Conventions of an Opening Sequence

What are the Conventions of an Opening Sequence?

What is the purpose of titles in a Film Opening? 

·      To set the scene of the film

·      Foreshadow a characters personality 

·      Shows who is within the production team

·      Introduces the film/actors

·      Sets the theme and tone of the film

Film Titles

·      Titles are used in films and TV to acknowledge the work of the institution, cast and crew.

·      Opening titles are shown at the very beginning and list the most important members of the production.

·      They are now usually shown as text superimposed on a blank screen or static pictures, or sometimes on top of action in the show.

·      There may or may not be accompanying music, where opening titles are built into a separate sequence of their own, the term used for this is title sequence.

Captain America: The First Avenger

What titles do they use?

·      Director.

·      Screenplay.

·      Producer.

·      Executive Producers.

·      Editors

·      Special Effects 

·      Director of Photography (Camera Operator)

·      Costumer Designer

·      Co-Producers

·      Music Supervisor 

·      Actors

·      Production Company

·      Title of the Film – Gets revealed at the very end.

How are they different?

·      World War Propaganda

·      Match on Action

What effect/theme does the opening create?

·      Patriotic

·      World War

What type of opening is it?

·      Superimposed

Domino

What titles do they use?

·      Production Company

·      Producer

·      Film Title

·      Actors

·      Caster

·      Costumer Designer

·      Music Caster

·      Editor

·      Director of Photography

·      Executive Producers

·      Writer

·      Director

How are they different?

·      Effective use of bright colours.

·      Shapes used around text e.g. boxes – flipped liked ‘Dominos.’

·      Voice overs by characters.

What effect/theme does the opening create?

·      Sets the genre by using guns and swearing which adheres to crime.

·      Sets a lot of themes for the characters by showing their personality.

What type of opening is it?

·      Superimposed

Napoleon Dynamite

What titles do they use?

·      Production Studios

·      Actors

·      Caster of Music

·      Editor

·      Production Cast

·      Director of Photography

·      Executive Producer

·      Producers

·      Writer

·      Director

How are they different?

·      Shows who the actors are in quirky ways like on plates full of food and driver licenses.

·      Use of graphic matches and straight cuts.

What effect/theme does the opening create?

·      Helps set the personality of characters.

·      More realistic.

What type of opening is it?

·      Not superimposed