What is the Purpose of a Title Sequence

The purpose of a title sequence is to set the mood i.e. whether it will be horror, romance or comedy and also to set an expectation of what the film will be about. Title sequences are also used to showcase the cast and crew involved in the production in order to not only help promote the actors/actresses but to also draw in the actors’ /actresses’ fan base which can either be the target audience - the audience the director wants to target or secondary audience - the audience of the actor/actress, which are the fan base.

 

Moreover, the promotion of the actors/actresses creates recognition which could be a boost in their career. Title sequences incorporates logos of intuitions involved in the production, finance and distribution because this not only advertises the companies but also, if the Warner Bros is associated with the film then there is a certain expectation that this will be a big budget production which implies good quality production. Moreover, it also suggests big movie stars will be involved in the film and special FX will be used.

 

What I have learnt about film openings are that there can be four different types. Type number 1 is titles on a blank screen, this helps create a high contrast, they are low budget, are simple and easy way to send out message. The conventions of titles on a blank screen are typefaces and simple graphics on a black background. The examples of title sequences on a blank screen I have looked at are Pulp fiction, Psycho and Enter the void.

Type 2 is titles on still images, this is more elaborate than a blank screen and it uses visuals to affect/hint at the tone of genre of the film. Titles on still images have become a more creative way to give a hint of the film and also convey atmosphere and mood for the film. An example of titles on still images that I looked at was Wimbledon.

 

Type 3 is titles over moving images, the conventions for titles over moving images are imagery behind the titles, there is sound but usually no dialogue, the image will usually be a metaphor or a bit of a story which is usually to set the audience up for the mood of the film. An example I looked at is City of the Gods.

 

Type 4 is titles using animation or motion, which became popular in the 1990’s as a lot of digital technology became more advanced. Conventions include: titles moving around on the screen and it is usually made with CGI. Examples I looked at was Catch me if you can