Title Sequence Clip Review

    The initial impact title sequences have on a film in my opinion are giving an idea of what the film is about, and what type of film it will be. The design of the text of the title on the screen really sets a mood for me in understanding what's to come in the film. I have found that music also makes a huge difference in the entire mood of the title sequence. For example, in Jaws, the music starts quietly playing then gets more and more intense as the credits start to roll in, then of course the scene of Chrissy running down to the ocean with a boy and getting attacked by the shark plays, setting the entire mood of the movie by starting off right away with a surprising attack. In a different tone, the music of pulp fiction is loud and upbeat, making you think the movie is going to be normal especially with the normal opening scene of the couple sitting at the coffee shop, when in fact the couple goes on to rob the restaurant.  

    Another element that sets the mood for the film is what action is included in the title sequence. For example, in the Scream title sequence, they start off right away with the girl on the phone with a man that eventually leads to her finding her boyfriend dead on her front porch, and her knowing she’s next. By starting off right away with action and violence, you know the movie will be full of gore and violence throughout the whole thing. 

    As stated before, the font of the title also influences the movie. The title of Raging Bull was in a sort-of rigid font and was in all red, signifying the red cloth bull fighters use, or referencing “seeing red” when you’re mad. Another instance where the lettering sets the tone is in the Dazed and Confused introduction, which uses bubbly lettering, setting the tone that the film will be lighthearted or funny. 

    Overall, the title sequence influences the film by giving the main idea or at least setting the tone for what’s to come, as stated by Miles Merrill in First Frames: Titles in the Digital Realm, “An opening titles sequence generally engages with the big themes of the film and looks at overarching themes and metaphors of the film.” I see this statement to be true because a title sequence typically gives off the main idea of the film. Also stated in the article, “As an example of a less successful opening title sequence, Giles cites Two Hands (Gregor Jordan, 1999), where the sequence features 'huge fireballs and explosions which are out of proportion to the film itself'.” This is an example of a title sequence that did not give off the main idea of the film and was therefore unsuccessful. 

    After watching title sequences and understanding how many different elements go into them to make them impactful, I am leaning towards the newspaper because I think it will be easier for me to organize, rather than having to take into account so many different elements for a title sequence and fit it into only two minutes.