Title Sequence Clip Review

The opening sequence of a film sets up the rest of the movie. There are many factors to consider when examining a title sequence; font, color, size, music, pictures, video, speed, and others. The article First frames: titles in the digital realm discusses the importance of title typography on movies. Merril discusses the history of typography in film and how it can change viewers initial reactions to movies. Some film clips we watched in class were great examples of the effect of opening sequences on the rest of the film.  

In 2001 A Space Odyssey the screen starts off as black, the music builds for an extended amount of time, after a while you see a planet rising, then another planet behind it like they’re in a row. Then the film switches to a different scene, the same song is playing but now we see a monkey, this represents the stone age, and we see the monkey discover the first tool. The scene changes again, and space and satellites are shown, they represent a more sophisticated tool. In Scream the title is white and pulses with the beat of the music. It then switches to red to symbolize police sirens and blood. The screaming in the background is chilling and is meant to remind viewers of horror and 911 calls. This supports the events of the movie; horror and murder. In The Lion King the scene starts black and the sun slowly rises in the distance. The music builds with the rising sun until, eventually, words are sung. All the different animals are shown heading towards something, ending with Mufasa the “king”. All of the animals bow to Simba the “prince” as the sun shines on him like a spotlight. This is reflective of the coronation ceremonies celebrated in places like Britain today. The screen turns black again with the beat, the words The Lion King appear in big, bold letters. This represents the importance of Simba in the film, because everyone bows to him. In the opening sequence of Apocalypse New the trees are green, and the music is upbeat, it seems positive and light. Smoke/dust blows across the screen and suddenly the green trees are on fire. The music is the same song, but the words aren’t as light as the beat, the singer is singing about “the end”. A picture of a man's face upside down is flashed across the screen repeatedly. The fan spinning in the man's room imitates the noises of a helicopter. The man is obviously confused and unaware of his surroundings. This reflects the themes of war that are shown throughout the film. In Pulp Fiction the beginning of the scene seems completely normal, a couple having breakfast at a café. The wife/girlfriend seems extremely sweet, especially to the waitress. Though their discussion looks normal, as they continue talking it is revealed that they are robbers. After they decide to rob the café on a whim, the shot freeze-frames as they jump up with their guns and big, bold letters fill the screen. The font choice is reflective of the ideas discussed in First frames: titles in the digital realm, the font reflects the boldness of the film. The music is upbeat to match with their yelling as they rob the café. This symbolizes the fast-paced drama of the movie. 

After watching and researching the effects of title sequences on films, I feel that I might lean more towards making a movie. I haven’t done research on magazines yet so my beliefs might change, but I am feeling a connection to creating title sequences.