Credit sequences Analysis

Credit Sequences

        

Analysis of student made opening sequences

Analysis of student made opening sequences

I decided to analyse a students piece of work which really helped my group decide on a final idea for our own piece. This piece of work got an A grade and included all the elements that an opening sequence needs. Lastly, it is relevant to our piece because 'the inner evil' connotes the idea of one person with two identities and so our piece is exactly like that however with some psychotic and horror elements as well.

The inner evil (2013)

It begins with the institutional logo which is filmed in the same setting as the actual opening sequence to create more relevance and show that it is sponsoring the film.  The music is not a conventional thriller song which I believe makes its more unique whilst also creating enigmas of where this film is going to go in terms of the narrative. I also like the idea of the flashbacks/ forwards as it is an unusual technique within this genre therefore creating individuality. On the other hand, I believe that the use of shaky camera movements such as the shallow focus of the glass was intentional as it contributes to the portrayal of the genre and the shakiness may represent the disorientation of what's happening in the characters mind. Secondly, the location it was filmed in connotes an everyday scene to show the simplistic elements and that this film would be based through the eyes of an ordinary teenage girl. Lastly, I feel the concept of this film is slightly unclear as the 'inner evil' creates enigmas whether the girl is dreaming all of those dramatic moments or whether they would actually happen later on.

In contrast to this, I found an opening sequence which I believe has various elements which let it down and therefore came across as very unprofessional.

The Bloody Suit (2013)

Firstly, the storyline behind this is too clear and it doesn't feel like an opening sequence however, after reading the overview underneath the clip I found that the narrative was completely different different to what came across showing it wasn't clearly thought through enough. Similarly, there were various continuity errors for example, running the bath without putting the plug in and the male character had a change of clothes near the end which also contributes to the poor quality of this sequence. There was no institutional logo or title to the film once again showing that the group were not organised and lacked knowledge about  conventions of opening sequences. Likewise, the credits were a very plain white font and they could have used that as an ample opportunity to exhibit their genre. I noticed that some credits were accidentally repeated as well which could have been a very easy thing to fix. Although, their music clearly resembled a thriller genre, the way it was integrated into the piece was very poor and at points it wasn't necessary as it only played for around 2 seconds. In my opinion I think they should have used only one song and had it continuously playing throughout the whole piece. Lastly, the camera work did have various shots and used a variety of editing techniques such as cross cutting from the car to the house and colourising (when the knife is being removed), however overall it wasn't a polished piece of work and I feel they could have done much better.

What makes a good opening sequence ( based on students previous work)

What Makes A good Opening Sequence

I decided to focus on the horror genre because I felt that would be more useful and relevant to compare to. Also I could use it to my own benefit to make sure my opening sequence is as good as it can be in comparison to previous years.




          

What is effective in students opening sequences

Students Opening Sequences

Analysis Of Opening Sequences- Woman in Black

Woman In Black (2013)

            

Music: 

• The slow classic instrumental repeated creates an eerie atmosphere resembling the horror genre.
• This instrumental is very slow and has what sounds like a triangle playing in it and this sound makes the audience feel slightly on edge. This sound increases as the sense of danger does and this creates a more sinister atmosphere.
• Audience are given images of death and may be left with an uncomfortable feeling and therefore this music may be used to foreshadow the future events in the film.
• No dialogue throughout the opening sequence adding narrative enigma.
• Ambient sound of high-pitched screams causing suspense at the end of the opening sequence and makes you want to watch on.

Characters: 

• We see them as these normal young girls playing with some dolls
• Dolls are typical toys which little girls play with however, they have recently been key parts of horror films because they are sometimes seen as creepy figures. Similarly the close up of the dolls face, applies more enigma to the opening sequence maybe implying that something bad is going to happen to the characters.

Costume:

• The three girls are wearing similar costumes resembling the time the film was set in.
• There pastel coloured pinafores, with the bows in there hair also contribute to the historical context of the film applying knowledge to the audience.
• They also stand out from neutral background

Camera Effects:

• As the scene moves quite slowly it looks like slow motion which also contribute to the audience feeling slightly on edge.
• Variety of close ups used to add to the audiences fear as clear facial expressions and attention to detail is included.
• A medium shot of the three girls all staring in the same direction suggesting a shock of some sort. This may lead the audience into thinking a new character is going to be added into the narrative, whilst also implying a sense of paranormal activity because they have all slowly turned their heads in the same direction possibly looking for something/someone.
• Throughout the opening sequence, the camera movement is slow and controlled which helps identify the intense details of the surroundings such as the dolls creepy facial expressions and the china cups.

Sound Effects:

• The clock chimes at one point to signify a key point in the scene.
• Slow motion of the glass being smashed as they walk across it, suggesting something is controlling the girls actions
• Also, as the girls walk over the dolls head (also smashing) both of these adds suspense and enigma into why they are doing this.
• At the end, all we can hear are screams from people witnessing the event, and this allows the audience to take in what happened and make them want to watch on.

Setting:

• The scene was based in a rustic attic full of musky browns and dim yellows creating a realistic setting of the time period (Victorian)
• Therefore, they create a depressing atmosphere allowing the audience to predict that this may be foreshadowing the 'depressing' future in the film.

Lighting:

• The opening sequence is full of bright clips however the surrounding is dark, and sets a moody atmosphere. This may show that the girls are happy and enjoying themselves, however surrounding them is something terrifying which may haunt them in the future.

Analysis of opening sequence- Se7en

Se7en

Once again I decided to analyse an opening sequence which would benefit my own sequence and so I believe se7en will help greatly as it has elements of psychotic ideas within the characters actions whilst also being of the horror genre.

                          

Setting- It does not include any long shots of the setting however this helps add tension and enigma for the audience as the objects the character is using are typically found in a home. Therefore the audience may guess the setting is the characters house. Also, including close ups means that the audience to not see the object fully so may have to use their imaginations and creativity needs (Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs) in order to work it out.


Props- There are many various props used in this opening sequence however they all correlate together to suggest an investigation is taking place. These includes things like books,files,pens and paper. All of these objects are shown very close up to add intensity and create more enigma for the audience.

Lighting- Most of the shots are reasonably dark connoting danger and seriousness therefore setting the mood for the rest of the film. The shots are also indoors using lots of low key lighting therefore giving the setting a dull and suspicious feel about it. The colours used are mostly black and white however there are elements of dark red which connotes danger but also shows the photos being developed.

Editing- The opening is produced like a montage which creates a sense of confusion. Similarly, the fact that it isn't done in chronological order also creates this distortion effect to show the frantic creation of this investigation or file. On the other hand the transitions in the opening sequence vary. Firstly, there are some straight cuts which add a blunt effect to keep the tension high, whereas sometimes fades are used. The fading creates an eerie feel and when a fad to black is used it reflects the sincerity and darkness of the film overall. Lastly, most of the shots used are very short and sharp to keep the audience interested and create enigma of what's going on. However, some are edited in slow motion creating a much slower pace in places, maybe to show the detail in what is going on in that scene whilst also creating a more sombre tone.The clips themselves, are very distorted and this signifies the horror genre but may also reflect what is going on in the characters mind.


Title/Credits- The warped and disturbed font adds to the intense atmosphere and it is also written slanted to add to the distorted mind of the character. It is also written in a white font which stands out against the black background.

Music- The electro sound effects used for the credits help add impact to the opening sequence. Similarly, the sound effects on top of this are very hyperbolic which creates more intensity and is also a shocking contrast to the silence. Lastly, although the music is very exaggerated it has quite a slow pace to it particularly at the beginning which creates a climax throughout the sequence therefore creating more tension for the audience.


Camera- the whole opening sequence is mainly extreme close ups of various objects which creates more suspense. Also various shallow focuses are used for example on the book and this blurs out some of the image to represent more confusion and also allowing the audience to focus on the important areas of the shot. The identity of the person is not revealed throughout the entirety of the sequence which creates more tension and adds enigma for the audience. Most of the shots are still to emphasise the focus on all these passing objects and make them the central element.

Analysis Of Opening Sequences- Insidious

Insidious

A decided to analyse insidious because it is a film in the horror genre so I feel I could benefit from this and could use some elements in my own opening sequence.

      

Title- the title is red and the font is quite shaky adding to the distorted element of the scene. Also the colour red connotes danger and blood once again demonstrating the horror genre.

Setting- We see that the film location is an empty house which is a clear convention of the horror genre. The audience view all the different rooms in black and white which is spooky and makes us feel uncomfortable. We see various cardboard boxes which also shows the characters have recently moved there.

Costume- The audience don't see many people other than ghostly figures and shadows. However, we do get a close up of a woman holding a candle and it looks as if she is wearing a black veil therefore connoting she is evil and may be the villain of the film.

Lighting- In this opening a lot of low key lighting is used to create a mysterious atmosphere whilst also in certain shots it is mostly black apart from a spotlight in an area of a room. This may have been used to convey that something is hidden once again representing the horror genre.

Props- The grandfather is featured frequently throughout the opening sequence and this demonstrates the importance of it for later on in the film.

Editing- The slow editing techniques allow the audience to take everything in whilst also adding a sense of enigma to what's going on. After every shot there is a fade into the next illustrating a mysterious mood. Secondly, some of the shots used are unfocused which represents a distorted and confusing storyline. Most of this opening is in black and white creating a sense of unease for the audience. The connotations of black is evil and mysterious whereas the connotations of white is innocence and purity giving the idea that this film will be a clash of good and evil. Lastly, the long shot of the grandfather clock suddenly jump cuts into a closer look with a flickering glow surrounding showing there is a significance to this object in the film.

Camera- There is an establishing shot of the house to set a clear location of where the film is set. We also have an aerial shot looking down the staircase and we see a shadow at the bottom creating a sense of enigma. There is a tilt used on the grandfather clock creating a sense of confusion.

Sound-  Non- diegetic sound is used as it is a echoing sound ringing in your ear as well as when we first see the shadow the audience hear a high pitch violin being played to form an impact for the audience. After the title the rest of the opening has an eerie, mysterious feel to the music therefore giving a sense of unease.

Conventions of an opening sequence

Conventions Of An Opening Sequence

An opening sequence to every film helps create an introduction to the storyline and entices the audience to continue watching. It should also help establish some of the characters and clearly represent the genre it is portraying. It is vital that this scene grabs the audiences attention and keeps them engaged and to do this, film directors and editors can include many different techniques. For example, catchy music along with fast paced action sequences allows the audience to become interested in the film they are watching. Additionally, the opening sequence may give away hints of the storyline itself to show an insight into the narrative.

Firstly, a very common convention of an opening sequence is the institutional logo. These are production companies that put money into the film and therefore their the name is displayed at the beginning for recognition. This way, these companies become more well known and can gain a reputation depending on whether audiences appreciate the films they help to make. Moreover, films with a higher budget sometimes use this logo as another way of reflecting their genre. 

For example, in 'Saw' the institutional logo is Twisted Pictures which has barbed wire rotating around it.  This logo is used to convey the entire meaning of the film and to avoid misrepresenting the image. Therefore, this institutional logo is used to illustrate the horror genre as we associate barbed wire as a dangerous item. Furthermore as we see it stabbing into the words, it emphasises the violence that is going to occur throughout the movie.

Secondly, the title sequence is a key part of an opening sequence. They are often used to showcase the cast of the film which is a useful way of promoting an actor. Subsequently they can develop a positive association within a particular genre or production company. On the other hand title sequences can also pull out important elements of the film to create hints of a narrative and this is normally seen in the thriller genre.

The title sequence to 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' really entices the audience to continue watching by using various techniques. It shows a black liquid running through everyday objects like keyboards and wires, therefore portraying elements of technology for the duration of the film. Similarly, the image of the girl getting tied up really makes the audience feel anxious and creates narrative enigma for the audience wanting to know why. As a result, this creates a really good beginning to the film as it generates many questions running through the audiences mind and makes them want to continue watching so they are able to get the answers. The title sequence also includes short scenes that play in time with the music. By doing so this keeps the audience interested whilst also making it look more professional. Moreover, sparks of fire also appears at moments in the sequence adding more enigma whilst also illustrating a substance that scares audiences as fire has dangerous consequences.

Lastly, the well-known music adds to the sequence as it has this fast paced drive that compliments all the action that is occurring. The song was also re-created especially for this title sequence as this version is sung by a woman subsequently fitting in with the narrative of the film. This song also helps set the mood and atmosphere of the film as it begins very quiet and gradually increases.

   

Another important part of an opening sequence is the credits. They identify the major actors and crew members whereas the closing credits show an extensive list of all the people involved in the making of the film. Normally, the opening credits show their actors in order of descending recognition, which means the more well- known actors names will appear first. Using recognisable actors means the audience are more likely to respond in a more encouraging way for the director and will also make them want to continue watching. Credits may also represent genre, for example if a red font is used this may evoke connotations of blood or danger which signifies the horror/thriller genres. 

The film 'Grease' is famed for its unique and stylistic credits. By using bright vibrant colours and its use of bubble like font it connotes to the audience a fun and up beat genre. Furthermore, this is complimented by the two main cartoon characters for example the boy squirts his hair gel and it spells out the title 'Grease'.

     

Example of a film using these key features

Se7en:  This opening sequence uses a variety of these techniques which therefore creates a distinctive opening sequence. Firstly, the electro sound effects as the background noise for the credits adds impact to the sequence and implies the use of technology in the film whilst also contributing to the thriller/ drama genre. Secondly, these sound effects are very hyperbolic which contrast with the moments of silence to create more effect. The font used is warped and disturbed which once again reflect the genre and connotes a disconnected and unusual narrative. Moreover, we never see the character in the whole sequence adding more suspense. Contributing to this is the sudden extreme close ups which are used creates various enigmas of what's going to happen in the film. The clips used are also very distorted which signifies the thriller genre and audiences may also feel this represents the characters mind and disturbing ideas. Also, as there is no characters this means the whole sequence has no talking which i feel creates a climatic atmosphere and forms a questioning introduction. Overall, this sequence is a fast-paced montage filled with various techniques enticing the audience to continue watching.

           

Research Into Horror Genre

Horror

Setting

Most horror films tend to be situated in either small communities or isolated places. Urban environments, dark streets and alleyways as well as run down large cities are very common in the horror genre and connote isolation and aloneness. Often places with 'dark' history, like abandoned houses and hotels are a very well-known location for this genre.

A good example of this is the 'Woman In Black' which is set in Eel Marsh House, a large forbidden mansion which is filled with mysterious paper work as well as being completely cut off from the mainland. As soon as we see it in the film, it implies an element of horror due to the dark colours and the grey mist connoting isolation and a sense of a haunted presence. 

Camera Work

The camera work in horror films are very expressive and are rarely used to show everyday actions. High and low angles are often used to connote fear and nightmares because using the high angle makes the audience feel in control. Additionally, point of view shots are also useful as they allow the audience to see the world through the antagonists eyes. Normally, this happens roughly in the middle of the film as it adds to the climax of the narrative. in comparison to Todorov's theory this would be seen when the disruption occurs because it will add more of an impact and make the audience feel on edge especially in horror films. However, handheld shots are also used (rarely) to promote a sense of normality within the film; for example, in 'The Blair With Project' the entirety of the film was created with a camcorder. One of the reasons was mainly because Heather (the main character) took her two best friends into the woods to hunt down the 'Blair Witch' for a school project. Even though we never saw the witch herself, we knew she was around due to all the scary occurrences happening. By using handheld shots it allows the audiences to empathise more as we can feel more involved with the movie. Secondly,the diegetic sounds of there footsteps in all the rubble is another convention to a horror film adding more impact. Lastly, even this ending to the film allows narrative enigma to still be present as the audience questions who was the killer?  why is Josh screaming?. This is a regular convention in a horror movie as it still creates an intensity for the audience and leaves them feeling uneasy after the film. As a result films like this prove that sometimes using more simple camera work can also create unsettling tension.

Types of camera shots like an ECU shot on a victims face can help the audience identification with horror and fear. You could say that this film also uses this shot to show the characters facial expressions and gives the audience an insight into how they are feeling.

For example, these ECU shots as well as being extreme close ups of Heather clearly represent the fear through her facial expressions as well as showing the time of day creating an even more tense atmosphere.

Iconography

The visual style of horror films tend to be dark colours like reds and blacks as we associate them with evil and danger as well as blood which is a key part to most horror movies. However, the colour black also links to the phrase 'black sheep' which is an outcast from a society; therefore this is often used in horror films to represent the villain as being neglected from everyone else. Similarly, the colour white is normally seen in supernatural horror movies as it has more of an unnatural element attached to it. Therefore, colour is very important in this genre as it is a powerful form allowing the audience to determine what type of horror movie it is. On the other hand, the lighting is also an expressive part of the horror genre occasionally used for dark shadows and unfamiliar shapes. Low-key lighting can contribute to this by making a certain character seem unsafe through the use of darker colours. Secondly, props are used to help the audience further identify the genre. Specific props can be used to resemble a certain villain so the audience have a clearer understanding through their supporting object (chainsaws,knifes or machetes etc.) Lastly, the costume should make the characters role recognisable for the audience. The antagonists in horror films are usually dark to fit with the typical semantic field of mystery whereas the protagonists tend to wear light tops to imply hope. Some costumes become very ironic, for example the scream mask because its very well-known and people automatically link the mask to the film.

Sounds

Disturbing sounds are very important in a horror film. Ambient diegetic sounds such as loud footsteps and non diegetic sounds such as a heartbeat are typical to a horror genre. Additionally, music with a high pitch and an increasing volume tend to be used to build tension and keep the audience on the edge of their seats. It is also used to create an eerie atmosphere and change the mood for the audience. Similarly, synchronous sound is also very popular for the horror genre as its exaggerated noises create jump scares for the audience to keep them involved throughout the film. For example the well-known theme song from 'Jaws' is seen as one of the most memorable soundtracks of all time due to its sheer simplicity. It goes to show that horror soundtracks don't need to be as complex as people think. Similarly, audiences feel this theme song is a clear representation of the shark himself due to the fact that we hardly see him during the entirety of the film, therefore symbolising to the audience that this music implies the shark is around.

Themes of Horror genre

• Good v.s evil
• Religion
• Childhood issues
• Revenge
• Depression
• Envy
• Suicide
• Gore
• Supernatural
• Beyond death
• Zombie apocalypse
• Self-conciousness
• Psychological
• Insanity

Studio Logos

    

Films use studio logos to demonstrate what company worked with their film as well as also representing the genre. For example An example of a very bold and recognisable logo is the Walt Disney logo as its very distinguishable among others. It contains a soft tune suggesting the films going to be magical. The colours suggest the film will be more for children and families. On the other hand, some institutional logos are used to suit the film so that it represents the film itself and the genre. An example of this would be harry potter which (in all the films) uses Warner Bros institutional logo to set the eerie atmosphere and demonstrate the slightly horror genre.

       

Why audiences love watching Horror?

When relating the horror genre to the Uses and Gratifications theory, horror films imply audiences may enjoy products which offer them opportunities to escape or perhaps even be entertained due to the idea that the events you see the characters experience in a horror film, they would never happen in real life because it's often very extreme therefore audiences like this idea of seeing something they don't expect. Also, for entertainment, some audiences go to see a horror film with the intention of getting freaked out whereas others go because they do not get emotionally affected and like laughing at the characters in the film who are experiencing these horrible events. 

Examples of horror films

Preliminary Task Evaluation

Evaluation

Overall

Today we filmed our preliminary task using the 180 degree rule as a basis. So we came up with the idea of a job interview as its very simplistic and can be easily manipulated to use the rule as well as adding extras such as panning, close ups, long shots and including an oval iris as well. This helped us become more aware of the filming errors we have to be aware of and a prime example would be making sure the handheld shots look as professional and aren't too shaky. Similarly it also allowed us to become more familiar with the editing programme 'Final Cut Express' and now we are much more prepared for when it comes down to editing our opening sequence. An example of something we could improve on would be the location we filmed as we were in our 6th form common room and so the background noise was fairly distinct and so next time we should film either at a different time (even though we had to film in lesson time) or change location. On the other hand, various positives were found throughout this preliminary task such as, clear characterisation, different camera shots used, we have a clear understanding of the 180 degree rule and we now feel more prepared for our opening sequence filming.

Filming

In my opinion I believe filming was quite successful and we managed to film it in around 45 minutes. However, we used the common room to film and therefore as other students were there, the background noise was very distracting. For future reference, we could of filmed in a more controlled environment to give our piece a sense of professionalism. Another issue was we did not write a script of what the actors needed to say and so it took us several takes until we got the speech correct. As a result we should write a script to make it easier and efficient.Additionally, we found filming very enjoyable and worked really well as a team making sure we got the filming done within the time limit.

Editing

We were quite successful in editing our clip relatively quickly as it took us around an hour. It was very time consuming to choose the specific clips we needed because we had various takes for each scene. We also had issues with correlating the sound with the clip as we kept changing the length of each separately. Lastly, changing the order of clips was also time consuming as we wanted to make it as natural looking as possible and so we ended up adding some transition effects such as dissolving and an oval iris. Overall I feel we did well editing however some elements were difficult to carry out.

Strengths and Weaknesses

I believe that a strength was we completed and edited the task quickly and efficiently as we stayed focused and worked well as a group for the duration of the lesson. We used the 180 degree rule, panning and action match editing correctly. A weakness could be that we had a limited time to do this and we could not leave school property so had a restriction of what locations we could use. Therefore, our location was less controlled than we would have liked.

Improving

If we were to repeat this task there are certain elements we could change to improve it overall. Firstly,  we could spend more time planning our preliminary task by writing an effective script so everyone knew what they were doing in advance. Secondly, we could choose a more advanced location which could fit our situation more effectively. 

Preliminary Filming Task

Preliminary Filming Task

Situation:
Job interview

Crew:
Camera: Georgina and Isla
Editors: Georgina, Isla and Devyani
Cast members: Ela and Devyani

Also, at the end of this lesson Zachary Streatfield joined our group as he felt he didn't get along well with his fellow peers and as a result felt coming into our group is a better option.

          

All about me

All About Me

Hello my name is Isla and I am 16 years old. I decided to take Media Studies for A- level because I love to make my own movies from memorable events such as holidays and weddings so therefore I thought it would be an enjoyable and insightful subject which could further my knowledge into the subject. I also study English Language, Geography and Psychology which I am really enjoying. At the moment I am leaning towards doing something associated with psychology especially therapeutic psychology because I am finding it such an interesting topic. Also, my whole life I have had a passion for drama and dance and have been part of a performing arts company since I was 3. I therefore took drama GCSE and I was so happy with my result, so therefore I felt I could use that to my advantage and go into drama therapy as I like the idea of being able to help others whilst also enjoying my job at the same time!