War Films Opening titles: Battle of britan

Battle of britan 

The opening title sequence of the 1969 war drama ‘Battle of Brittan’ by director Guy Hamilton  portraits a ‘a to b journey’ of a Nazi Commander being in a air plane then they drive from the landing strip to a Military base. Especially younger male adults seem to be the target audience of this pictures judging by the topic of war, the images of war machineries wich are stereotypically masculine things  and offcourese the historical context of cinema manly being made for men back then.  This being a war film is clearly set up through the mase if military gear and soldiers. Hundert’s of solders are being shown but only a few are actually seem important as emphasised by their status as they for example get driven around in a car. They are also the only characters shown in medium shot enabling the viewer to connect with them in a distant manner. A tilt medium shot implies the power of one of the commander as his movement controls the viewers perspective. The sequence features multiple pans which reveal new locations demonstrating the degree of facilities of the German arme. There is a non diegetic voice over by a radio anker at the begging of the movie offering some exposition. A non diegetic marsh accompanies the scene adding further feeling of precision and setting the mood for the military. There are diegetic snip bits of shouted German frasses emphasizing the strict militance. The scene is slow pasted and  consist of simple cuts  thereby not distracting from the scenery which features true to time uniforms, gear and signs. The credits are kept in a red blue and white layout reminding the audience of the topic of the movie and contrasting itself to the dark colour pallet used for the Germans. Nearly every shot features a swastika highlighting that they are Nazis and thereby implying their evil. The grey fogie sky further adds to the menace feeling. One commanders coat has white spots making him stand out of the crowd and from a long distance, the director hints his high status. The sequence seem at first glance out dated. But initslef it isshot beautifull the long lasting shots allow the viwer to emerge in the envaiorment. The soundtrack is questionable without context it seems as if it was celebrating the German military due to its heroic sound. A more typically evil soundtrack might have undue this effect. On the other hand is the soundtrack maybe the perfect choice as it highligthsd the threat of by the Nazis.

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064072/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

  

SciFi opening titles: Attack of the Crab Monsters

The opening sequence of the 1957 horror sci-fi movie ‘Attack of the Crab Monsters’ directed by Roger Corman starring Richard Garland, presents a underwater world where gigantic fish like creatures cause destruction. Back than this movie most likley tried to trgeted audiances who wanted be thriled by a scary fictional world. The sequnces features multipale extra ordenary creatures typical for Sci-Fi movies. The camara moves rapiedly through the scenery shaking when initalatey seeing the monstres higligthing their danger and creating a more intense feeling for the audiance. There are no soundeefect but only a epic non diagetic orchesteral soundtrack playing in the background making again ehmpizizsing the danger outgoing from the crab
monsteres. The sequnce paste speeds uo when ever the monsteres are viable and consits of cuts therby not distracting from the graphics. The scene is drawn making it seem childish for today standarts as modernday aduances are used to relaistic 3d animations. While featuting good artwork the sequnce probably lost its effectivnes in the last 75 yeas, alltough it might not have the same effect as back then the scene is still entertaing due to the grphics and music. 

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050147/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

 

Thriller Opening Titels: Catch me if you can

In the opening sequence of ‘Catch me if you can’, a 2002 film by director and producer Steven Spielberg, the silhouette of Tom Hanks character Carl Hanratty chases Leonardo DiCaprio´s character Frank Abagnale Junior. The sequnce is animated the colours are light this appeals to a younger audience but the graphics seem to not just appeal to children but also to more adult audiences. The film therefore seems to be aimed at Family’s. The themes of a chase, eskapism and
suspenese hint a Thriller. First we are interuced to DiCaprio’s charchlter hinitng him as the main chareckter. While the audiance is interudced to Tom Hanks chareckter the
power dynamic between them is higligthed as Hanks seems to apeear gigientic while Dicaprio is nearly being overlooked. The sequence is slow pasted and features a lot of digital tracking shots. The sequnce is synchronous to non-diegetic jazz like soundtrack playing through the duration of the entire sequence. The transitions are often semingles is constant movement making the sequence more dynamic and smooth. Parts of the design transform into the titles like for example a peace of the road. The opening title sequence based on Saul Bass handmade design’s is incredibly memorable, intriguing and iconic just like the beautiful soundtrack by Jhon Williams accompanying the scene. The credits are easy to read while looking incredible. The simplistic design and smooth motions build a soothing feeling. Overall creating a fitting sequnce for the rest of the movie. For these reasons the sequence alone has become iconic and has been referenced in different texts like The Simpsons.

Source: 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264464/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Horror opening titles: Dead silence

  

Dead silence is a mystery horror movie from 2007 directed by James Wan. The opening title  sequenz portrayals a person building a ventriloquist doll. The opening sequenz hints at a story about a ventriloquist 

doll which was/ is going to be corrupted the doll might be posed by an evil spirit. The Target audience for this movie judging by the is likely going to be typical horror fans, people between the age 15 and 25. The scene features key horror film conventions as the director instantly interduces a dark, claustrophobic environment to the viewer creating a feeling of isolation and being trapped. The sequins seem to feature one character who the audience doesn’t meet but gets to know as they know what their objective seems to be which are as a piece of paper reveals to build the perfect doll. Without seeing the character, they seem creepy or even scary as their actions seem unseal and mysterious. This is highlighted by the unsettling dark blue colour grading and the Soundtrack. The scene is shot in close ups. In the end the director zooms into the eye of the doll highlighting the uncanny valley look of the doll as it features a very detailed nearly human eye. But the director already interduced the fact that this is a doll made from wood. The close ups trap the viewer and leave them without any context disturbing the viewer.  The non-diegetic orchestral soundtrack featuring a heavy use of chimes highlights this. There are also sounds of saws in the background. A sound usually associated with imitate danger resulting in discomfort.  The sequence features multiple jump cuts, which in combination with the red glitching titles create a discomposed feeling.  The props seem to be either old nearly vintage or just defected in their appreance. The shot-composition seems messy as the props are allover the place. The hand acts with precision. The end touches for example the wood the doll is mad of in a nosing slightly voyeuristic way indicating an obsession. Dead silence opening title sequence interduces the genre and instantly gives the viewer from the beginning an idea of the story and mood. The titles are clearly readable and help add to the vibe. At the biging  there are a few lines of text wich provid expossion. This seems in partslazy and unoriginal but is integrated in the scene in a organic way. 

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455760/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Action opening titles: Hot Fuzz

Director Edgar Wright interduce in the opening sequence of his 2007 action comedy Hot Fuzz starring Simon Pegg a police officer and presents the audicance a quick summary of his resume. The target audience seems to be fans of action movies due to the conflicts portrayed in the sequence but also comedy fans could be targeted as certain parts like Father Christmas sta bbing the officer seem comedic. The sequence features multiple physical fights, military like police, as well as multiple explosions thsese are typical images in action movies. The sequence focuses only one character this is highlighted through multiple close ups of his face allowing the audience to connect with him, ‘Nicholas Angel’ is also often set in centre frame emphasizing how significant he is to the story. There is a non diegetic Voice Over narrating the sequences providing context for the audience. The sequence starts out with diegetic sounds of police sirens while the logos of the production companies are being displayed later one there is a signal long lasting shot of Nicholas Angel walking towards the camara and creating suspenes as the audiance dose not know what going on. The past speeds up making everything happening on screen seem even more intese due to the constrast created before. The fast pasted montage indicates a highlevel of percison and dispalys Angels high skill level. The sequines effectively interduces Nicholas angel character and hints its genre. Due to its comedic elements it is clearly memorable. 

 

Sources: 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425112/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

A Secret Love, opening title sequence based on Netflix documentary

This idea for a title sequence is based on the trailer for the Netflix original documentary 'a secret love'.

The sequence starts with a shot reverse shot of a man and a woman dressed in typical 40s clothing. They smile at each other. A non-diegetic 40s love song starts playing. Then a tracking shot moving away from the protagonists revealing a second couple on the bench. The two women are sitting with their backs next to each other. Their boyfriends are moving in for a kiss. The two women hold each other’s hand. The first credit fades in. The other credits. are spread throughout the sequence. The camera pans multiple times away from the protagonists to reveal the next credit. The next part of the sequence depicts them walking up a mountain. The sequence features multiple eyeline match POV shot of the men gazing at their girlfriends. At one point there is an eyeline match between one of the girls’ breasts and the other girl, hinting her interest. They arrive Infront of a steep part of the mountain the men decide to climb the mountain while they leave their girlfriends behind. The non-diegetic music shifts into a rock song while the two women realise that they’re now alone.  They run into the woods. A moment of peace as the song stops for a second, they look each other in the eyes portrayed through a slow pasted shot reveres shot. The non-diegetic rock song starts playing as they move closer to each other, and the paste is getting faster. A tracking shot moving out from them kissing each other shows them kissing a yellow cursive font title card is revealed. 

Storyboard:

The rest of the movie depicts the love story of Betty and Margret. When Bettys family moved to Becksvill a tiny village she first was lost but when Betty met Margert she finally feels like she was at home. Margrets eyes were just so beautiful. Her smile perfection. The only thing on her mind was Margret she wanted to spend every day every hour and every second with her. Bettys parents had a different plan though. Ron Miller. He was a 30-year-old dentist from Vermont his eyes and his smile were nice but he was no Margret. But this didn’t seem to accrue to her parents. Betty was devastated did this mean she was going to see Margret never again. But luckily enough Ron Miller wanted to stay in Becksvill for 2 months until the summer was over. During these months Betty and Margret got closer. They really connected. One night when Ron was back in Vermont and Margret’s boyfriend went already to bed they stayed up the hole night and when the sun rose they looked each other in the eyes. This was the best moment in Bettys life she forgot about everything nothing seemed important except for Margret. They kissed. Neither of them knew what was going on but they kept going through the next weeks. At day they would go on trips with their boyfriends, but the night belonged to them. Time went by way to fast. They had one more week left. One more week and that would be it. Betty tried everything but Ron was determined to move back to Vermont. Bettys parents didn’t understand. Nobody did nobody would ever understand their love. Betty had a plan they would run away. It didn’t mater where the only important thing was that they loved each other. At least that what she thought but when she told her plans to Margret her plans she just looked at her. She seemed disturbed. ‘Betty’ she said, ‘A would love to but this isn’t gona work’. Margret ran away. A close up of Bettys face as the screen fades to black ‘10 years later’. Bettys dad died. After the funeral Betty sat alone in her old room, Ron had to go back to Vermont, work called. Foot steps. Betty turns around. It wa. They only looked at each other and everything was said. They ran away,to the train station there was no going back but that didn’t matter. 

Idea for title sequence BBC

 

This Sequins is based on the headline ‘Welsh Youth Parliament election candidates bid fore votes’ by the BBC. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59135415)

 

Petrissa McKey a young politician runs against the 67 year old Henry Gold to run for cite mayor. The opening scene poetries the rase set to a melo dramatic song  like for example “For the Damaged Coda” depicting them in a TV Debate While cross cutting to the election night were McKey is surrounded by her staff in a small basement. The scene starts out with a shot showing McKey at TV debate saying “The time has come for change”through out the scene snip bits of McKey’s and Golds speeches the scene climaxes when a news anchor announces to reveal the winner and fades to the title card. The credits in a white font are for example placed on a table at the party when some puts a back of crisps on them they disappear as the sequins progresses it slows down the camara statedly moves closer and closer to to McKey’s face. The sounds of the party start fading out while the melo dramatic non diegetic soundtrack intensifies its volume. The anchor clears his throat, the non-diegetic soundtrack stops and he announces to reveal the winner. 

The rest of the movie deals with the first year of Petrissa McKey in public service. The movie depicts her fall from a rising star in the political landscape to a corrupted Mayor who she swore to stand against. Right after her inauguration the CEO of Blue Energy Michele Peters meets up with her. Peters who clearly belittles McKey talks about a new project of hers  witch would profit the city enormously. To make it happen McKey would only need to sign some forms. The newly elected mayor kicks Peters out of her office because Peters is known for her shady workings. Peters and McKey start out as Binary opposites. One of the Mayors staff members Ember Johnson comes up to her. Ember and Petrissa start talking instantly an intimate friendship starts building up. But McKey wants more she starts pressuring Ember. A few months later McKey didn’t achieve any of the promises she mad during the campaign, her approval ratings plummet. In order to prevent the further plummeting of pole numbers she starts to sign dubious contracts as well as some agreements of the books. Peters (CEO of Blue energy) has heired meanwhile a private investigator who is supposed to dig up dirt on McKey the investigator discovers the relationship between her and Ember. McKey sits in her office late at night as Peters enters the room, they start to argue. After McKey threatens Peters she reveals that she knows about McKey and Ember and threatens McKey if she would not sign the contracts for the new mine she would expos her. The film ends with a closeup of McKey’s face zooming into her eye and then an eylinnematch to the contract in front of her.