Title research: Godzilla

This title sequence is from the movie Godzilla. It can be found on artofthetitles.com

1.  How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?

Thirty titles were shown in the opening title sequence. Some titles had multiple names but most had one name.

2. What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? 

 Many images are prioritized in the opening sequence. Ancient newspapers for the names/titles, many different ancient photos of animals, and many old fashioned videos that look from back in the day.

3. What connotations do the images carry?

The images create a sense of mystery. Since Godzillas a pretty old story, these images also give a sense of suspense and gives a small backstory in ways.

4. How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from outset?

The titles in this sequence are brought slow and introduced through newspaper lines which bring the feel of suspense, and in turn, bring shows the theme of a thriller.

5. How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The film establishes an enigma because of the pictures in the back of ancient animals. It brings mystery because you don't know what these animals signify or mean. Everything seems very ominous.

6. What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

The strategies used are the slow pacing and pictures in the background. Like before, the titles bring suspense, and suspense draws in audiences to a good thriller movie. This keeps the viewer from being bored and being engaged even at the beginning of the movie.

7. How has technology been used effectively?

In this title sequence, the technology has been used well. The many jump cuts between background pictures and video clips are used extremely effectively. However, there was no camera angles or shots used because the title sequence was computer-generated. But besides that, the background music was ominous but loud at the same time which was perfect for build-up. The titles were also shown effectively with the newspaper idea which required good editing.

Title research: split

This title sequence came from

 artofthetitle.com and it is from the movie Split released by universal studios

1. How many titles are shown during the opening sequence:

There are 23 titles shown during the opening sequences. All of the slides show one title besides one slide that shows two titles.

2.What images are Prioritized during the opening sequence:

In the title sequences clips of the main protagonist asleep are mostly shown. Also small glimpses of the basement are shown too.

3.What connotations do the images carry:

The multiple titles in the sequences, jitters around a little to show the movies uneasy feeling.

4. How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset:

The genere is reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset by how the characters are displayed by the short scenes we get to see. In the scenes with the main protagonist and villain being just a little blurry for the protagonist and completely blurred for the villain, giving a disturbing and foreboding feeling which generally starts of most thriller.

5.How does the film establish an enigma from the outset:

The film establishes and enigma from the outset by basically having of its shots being very puzzling.

for first time viewers you don't know who these characters and why are they in this area being carried and being put on a bed. Everything feels like something's wrong but you don't know what.

6.What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience:

 The main strategie that the film used to ensure it appealed to its target audience is to show what type of genre it is. With the unsettling feeling some of the shots gave, a viewer can easily tell that this movie is not meant for a child audience and should probably taken serious. With all of the conventions it follows a viewer can easily tell that its a thriller movie, and if it fits their taste of movie genre.

7.How has technology been used effectively?

In this title sequence, technology has been used effectively . All of the jump cuts that were edited together were perfect, with just the right amount of time. The camera angles were also fantastic with showing enough to know what's kind of happening but not showing some stuff to keep you still questioning. To continue with, and probably the best part, the editing was super cool and deep because behind the slides during the transitions you can see the same slide from before 24 times symbolizing the 24 personalities of the main villain.

Title research: venom

The first title sequence that my group and I decided to research is Venom. It can be found on the website artofthetitles.com.

1. How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?

Twenty three titles were shown in the title sequence of Venom. Each title includes at least one name; some titles have have multiple names, like the producers.

2. What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

In the opening sequence there is a shot of a city street to start off the movie. The rest of the title sequence is just of ink blots that move and look like there is a monster in them.

3.What connotations do the images carry?

The images carry a scary theme and a sense of confusion. This makes you think the movie is going to be very interesting to watch and keep you on the edge of your seat.

4. How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from outset?

All of the titles and images after the first city shot is in black and white with a few parts that are red. This creates a thriller like atmosphere. The score is similar to many other thriller movie scores so you know the movie is going to be a thriller as well.

5. How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The film gives very little information in the beginning, it only gives you a sense of what the movie will be like, in this case sci-fi. However, the title sequence does not tell you anything about the plot of the movie.

6. What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

The target audience likes sci-fi things and constant action, they do not want to be bored. This title sequence is perfect for them. All of the moving parts keeps your attention and the monster like figures in the background brings in a sci-fi aspect.

7. How has technology been used effectively? You might want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques.

Technology was not only used effectively in this title sequence but it was used exclusively. The title sequence was entirely computer generated so camera angles were not a huge factor. Different editing techniques along with transitions brought together the sequence. The use of the same transitions for each title made the sequence flow well and everything looked in place. The use of editing to make ink blots move and monsters appear in them was the focus point of the title sequence.

Title research: State Of The Union

The next title sequence my group and I decided to research is State Of The Union. It can be found on the website worldoftitles.com

1.How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
In this title sequence, I counted a total of 20 titles that included the name of the movie, and anyone who contributed to the making of the movie. Some titles were played out longer than others because they were either more important or more significant. Either way, everyone was included in the title sequence.
2.What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
Most of the images in this opening sequence were animated objects that relate to the movies overall theme and feel. Objects like barbed wire, and bullets were displayed being that the movie is an action/thriller. There was one scene that was pulled straight out of the movie which was the very opening scene when Ice Cube was seen walking into prison escorted by two guards.
3.What connotation do the images carry?
The images give a feeling of action and at the same time suspense. The dangerous weapons and sharp items come together to give us the idea that this film is going to involve a lot of action and thrill. They are well put together to give the viewers the emotions to match the film.
4.How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from outset?
The titles in this sequence are all introduced very rapidly and it really pops with ominous colors. The background in turn also helps to give this thrill like emotion because it is dark with touches of red and chrome with pictures of dangerous items or remote atmospheres. The build of the score can be found constructed the same in a lot of other thriller movies so we as the audience can tell it will b a thriller as well.
5.How does the film develop an enigma from the outset?
The first scene of this sequence shows a man in handcuffs being escorted by police officers in what looks like a secure facility while at the same time giving a devious looking face. With this said, the audience are all sharing the same thoughts of why the man is in this trouble and what is he planning on doing with this look on his face. The sequence then jumps straight into showing the titles leaving us with only ideas and theories.
6.What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
Someone who plans on watching the movie probably already knows the genre and what they've gotten themselves into before watching it. Being that the title sequence is one of the first parts of the movie that the viewers will see, it has to compliment the emotions that's trying to be given off in the movie. A slow moving vibrant color title sequence is not what the audience will be expecting out of a thriller movie. This title sequence compliments the movie well with its fast paced music, dark colors, and popping names throughout.
7.How has technology been used effectively?Most of the clips in this title sequence were computer made so camera angles and shots did not play a huge factor. The one scene from the movie that we did see was a medium close up shot of the men in the prison that turned to an over the shoulder shot. Transitions did play a huge factor in the making of this sequence as they were all different but were relative to the theme of the movie. They were very swift and quick to get our heart pumping. The editing involved included lots of moving pictures and titles as well. Overall, it was a simply made title sequence but effective one.

Title Research: watchthetitles.com

   While starting our research towards title sequences, my group and I used a website called https://www.watchthetitles.com. At first we were searching up "movie title sequneces" and this proved very ineffective and slow. Then we came by this website. This source proved to be very useful once we learned that it carries a wide variety of short title sequences that we have access to. We also like this source because its extremely easy to find title sequences in our genre.  Starting this research topic, I didn't really understand what a title sequence was until I watched a few of these clips and got a better idea. There was an endless amount for all kinds of movies that we can watch. We need to stick to thriller movies which shouldn't be a problem being that there's dozens for this genre. After watching a few of these clips, we saw some repetition between them. We noticed that the ways the names were presented, or what kind of music played complimented what genre the movie is about. We were able to figure out the genre before even knowing the movie. Another thing about this website is its wide variety. This website has title sequences of TV shows, movies, and even Video games. Even though we can only research movie title sequences; its still a very great tool to use. This will benefit us in doing our final task.

Genre research (The call)

Cams- The camera angles, movements, and shots includes: The establishing shot to start off the movie, arial shots to give the view of the helicopters, tracking shots to track the kidnappers car, the trunk shot when the kidnapper tries to talk to the girl, The two shots to show cops talking, and many close ups. 

Editing- The editing in this movie includes: Many Jump cuts, cross cutting, cutaways, graphic matches, eye-line matches, many shot reverse shots and reaction shots.

Sound- The sound in this movie includes: Eerie and suspenseful music, diegetic sound like dialogue, non diegetic sound, ambient sound and a couple sound bridges.

Elements: The elements include: A lot of suspense and tension in scenes with a good good plot. Used a lot of fast motion scenes and had fast pacing.

What I liked: I enjoyed the fast pacing and the intense plot points and ending. Another thing I liked was how the main character Jordan had an emotional connection to the kidnapped girl.

What I didn't like: Theres not much I didn’t like. I think it was a really solid watch. But pretty much the only thing I didn’t like was the repeated extreme close ups, it was just too much and weird.

The C.L.A.M.P.S in this movie include:

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Costumes includes: Since half of the movie took place in a police station, most of the people wore uniform for the operator desk and police uniforms. The kidnapped girl wore regular attire and the kidnapper wore regular attire too.

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The lighting includes: Natural lighting in many scenes like the mall, Dark lighting in the trunk and the basement, and bright lighting in the hive.

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The actors include: Halle Berry as the main character/operator, Abigail Breslin as the girl who gets kidnapped, and Michael Eklund as the kidnapper. There were many other actors like Morris Chestnut who played the cops.

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The makeup include: Regular day to day make up, fake blood, fake bruises, and make up to make someone look dead.

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Some important props include: Guns, police, shovels, paint buckets, phone, flashlight and tools.

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The settings include: The police station to show where the call took place, the original kidnapped girl house, the mall, the freeway and the basement where the ending takes place.