Opening Sequences

As a class we looked on the website Art of the Title which lets you watch various different types of opening sequences.

For my main task product research, I have been researching different types of opening sequences and compared the similarities and differences within opening sequences.

In class we looked at three different opening sequences Dinner for Schmucks, Coraline and Catch me if You Can. 

1. Dinner for Schmucks

Uses innocent looking titles that matches the soundtrack and the lyrics of the background music, this links to the sweet and innocent titles that blend in with the theme of the film. This opening scene gives an insight into the story line and the characters but doesn't give anything away, all of the actors and producers and the directors names are spread out across the shot and at the end of the sequence the directors name is the biggest and in the centre of the shot highlighting their importance.

         2. Coraline

Titles are shown before the animation properly starts, this opening scene creates a mysterious and creepy atmosphere and sense for the audience, the titles fit similarly to Dinner for Schmucks as they link directly to the theme of the scene. The background music also adds to the eerie sense for the scene and this helps link the titles as they fit in with the animation of a doll being sown and turned inside out. This already gives the audience the feeling that something isn't quite right which will help to draw in the audiences attention to the rest of the film.

          3.  Catch me if You Can

The titles during this sequence seems as if it is a part of the sequence and is integrated into the theme of the film. This helps to draw attention to the names being shown, making them stand out which differs from what was seen in dinner for schmucks. The animation hints at the story line of the film but is still mysterious and leaves the audience wanting to know what is going to happen. This opening sequence is intriguing and when the audience finishing watching the scene they will understand that the beginning shows the plot before the film begins.

To Conclude, similarities within opening sequences are:

• Has a set theme or style which links into the context of the film
• Has a soundtrack that is appropriate
• Includes the name of the film, with the use of titles
• Titles are incorporated into the theme and the cast names are stated at the beginning, with different fonts and sizes showing importance

These are the main conventions of an opening sequence and are aspects that I will need to include when doing my own opening sequence. This research was useful as it helps build up a picture of how similar conventions can be used to show contrasting themes and ideas and helps to show how all the aspects fit together to flow as an opening sequence.

The Main Task

The brief for our main task is:

Film the opening sequence of a new fiction film, including titles and soundtrack to last approximately 2 minutes.

The highlighted points are the most important aspects of the brief that I will need to be able to completely understand before starting filming and pre-production. I will need to research and be able to use titles and soundtracks to understand their function but also I need to understand what an opening sequence is and what the main aspects are within an opening sequence.

Titles:

• Show the title of the film, the actors and the characters within the film
• Usually names shown are in order of importance, typically with the directors name last
• Font and size need to be considered when making decisions about each individual character/actor

Soundtrack:

• Includes forms of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds
• Backing music
• Dialogue and potentially voice overs
• Special effects

Opening Sequence:

• Introduces the theme and style of the film
• Establishes scenes of the film
• Includes a soundtrack
• Includes the name of the film
• Has a colour scheme
• Titles are typically incorporated into the theme of the sequence
• Cast is included in the opening sequence



Preliminary Task

Our preliminary task was to demonstrate, shot/reverse shot, match on action and the 180 degree rule. I think out group did well on showing these aspects effectively as the scene is continuous, matching the action of the scene, mainly as she walks through the door. Also reverse shots and the 180 degree rule was used when the two characters were talking so the audience could see what the character was seeing and the emotions showed by both of the characters.

Our film also completes the brief as it shows a character opening a door, walking across a room and having a conversation with another character.

The most difficult aspect of making this film was the editing and to make the separate videos match up to show continuous action and for the editing to be more subtle as all the separate clips should flow into each other. One problem with our film is that is was filmed on a phone so the video doesn't fill up the whole screen and therefore has the black border around the film as it plays. Next time we will ensure that we use a camera which will also increase and improve the steadiness of the filming.

Here is what our group created: