brushing it. This creates the idea of 'Barbie', and suggests Elle could possibly be superficial or a typical 'preppy' girl, which is connoted through both this shot and the music that it is paired with during the scene.

Thirdly, in camerawork an establishing shot, which shows the sign outside of the sorority, is also used. This not only establishes that the house is a sorority, but it also provides a name of the sorority and tells us that, since Elle is in a sorority, she is most likely a student and therefore quite young.

Additionally, a tracking shot is also used almost continually throughout the clip, following the various girls through the house as they make their way to deliver the letter to Elle. This provides a seamless tour of the house, providing large amounts of detail to the audience non-verbally, as well as showing how far Elle's friends are willing to go for her whilst Elle does nothing  ̶  reinforcing the idea she is possibly selfish or self-absorbed.

Lastly, the use of a high angle pan as Elle's friend walks up the stairs provides a view of the location and also places the sorority members in the shot at a lower angle than the upstairs floor, where Elle is. This, as a result, creates the image that Elle is above and has more authority than the other girls in the house.

The third asset of 'Legally Blonde' is the soundtrack, which features both diegetic and non-diegetic sound. Firstly, the use of the non-diegetic music in the form of the upbeat, girly song 'Perfect Day' that continues throughout nearly the entire scene establishes the mood of the movie, showing it to be optimistic and cheerful. It also suggests the genre of the movie, and presents Elle's life to be 'perfect' as it is describing her day to be quite literally the 'perfect day'.

Another piece of soundtrack used is the diegetic, ambient sound of the sorority girls chatting. This shows just how many girls are actually staying in the house, and highlights Elle's popularity as it shows how many friends, and sorority sisters, she has. Once again, the presentation of Elle as a popular, 'Barbie' girl is emphasised.

Furthermore is the implementation of dialogue, particularly when the fraternity boys are yelling or 'cat calling' at Elle's friend as she rides through the streets on her bicycle. As a result, the audience understand that not only is Elle popular but her friends are too, implying that the sorority itself is most likely very popular or at least has members that are all considered 'popular'.

Finally, dialogue is also used when the letter is finally slipped under Elle's door and the music decreases, then allowing the audience to hear Elle talking on the phone. She is talking about a high class restaurant in the local area, and her voice has a typical 'valley girl' accent to it, which causes the audience to have an instant assumption that she could be considered as an airhead, or overall not very smart person. This is juxtaposed later on in the film when she gets into law school showing she is, in reality, fairly smart. 

The last aspect of the film to consider is the mise-en-scene, which plays an important part in conveying to the audience information both about the genre of the film and the protagonist, Elle. The first example of this is related to costume, in the fact that Elle is seen putting on a silver necklace that appears to be quite expensive. This could suggest her wealth, as she is able to afford several pieces of jewellery like this, which is proven by the matching bracelet she wears alongside this necklace during the clip. 

Another piece of mise-en-scene is the colour scheme, which features an extremely heavy use of pink that could suggest femininity and show how Elle could be considered to be a stereotypical girl. Furthermore, this colour scheme is paired with high key lighting, reflecting how Elle's life is perfect and the cheerful atmosphere her life has because of this.

Thirdly, there are two props in the movie which provide the audience with more important information about Elle, the first of which is a plaque. This tells the audience that not only is Elle a member of a sorority but she is the president of it, strengthening the idea that she is considered superior to the other sorority members as she is considered a leader.

The second prop is the sash on her wall, which tells the audience that Elle won homecoming queen in high school. The idea of homecoming queen is often associated with the 'popular' students and therefore suggests to the audience that Elle has always been very popular and follows the stereotypes of a popular girl. 

Finally, the last prop used is the teddy bears on her shelf, which create the image of a stereotypical rich girl, who still acts like a little girl due to the lack of need for them to grow up as their parents can still afford to support them. This adds to the overall stereotypes Elle is following, and gives the impression that she is a pampered, rich daughter.

'The Sixth Sense' Analysis

'Wallander' Analysis

'Wallander' uses a large variety of different camera shots to successfully create it's desired effect and draw the audience to the important aspects of the scene. An example of this is the use of an aerial shot at the beginning, which also serves as  an establishing shot as it helps to establish the location that the event is set in by presenting distinctive qualities of the environment to the audience. These provide them with an idea as to where the characters are, which in this case appears to most likely be in Sweden, when viewing the scenery. Additionally, the shot also shows how isolated the characters are, as the green fields show a very minimal amount of houses. This suggests there is a sense of danger, as it would be easy for a crime to take place in an area like that due to the low amount of people around.

Another shot that is used in the clip is a two shot, when the two girls are walking away from the car. This shows them in the same shot, linking them together and showing there is a relation between them. Furthermore, the shot not only connects the two girls together, but also shows that they were both involved in the murder of the man in the car and, as a result, are both threats, which heightens the sense of danger. In addition to this, the shot shows the two girls from the back, creating suspense as the audience is unable to see the girls' faces or identify them in any way. This results in unease amongst the audience.

Thirdly, numerous close up shots can also be found in the clip. For example, the close up used on the hand of the driver the two girls attempted to murder forces the audience to focus on that particular detail of the scene, which as a result allows them to notice that his finger twitches. The audience therefore come to the realisation that the man is still alive, which could have been a detail they had missed if the camera did not focus on such an important quality. To add to this, the close up shot also shows that the man was unarmed, conveying to the audience that it was murder on the two girls' part, rather than self defence, which highlights how cold-blooded what they did was.

The fourth camera shot used that adds an important element to the scene is a tracking shot. This is used when Wallander gets out from his car and begins to walk towards the crime scene, and is soon joined by one of his colleagues. The tracking shot used here shows how, as he is an investigator, his job is filled with crimes such as these and he is a very busy man, never being able to stop and relax. In addition to this, it is also conveyed to the audience that he is clearly a professional, through the way he gets out of his car and begins to walk straight towards the crime scene -- showing him to be work-oriented. The serious way in which the two are walking also expresses the morbidity of the scene, and creates a serious atmosphere.

Finally, the last camera shot is created by a handheld camera, when Wallander is staring at the eldest girl, Sonja. This shot puts the audience in the place of Sonja, therefore making them feel as though they are a part of the scene and causing the audience to be more affected by what is happening in it. In addition to this, the shakiness of the camera realistically replicates the bumpiness of being in the car, making it easier for the audience to feel as though they are a part of the scene and also seeing Wallander through the eyes of Sonja.

Another aspect of 'Wallander' that is important in creating the atmosphere of the scene is the editing. An example of editing used in the clip is the use of cross-cutting, in which the shot alternates between focusing on the teenage girls and focusing on the man in the car. This establishes the connections between them, allowing the audience to understand that the two are connected in some way, and soon come to the conclusion that the girls have murdered him. It also establishes the genre from very early on, and sets the morbid atmosphere of the rest of the scene.

Another piece of editing used is an eye line match, where Wallander looks towards the police car and the shot then cuts to a shot of the two girls in the car. This shows how Wallander has acknowledged the criminals, and also allows the audience to see that the criminals they are talking about are definitely Sonja and her younger sister, as a result presenting the connection between all of the characters.

Thirdly, the editing overall is very slow paced, consequently forcing the audience to take in what they are seeing and understand the brutality behind it. This is most prominent during the succession of scenes in which the two girls are walking away from the car, therefore causing a sense of dread to build, as well as the overall grim nature of the scene to stand out.
Inserts are also used in the scene, specifically at the beginning where there is a long shot of the man in the car before a shot of the knife is inserted. This creates a more effective 'shock', as before the knife is seen the audience would assume that there has been a car crash and that it was consequently an accident. The knife then counters this, and shocks the audience as it shows it was actually a deliberate murder.

Finally, the editing also features parallel editing throughout the clip, alternating between the two girls, the man in the car and Wallander. As a result, it creates an overwhelming atmosphere as it appears as though so much is going on at once and gives a busy effect to the scene. Furthermore, this editing also connects all of the characters together and shows that each of the events are related.

Mise-en-scene also provides a large, varied amount of detail to the clip. For example, costume is used to effectively portray stereotypes to the audience and allow them to get an idea of the character simply from appearance. This is shown in the two teenage girls, particularly Sonja. Both characters have adopted a 'rebellious' fashion, wearing black and large hoop earrings. In addition, Sonja has streaks of red in her hair, and is also wearing a razor blade as a necklace. These both connote violence, with the red being a possible representation of danger, and the razor blade effectively being a weapon. Instantly, the audience receive an impression of the girls to be violent, rebellious teenagers.

Colouring is also important in setting the mood of the scene. The entirety of the clip has a blue tint to it, resulting in a feeling of gloominess and solemnity. It works to make the audience uneasy, and is also advantageous in making the blood splatters used in the scene contrast more -- causing them to be more gruesome and shocking,

In addition to this is props, such as the knife that is held by Sonja towards the beginning of the scene. This helps the audience to make the connection between the two girls and the man's death, as well as creating a plot twist as before the knife is seen it could be assumed the man had died in a car crash, but once the knife appears it becomes clear it was murder.

It also shows how violent the two girls are and establishes them as antagonists.

Another prop is the ID card shown in the man's car. Whilst this does not necessarily provoke any particular emotion in the audience, it serves to provide them with some information about the man such as that his name is Johan, without it having to be said with dialogue. This ensures that there does not have to be any dialogue that seems unrealistic or over exaggerated, and that less time has to be spent explaining who he was when the Wallander and his colleague begin to talk about him. 

The last prop, and aspect of mise-en-scene, is a key ring of Johan and a family relative, most likely his son. This, similarly to the ID card, gives the audience insight in to the life of Johan and makes the murder more dramatic, as well as providing information that can be incorporated into the show later on.

Following on from this is soundtrack. The clip predominately uses diagetic sound for effect, such as the use of sound perspective. This is heard when the camera continually switches between the two girls and the man in the car, with the muffled, static noise of the radio cutting in and out with the switching of the shot. As a result, an eerie atmosphere is created, as the sound is constantly changing between the static of the radio and the heavy breathing of Sonja, building tension in the scene as the audience begin to realise it was a murder.

Relating to this, the song that is coming from the radio sounds ironically happy when it is compared with the scene where it is playing. It is quite upbeat, yet the camera is showing an image of a man who has been murdered. These two aspects juxtapose each other, which makes the audience confused and creates a feeling of unease at how abnormal it is.

Other pieces of diagetic sound, such as the wind whistling when the aerial shot is panning over the setting of the clip, work to create suspense and therefore makes the sudden shot of the girls walking and then the man in the car more of a shock to the viewer, as it is unexpected.

A fourth example is ambient sound. This is used most effectively towards the end of the clip, in which there is no music and you can simply hear the murmur of policemen talking and the wind. This abrupt silence in the scene highlights the serious ambience of it, as well as giving the audience to fully reflect on what they have just watched in order for it to have a bigger impact.

The final example is the sharp noise and sudden cut off during the switch of the aerial shot to the two shot, conveying to the audience that something is wrong even before the crime scene is shown and it is simply establishing the location. Instantly, the audience is able to take a hint from the noise as to what sort of genre the show is.

What is an opening sequence?

An opening sequence is the first few minutes of a film, which establish the setting, event and main character of the movie. It often draws and immerses the audience into the film and leaves them asking questions or with a cliffhanger, so as to ensure they continue watching. In other opening sequences, it gives the title and/or actors of the film. Regardless of what the opening sequence is showing, it always makes sure to establish the genre of the movie through sound and visual means. 

Some examples are:

Se7en

The Sixth Sense

Edward Scissorhands

The Brief

"To research, plan, create and evaluate the opening sequence and titles to a new fiction film that lasts no longer than 2 minutes."

We will first begin our coursework with research, such as finding different movie openings that are stereotypical of their genre and using different ones for inspiration.

From there we will begin planning, in which we will organise what we want to do for our own movie opening and create the basic structure for it in a storyboard or other form of a plan. Both the research and planning will be done individually.

Then it will become time for us to create our opening sequence. From here onwards we will be working in groups, rather than individually, and we will film and edit the opening sequence together. This is the main part of the project.


Finally, we will work in a mix of groups and individually so write a detailed evaluation of our project.

Preliminary Project

For our preliminary project, we had to film a small movie opening. It had to include a shot reverse shot, match on action and it also had to adhere to the 180 degree rule. The video had to follow someone walking, opening a door and sitting down in front of someone else. 

WWW: - We followed the criteria for the project and used a shot reverse shot and a match on action, as well as adhering to the 180 degree rule.

- The match on action was quite accurate

- The shot reverse shot was edited well and doesn't cut dialogue off.

EBI: - We had found a way to get rid of the noise of the tripod jamming during the middle of the scene.

- Shots during the dialogue were longer. The short takes made the conversation appear rushed.

- We had added music during the opening. 

Introduction

Hi my name is Sophie. I am seventeen years old and currently taking A-level Media with the OCR exam board.
I decided to take Media as I studied it as a GCSE and enjoyed it, so I wanted to continue it as an A-level. I also want to try filming and editing a movie opening which is what we are doing for our coursework.