Title Sequences Analysis

I understand what is need for a good opening scene, however I don’t think I know what makes a really good title sequences. So i feel that I need to do some research into what makes a title sequences.

SE7EN (Seven)

In Seven the camera does very little, all the shots are extreme close up will not panning of tracking. The pace of the film is all created through cut or continuity editing which create the feeling that time is moving fasted. The fact that all the shots are extreme close up add ambiguity, mythes and unease about the whole film as the audience does not know what is really happening or where, when, how or why that are seeing what is on the screen. All of this is added to by the high key light of the shot that is in juxtaposition to the black background, making the audience feel uncomfortable with the change in lighting.

The only sound that has been used is non-diegetic music. The music has a receptive beat and sound the have been effect so that the audience can not make out what they are. This ambiguity build on the unease of the camera shot to make the title sequences uncomfortable to watch. However it is not to uncomfortable of the audience to sit through and find out when the mythes is and satisfy there inner need to know what is going to happen.

The tex is white over black, with the style been hand write as the add obscurity to what is being written. Also the text is hand written as it ties in with the fact that in the shots there is a “hand” writing in a book (diary). When the text is on the screen is moves about on the screen, little old film does. This give across the feel the something super nature is going to happen as text what should stage still is moving.

Splice

The start of Splice is extremely ambiguity. The Camera tracking across this unknown green and white skin like substance. The use of the tracking makes it feel like the audience is exploring the surface of this substance and because they don’t know what it is they become fearful of what they might find. The further uses of green adds the notion that there is some sort of alien presents or something unknown. All of the shot are extreme close up would adds different type of ambiguity as the audience does not get to see all of what is there is around so become anxious of the unknown and what is lurking in the shadow.

There is only one sound that can be hear and this is the music which is a non-diegetic sound. The music is piano with a low murmuring beat which adds the sense of unfamiliar and unease about the whole start to the film. There is also a low muffled quality as if it was underwater. This reenforce the fact that the green substance is underwater as is the shot there are bubbles around it, again this add more interest in to the film as the audience start to ask question like Why is it in water? Why is it green? What is it?

The text that has been used is mixture of typewriter text and text the has been created out of the green create. The actors names have been make out of the create and imply that there character has something to do that the create of this green animal. The crew name are in white and look like that have been type by a typewrite, this could imply that what (as the crew) had some part to play in creating this crate and that it have been write up as a report. Also the all of the text is in a green hue and imply that is some thing move to this than meets the eye.

From this I have learnt that the title sequences need to be part of the main story and need to tell the story to the audience as well. Also I have learnt that the text need to be part of the story and represents the story line.