Hello readers, in this blog we will be looking at the title sequences of three different movies and talking about how the title affects us as viewers. Title Sequences are the TV/movie version of a hook, and is meant to bring the reader into the movie, create a specific mood/atmosphere, and introduce the viewer to certain details. There are numerous ways this can be done in a title sequence, and title sequences come in many different forms. Let's look at some examples.
Title Sequence 1: Greece
The title sequence of this movie is extremely colorful and uplifting. It uses cartoon animation and shows each of the main 3 characters getting ready and introduces their actor and name. Photos of numerous people/places are shown between each character, including non-animated photos. It then shows them driving through the city to display some of the settings while introducing the support cast by name and actor. While all this occurs, upbeat but relaxed music is playing. The use of bold colors - such as reds, oranges, blues, etc.- in the sequence, captivates the viewer as they watch the "fun" visual play out. Additionally, the use of animation creates a fluidity between the actions of the characters and the music as the sequence becomes an experience. The photos in-between separate each character while also displaying aspects of their aesthetics and bring the sequence into and out-of reality.
Title Sequence 2: Avengers Age of Ultron
This montage sequence shows a tan sculpture of a fighting scene between the Avengers and their enemy, Ultron. The shots first begin as extreme close-ups showing details such as a hand grabbing a leg, etc. As this occurs, the production, writers, and designers are listed on the screen. Then the shot starts to expand showing a hand (assumed to hulks) grabbing a robot head, a high angle staring from Iron's chest ending at his jaw, Thor's Hammer, and Hawkeye's bow. This leads into larger shots where for each superhero in the sculpture, we get medium-cowboy shots displaying their body language and actions with their name on the screen. Then the shot begins to show larger parts of the sculpture moving upwards. Finally, we see Ultron and Vision (two unknown characters introduced in the movie) and then the shot falls at a low angle displaying the full scene and the title is displayed. The use of a montage not including any real people, but showing them isolates the viewer from the story as they are unaware of what exactly is occurring. It peaks interest as the scene unfolds, but it requires patience to appreciate. The use of tan instead of a darker color draws attention to the scene as it's a dull but contrasting color from the dark black/blue background. Overall this sequence gives watchers a peak into the movie without directly stating anything.
Title Sequence 3: The Conjuring 2
This sequence begins with a close-up of a Tape player (playing) with text indicating that it is the real recording of an interview from the people the movie is based on. The interview is used as the audio for the intro, as we start to see a projector show black and white pictures. The pictures are of the real-life family and people who experienced the movie's events, and the location/setting it happened. Then we start to see pictures of the cast and who they are supposed to represent (now in color). In between each character there's a flicker of a disturbing photo from the movie, like one of the characters twisted in uncomfortable positions, Lorriane scared by something in front of her, and more. Also around this time the interview ends and ominous music starts playing. We then see more vintage photos while more credits are shown. Next, we see a photo of one of most popular entities in the horror genre, the Nun, and finally see the house the movie occurs in with the title. The use of photos to compare the reality vs created world regarding the events of the movie create a terrorizing feeling as the reader begins to realize this occurred in real life. The use of the interview audio further contributes to this, providing more than just visuals but bone-chilling audio from the real event. The use of black and white and washed-down colors immerses the watcher into the time of the movie (1976-1977). Furthermore, this intro uses photos and audio to give the film a sense of realism, while slowly introducing the setting, characters, and history of it.
And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this blog and learned about the many different title sequences that can be used and how each element plays a role. See you next time!
