STINCS

We watched the title sequences: Catch Me if You Can, Skyfall and Vertigo and as a class discussed the elements within each title sequence. We analysed the sound for Se7en and listened out for foley sounds. Emily then gave us the practical task and sent us away with recording equipment to record foley sounds that would typically be showed in a horror film such as; footsteps, rain and exaggerated sounds of a knife.

STINCS

Setting

Theme

Iconography

Narrative

Characters

Style

Domino Title Sequence

Saul Bass

Summary
-Saul Bass - 1920-96, American Graphic Designer and is most famous for his work in film and classic logo design.
-Best known for use of simple shapes and symbolism.
-Single dominant image stands alone to deliver a powerful message.
-Studied design at Art Student League.
-Became freelance Graphic Designer
-Posters had uncanny ability to capture the mood of film with simple shapes
-Shapes as well as type were often hand drawn.
-Sophisticated message.
-Hitchcock + Kubick
-Started out with posters, made over 60 title sequences
-Revolutionised: synopsis pictures, movie - intrigue viewer.
-Golden Arm - veins, syringes, drugs - unsettling
-West Side Story - abstract, simplistic - compliments music.
-Influenced Graphic Design - title sequences = artform 

Analysis of Anatomy Of A Murder

Kyle Cooper

Presentation

Dawn of the Dead Title Sequence

Se7en Title Sequence

Kyle Cooper

In the lesson..

We were sent off in our groups to create presentations on our given title designers; ours was Kyle Cooper.

Napoleon Dynamite

Analyse Napoleon Dynamite Title Sequence and Create a Credit Timeline

Napoleon Dynamite Title Sequence

A title sequence is the first thing an audience will see when watching a film, it is essential that the title sequence gives a good impression to the audience so they will continue to watch the film.

Mise En Scene
The lighting throughout the sequence is very natural which suggests that the film is very realistic and conveys to the audience that the film is realistic and very natural, and could also suggest a comedic element.The sequence is set in a house (or so the audience assume), as the background shows fabrics and carpets and floor tiles usually found within the home; this portrays an idea of familiarity to the audience and makes the film seem natural and realistic as the audience would live in homes like these due to the era of which the film is set in. The background of each shot is usually very plain and simple, perhaps suggesting the character is this way too allowing the audience to relate to the character. The use of this plain background makes the titles more striking to the audience and to pay attention to each little detail. All of the objects used within the sequence are ones that the audience can familiarise themselves with and use within day-to-day life, this makes the audiences feel more relaxed and allows them to relate to the character and the film more. Most of the shots show strange food combinations which makes the audience stereotype the character to a teenage boy, as the audience typically associate weird food combinations with teenage boys. The food combinations could also suggest to the audience that the character himself is weird. There are a few shots of Alien related objects such as the UFO Abduction Insurance card and the books show that the character could be stereotyped as a 'geek', as 'geeks' are stereotyped to be liking UFO and space related things. UFO sightings and expereinces typically happen in rural areas, so this could portray the idea of the character living in a rural area. The UFO related items could also suggest that the film is a spoof of a sci-fi film. The school stationary shot and the student card shot, tells the audience that the character is a a student at a school which allows the audience to relate to the character as audience memebers will have been to a school. The character seems to be organised as the character's hands and fingernails are clean, his wallet is organised, the toy cars are labelled, the character uses chapstick and could possibly be concious of his health as fruit and vegetables are shown within the food shots and the lemon sweet packet says fat free on the box; each of these parts combined stereotypically represent a nerdy teenage boy, which allows the audience to guess what the character's personality is like.

Cinematography
The use of close ups within the whole sequence show the detail of each shot and make it easy to read. This shot is very straightforward and shows the audience that whatever you see within the title sequence there will be no hidden meaning and portrays to the audience that the character is very down to earth and what you see is what you get. The use of these close ups could perhaps create intimacy between the character and audience as it shows that the character trusts the audience and hasn't really ever showed anyone what he really likes, what he eats and his drawings. There is no camera movement in the title sequence whihc could perhaps represent that the character's life is stable and also not really going anywhere. The title sequence is from a slight high angle, this could represent the social hierarchy within schools and that the audience members are higher than him and look down on the character.


Editing
The jump cuts are used to show that there is no routine within the character's life. The pace of the shots and the title sequence is very slow, which could show that there isn't a lot going on in the character's life and everything drags within his digesis.


Sound
At the start of the sequence the audience hear diegetic bird tweets which could suggest again that the character lives in a rural area as there are no sirens or traffic. The soundtrack is non-diegetic and is empathetic sound. The music has lyrics relating to school re-enforcing the idea of the character being a student. Each time a plate is put down, the sound is either emphasised or echoes which portrays the idea of the character being alone and isolated, which could suggest that his parents aren't around, the character has minimal friends and lives in a rural area.

Napoleon Dynamite Credit Timeline

0:00:00  - Start title sequence
0:00:03 - Fox Searchlight Pictures
0:00:09 - Paramount Pictures (presents)
0:00:19 - (in association with) MTV Films
0:00:26 - (starring) Jon Heder
0:00:32 - (as) Napoleon Dynamite (title)
0:00:39 - Jon Gries
0:00:50 - Aaron Ruell
0:00:57 - Efren Ramirez
0:01:04 - Tina Majorino
0:01:12 - Diedrich Bader
0:01:23 - (casting by) Jory Weitz
0:01:31 - (music by) John Swihart
0:01:39 - (edited by) Jeremy Coon
0:01:49 - (Production design) Cory Lorenzen
0:01:55 - (DOP) Munn Powell
0:02:05 - (executive producer) Jory Weitz
0:02:13 - (produced by) Jeremy Coon, Chris Wyatt, Sean Covel
0:02:26 - (written by) Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess
0:02:33 - (directed by) Jared Hess
0:02:41 - End of sequence

Conventions of Title Sequence

Conventions of Title Sequence

THIS WILL BE USEFUL WHEN MAKING TITLE SEQUENCE!!!!

Art of Film Title Design

The Art Of Film Title Design Throughout Cinema History

 

I think it's very.. weird. As an audience in this era pretty much all the information needed was needed on one or two screens, nowadays, we have minimum of 30 names on a 2 minute video. I also think that's it's strange imagining sitting in an audience having to guess the genre on the film based on the typography of the title. 

 On the other hand, I think it was very clever. Those making these films had to think about what was the easiest font to read and how big the text should be, the average reading time for an audience so they could determine how long each shot should be on screen for. I wonder if any of those audiences imagined that film would be like it is today. 

I think it is amazing how much title sequences have changed, they're now seen as an art form and are so more creative than they were in early film. I remember seeing this film as a child, and instantly (if you can't tell from the title of the film), you were able to get a real feel of the film and what it would be about - almost like a blurb but for a film. Title sequences became more entertaining, you would actually pay more attention to the names on the screen which would mean that those involved with the film would actually be remembered for it (I know there are credits right at the end of a film, but no one ever stays to watch them all through unless there are bloopers on the end like with Toy Story).

 

(To Kill a Mockingbird:) I really liked and enjoyed this title sequence. From watching the title sequence you see it presented as if you're a child (which really is the whole story, we're seeing it from the child's perspective with her older voice narrating her thoughts at the time), it also intrigues you as it completely contrasts with the idea from the title of killing a mockingbird as the themes and youth and death are rarely put together. I feel, if it wasn't for this contrast I wouldn't have been so encouraged to watch the film. In addition, I felt like most of the films I had seen up to this point had had title sequences that were more narrative and introducing the story to me, whereas this threw me off a little as it wasn't something I had really seen before.

This is, personally, one of my favourite title sequences ever to date. I love that you get all these little snippets of information at the title sequence and then spend the whole film on the edge of your seat ready to find out how they all link together (which, they do. In case you haven't seen the film, he cuts off his fingerprints which makes him so hard to track down). I also didn't realise until this lesson that the film and title sequence were made by two different people. I think it's amazing that Kyle Cooper (title sequence maker) followed the directors style for this title sequence, you literally can't tell. Which, I think is beneficial to film, you don't want two different styles clashing, as it disrupts the audience too much.

Overall, title sequences have changed for the better. Now title sequences are entertaining, they get more credits in and due to the entertainment of what is happening on screen and how the name will unfold in front of you, gets the name a lot more attention than in earlier films. I believe that title sequences have definitely taken on this form of art which allows the audience to appreciate it more and the time put in to making it. I think it also gives a taste to the audience on what the genre is to the audience and what the film will be like and is about.