Analysis of Previous AS Students' Work

In order to get a clearer view of what I will produce for my final OTS, I have looked at some films created by previous students to get an idea of what is good to include and what is not. 

The Opening Title Sequence 'Vindicate' (above) is of very high standard and includes lots of high level techniques such as foley, soundtrack, sound effects and slow motion editing. There is the correct number of credits and they have positioned the text so that it is as if it appears in the scene. There are also some errors, the title of the film is at the end, which makes it seem like a trailer rather than opening credits. Overall I would give this sequence a level 4 (A).

The Opening Title Sequence 'The Edge' (above) is also of a very high standard. It contains the correct number of credits and similar to 'Vindicate' it has credits placed within the scene (against walls, etc.) however, some credits are quite hard to read as they go off screen very quickly, and are positioned in an awkward place. There are also some shaky camera shots at the start as it is handheld. The sequence is also slightly on the longer side (3 and a half minutes) but it is of such high quality that it looks almost professional. I would give this sequence a level 4 (A). 

This Opening Title Sequence is of a lower standard to the two examples above. The plot is a little cliche, the knife and the flash forward are two features that was advised not to include as it is difficult to produce these to a high standard. The typography of the credits is a little simplistic and does not add any depth to the enigma. There are, however, some strong camera shots, like a birds eye and editing techniques, like match on action and shot-reverse-shot included. Overall I would give this sequence a high level 2 (C/D). 

Re-Creation of an OTS

As practice for filming our own OTS, we had a task to re-create the opening titles from a film. We chose to do 'The Dark Knight' and here I have posted it below.

 

 

The Original Titles:

 

 

Our Re-Creation:

 

Evaluation:

When deciding on what opening titles to re-create we thought that The Dark Knight would be the most simple thriller opening titles to make our own version of. However, when it came to filming and editing this, we found it a lot more challenging. 

The editing done in this OTS was created by mainly special effects and so we were unable to re-create this. We also found filming difficult as we could not get the transition between credits right, as the camera jumps quickly between the different shots of the cards burning, our set up was also difficult to mimic this because the lighting in the sequence is dimmed, whereas we used natural light outside so the shots appeared lighter than we intended.  

We should have also re-filmed certain shots where background distractions that shouldn't be there are in one of the shots - we will bear this in mind when framing shots for our own opening title sequence so that continuity is achieved.

When it comes to creating our own opening title sequence, we will ensure that we do not choose to create any shots or edits that would be too difficult to actually carry out. I think it will be better to do simple shots and edits to a very high standard, than to do more complex shots at a lower standard.

BFI Making Film Openings Trip 12-11-2014

On the 12th November, my media class and I attended a study day at the British Film Institute on London's South Bank. The session was intent on giving students advice on creating our opening title sequences for our AS Media Studies coursework. 

Pete Fraser (Pete's Media Blog) lead a talk about opening title sequences and 5 key features that our title sequences should contain. 

Genre, Narrative (enigma), Character, Atmosphere and Setting.

I learnt that when creating my OTS it is important that the title of the film comes in near the BEGINNING of the sequence, so that it does not look like a trailer.

I also learnt that sound is just as important as visual, it is important that there is no distracting background noise, such as wind, and if this is the case, foley should be used to sync sound with action. Editing has to be continuous as well to give a professional feel. 

We also had a Q&A with Hannah Rothman (an associate director for Create Advertising London) and Dexter Fletcher (an actor/director). Both of these were fascinating to learn about careers in within the media industry and they were able to offer us professional advice in terms of creating our opening titles. 

I found the day a huge success as I left London feeling inspired from the study day, and motivated for creating my opening title sequence. 

Opening Title Sequence Designers

Kyle Cooper interview (1/2) - Watch the Titles from Submarine Channel on Vimeo.

Kyle Cooper interview (2/2) - Watch the Titles from Submarine Channel on Vimeo.

From watching the two clips embedded above, I have learnt that an opening title sequence is a form of art and it gives the viewer almost an insight into what the film is about. For example, the title sequence for the film 'Se7en' created by Kyle Cooper, uses a handwritten font to show a part of the film, where a serial killer keeps a journal. It is distorted and jumpy which connotes the genre of the film; horror. 

Typography is an important factor to consider when creating an opening title sequence. For example:

This font symbolises..... ACTION

This font symbolises..... HORROR

This font symbolises..... Romance

Music is also important, it can create suspense, tension, excitement and many more feelings, so it is important to incorporate the right choice of music into an opening sequence as this will give the right effect and feel to the film. 

In the opening sequence to the film 'Dawn of the Dead' a mixture of both cinematography from actors and graphic design are used. This tells a back story of the film and the viewers will see and get to know some of the characters before the film has started from the motion picture. Also hints are given by the use of typography, the font is red which may symbolise blood and gore. 

Influences

What I have learnt will be a source of inspiration when I come to creating my own opening title sequence. I will take into consideration typography, music and cinematography in order to make the title sequence fitting with the genre and the mood that I want to try and create. I think that telling a back story to the film is important because it gives the viewer an insight to the film and gives them something to think about at the back of their mind. It is important however not to use too much cinematography as this would essentially give away the whole plot to the film. The video clips should only give a small insight otherwise the viewers would know what is going to happen; making the film less exciting and interesting. 

How Coursework is Graded - Levels

Level 4 (48–60 marks) A GRADE

There is evidence of excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:
 

•material appropriate for the target audience and task

•using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions

•using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

•shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene

•using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects.
 

Level 3 (36–47 marks) B/C GRADE

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills:
 

•Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task

•using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions

•using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

•shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene

•using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects.

Level 2 (24–35 marks) D/E GRADE

 

There is evidence of a basic level of ability in the creative use of some of the following technical skills:
 

•Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task;

•using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions

•using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

•shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene

•using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selectiveand appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects.

 

 

Level 1 (0–23 marks) U GRADE

The work for the main task is possibly incomplete. There is minimal evidence in the work of the creative use of any relevant technical skills such as:
 

•Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions;

•using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

•shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene;

•using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects.

 

 

Credits

Usually, an OTS will contain around 24 titles. The main characters generally come first with the director last. It is important that titles are consistent and are all the same length of time.

In my OTS it is important to include about 24 credits, even if there are not this many people who are actually involved in the making of the sequence. This makes it look more professional.


  

Some actors such as Jennifer Aniston and Tom Cruise have contracts where their names in credits must be shown alone and on a card, to show the significance of their roles.

Opening credits usually last approximately 2-3 minutes.
 

Sound in OTS

Sound is a very important part to an opening title sequence. It comes before visual so it is vital that the sound is well suited to the filming. A useful piece of advice is that a good soundtrack can often hide cracks in your images. Sound and visuals go hand in hand when creating an OTS. Diegetic sound comes from things we can see on screen. Non Diegetic sound is created from an external source, e.g. voiceover/music. Getting a perfect sound is vital, when somebody is speaking it is important that they speak loudly and clear so that their voice is heard. Microphones or sound recorders should be used so that no distracting background noise such as traffic and wind are picked up. Foley is sound that is recorded over the top of a visual. This eliminates any background distracting noise if speech is recorded separately to the visual and then edited and layered over the top. In my OTS it is important that the music we use is copyright free, as this is one of the specifications set by the exam board.

Above is a SoundCloud link to a soundtrack that I think would be suitable for an OTS to a thriller film. Added to the visuals as a non-diegetic soundtrack would give it the suspense feel as the music gets louder and quieter at periods to make it feel intense for the viewer. 

Analysis of Type Faces/Positioning and Movement

Typography is the style and appearance of something that is printed, i.e. text. 


Typography is important in an opening title sequence because it provides a further visual to give the audience a hint to the genre and mood of the film. 

It is also important to use a suitable font type for the type of film because every visual needs to fit together to produce the type of mood that is intended to be created. 

If a font is not fitting to the genre, the opening title sequence will look disjointed. 

Below is a YouTube clip that has been very beneficial to my research. It explains how to use fonts and gives examples of which fonts are typical of specific film subgenres.

In the opening titles to 'Insidious' (2010), the typography is red which symbolises death, danger, which is typical of the film's horror genre. The credits become distorted and disappear, which connotes the idea of the film being quite jumpy to the audience. The text is placed left to the frame, using the rule of thirds which could further add to the jumpy effect of the film, because scary subjects in the film may not be central to the frame, so this could connote this. 

Order of Titles in OTS

In an OTS, there is a common order of who/what company appears in the credits. 

The common order is as follows:

Name of the Studio (who is distributing the film, e.g. Columbia, Lionsgate, Universal)

Name of the Production Company (who made the film or made a substantial investment)

Name of the Producer (e.g. "a film by...." or "a .... film."

Name of the Starring Actors/Actresses (only the main characters)

Name of the Film 

Name of any Featured Actors/Actresses

Name of who did the Casting of the Film (e.g. "casting..." or "casting by ...")

Name of who did the Music of the Film (e.g. "music composed by" or "original score by ...")

Name of who did the Production Design

Name of the Editor

Name of the Director of Photography

Name of the Producer/Executive Producer

Name of the Book/Play/Novel the Film was based on (if one)

Based on the Characters Created by... (if any)

Name of the person who wrote the Story (who wrote the story, that the script is based by)

Name of the Writers (who wrote the screenplay)

Name of the Director 

Sometimes these also may be credited in the OTS: 

Set Design, Costumes, Hairdresser(s), Make-Up Artist(s) and Visual Effects Director. 

Conventions of an OTS

Below is a SlideShare presentation I have created which explains the conventions of an opening title sequence (essentially, what is in it).

History of OTS'

Below is a Prezi presentation I have created about the history of opening title sequences. In the Prezi I have embedded relevant YouTube clips to explain the history further.

The OTS to 'Vertigo' is a typical example of older title sequences. It is simplistic and features basic typography against some simple visuals (such as an eye). There are no special effects or moving images which is more common in opening title sequences' in films in the 21st century. 

Making An OTS

Below is a Scribd document with tips for making an opening title sequence which was written by OCR examiner, Pete Fraser.
 

 
Pre-Production is a vital stage to creating the opening title sequence, it is just as important to research, plan and record evidence as it is shooting the actual sequence.

A useful thing to do is look at previous' students work to see what they did and the sort of grades they got.

 

 

What are Opening Title Sequences?

An opening title sequence to a film is used to establish the style of the film and sometimes is used to introduce: character, location, narrative, genre and themes.

It is imperative that the opening title sequence to a film creates a good first impression for its audience. A good opening title sequence sets the tone of the film for the audience but does not give too much away. 

Some films create "full on" opening title sequences but others do not, either due to restraints on money or preference of the directors. Some films prefer to take the audience right into the action at the very start of the film. 

 

OTS to Batman (1989)

OTS to Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2000), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

The image and YouTube embedded clip above shows how OTS' differ from film to film and also how they have changed over time, from the 1980s up until 2011.

Steve Curran, a motion graphics author said "film titles, to a large degree, are the afterthought of the movie production; their typical budget was described by one practitioner as 'whatever is left after the caterer has been paid at the wrap party.'"

So, in the past, opening title sequences to a film were not largely valued as they did not consist of much; only a few names and text against a simple background. 

However, now OTS' have become more valued by film makers because it is vital to create a good first impression of a film, so that the audience will become more engaged with it and become interested from the beginning. 

Also, now OTS' are more than just text since the 1920s, due to advances in technology some titles contain special effects and motion graphics. This has made them more interesting to watch and allows producers to capture an audience more effectively. 

OTS Requirements from OCR and Advice

Outline of Task: 

From OCR: "Create the titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes. All video and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source. The main tasks may be done individually or as a group. Maximum of four members to a group."
 

Advice for creating OTS' from Examiners

An examiner stated from marking previous films, “Some submissions were very short, the target should be as close to two minutes as possible; there is no penalty for being either over length or significantly under, but candidates cannot expect to do themselves justice in a piece as short as one minute unless it contains immense complexity.”

Last year the moderator commented, "I would recommend that candidates consider the use of royalty free music at an earlier point to avoid changes as they near completion."

Explanation of Post-Production

Below is a Scribd document I have created which explains post-production.

Post Production Explanation

Explanation of Production

Below is a Scribd document I have created explaining production.

Production Explanation

Explanation of Pre-Production

Below is a Scribd document I have created explaining what pre-production is and how vital it is for my own opening title sequence production.

 

Pre Production Explanation

Encoding/Decoding: Hall

Stuart Hall (1932-2014)

Stuart Hall was a cultural theorist, who looked at the role of audience positioning in the interpretation of mass media. He thought of 3 ways in which people read a media text.


(1) Dominant Reading: the reader perceives the media text in the intended way set by the producers.

(2) Negotiated Reading: the reader partially perceives the media text in the intended way set by the producers, however, changes it to suit their own personality.

(3) Oppositional Reading: the reader has read a text in a way that was not intended by the producers, due to their social position.

Hall believed that media power creates dominant ideology and that mass media defines important issues through audience positioning.

Polysemy: how a text can have multiple meanings and how different individuals interpret and decode the same text differently based on their culture.

When I come to creating my OTS, I will consider audiences using Hall's reception theory. As I am creating a thriller OTS, I think that I want the audience to think for themselves and figure out the enigma so I will consider negotiated reading as this will add suspense.

Audience Research Methods

Below is an ExamTime flash card set I have created which explains the different types of audience research methods. 

Flash Card Deck created by Heather Larkin with ExamTime

Film Ratings

 

U - Universal, suitable for all.

PG - Parental Guidance

12 - Video release suitable for over 12's.

12A - Cinema release suitable for 12 years and over.

15 - Suitable for over 15 years.

18 - Suitable for over 18 years.

R18 - Adult works for licensed premises only.



 

 

Film ratings are used to limit the age of the viewers' based on the content in the film.

 

The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) says it:

 

"Publishes short but detailed information about all the films and videos we rate.... It gives parents a clear idea of how and why films have been rated and what the films contain."

Film producers give their film a rating which must be approved by the BBFC, they can up or lower the rating if they feel it to be necessary. If films do not receive their desired rating, this can effect their audience figures. For example, if a 15 rated film was intended to be a 12, this restricts a group of people who are under 15, but are older than 12 so they would have been able to see the film if it was a 12, therefore the film would generate a lower profit.
 

Comprehending Time

In films, on screen stories are generally not taken in real time. Films usually present whole lives of a person in an hour and a half. There are different techniques that directors can use to show time passing, e.g. time/date information typed up on screen, a flash forward or flash back, repetition, reverse motion and freeze frame. 

 

Another technique used in story telling is 'dream sequences'. This sets a brief break from the main story of the film and includes a convincing dream which turns out to be false. 

A flash forward transitions the narrative further into the future. These are used to represent events that could happen, whereas flash backs view events that have already happened that are being looked back on to give further depth to a narrative. 

The film 'Click' (2006) includes many flash forwards as the plot of the film is all about the manipulation of time and representations of future events that could happen unless the main character makes some changes to his current life. 

Audience Positioning

Positioning the Audience in Films Via Different Shots

Shot-Reverse-Shot: allows the audience to feel a part of a conversation.

POV Shot: allows the audience to see from the perspective of a character.

Birds-Eye Shot: allows the audience to get an overview of the scene from above it. 


Key Terms

Audience Engagement: describes how an audience interacts with a media text. Relates to Stuart Hall's theory of encoding and decoding. 

Audience Expectations: ideas that an audience has before seeing a media text.

Audience Classification

Below is a SlideShare presentation I have created which explains audience classification, including types of audience research and types of audiences/social groups. 



Demographic: age, gender, race, social status.

Psychographic: interests, hobbies, beliefs, morals attitudes.


Audience Engagement: how an audience reacts to a media text, different people have different reactions to the same text.

Audience Expectations: the ideology that an audience will have before they see a media text, for example, if they know a film's genre is action, they will expect it to be action-packed and intense.

When creating my own opening title sequence, the audience will most likely be aimed at those within the 13-25 year old age group. This is because generally this age group enjoy thriller films more than older age group who may enjoy genres such as action. Also those in education may have more free leisure time than those in full time jobs and will spend more time watching films. 

Impact of Technology on Audiences

Below is SlideShare presentation I have created that explains old and new media, and how it affects audiences. 




David Gauntlett's 'Web 2.0' Theory

David Gauntlett's theory is that the change in online media has lead to more creativity in the sense that it can easily be collaborative and has a desire to be connected. 'Media 2.0' is a term that indicates the changing focus in media due to the web. As a result, audience has moved from passive to active. 

Mass and Niche Audiences

Mass Audience: popular/mainstream shows, e.g. soaps, which target a broad range of people like, men, women, adults, children. 

EastEnders would have a mass audience.







Niche Audience: a smaller group of people, which is selective based on a unique interest.

Wheeler Dealers would have a niche audience.



Katz and Blumler:

Katz and Blumler found that there were 3 main elements that provided audiences with satisfaction: information, personal identity and integration and social interaction. 

Information: the use of sources to understand information about events, this gratitudes curiosity by increasing knowledge. 

Personal Identity: increases individuality, people only look up things that reinforce their own values based on their personal interests.

Integration and Social Interaction: an insight into the position of other people, this brings a sense of empathy from the viewer. For example someone may watch a TV programme or film based on something they can relate to in their own personal life. 

Narrative - 3 Act Structure

Act 1: is the first act of the film, usually is the first quarter of the whole film.

Act 1 sets up the film, there is an exposition which introduces the characters and lets the audience see what type of character they are. The exposition introduces the main character, the dramatic premise and the dramatic situation.

Main character: has an objective to achieve, is the main focus of the story.

Dramatic Premise: what the story is about.

Dramatic Situation: an event that sets the plot of the film, which occurs halfway through act 1.

An 'inciting incident' gets the plot of the film moving halfway through the first act. 


Act 2: is the second act of the film, it takes up half of the film. 

In act 2 there are obstacles, which prevent the main character from achieving what they need to. 

First Culmination: just before halfway through the film, the main character almost achieves their goal, however, everything falls apart before they do. 

Midpoint: the main character reaches their weakness and lowest point in the film as they seem so far away from achieving their goal. 


Act 3: is the penultimate act of the film, this is the final quarter of the film.

Climax: the plot of the film reaches its highest tension between the two opposite forces, they confront each other in an intense battle of emotional or physical action. 

Denouement: this is the short time of calmness at the end of the film where a new equilibrium is created or the equilibrium from the start of act 1 returns. 


Example of the 3 Act Structure

In Frozen (2013) the 3 Act Structure is present within the film. 

At the beginning of the film two young sisters playing in the snow happily and innocently. The older sister, Elsa, accidentally freezes the younger sister, Anna, and has to be isolated from her for years. They are reunited years later when the sister panics and sets off an eternal winter by her magic powers. 

- The exciting incident (Act 1)

In a desperate attempt to bring home her sister, Anna is frozen completely as Elsa's powers are too forceful. She has also been tricked by a prince claiming to love her just to become King of her kingdom, which put her life at risk as she almost could not be saved in time. 

- The Midpoint (Act 2)

In the end, both sisters are safe and Anna finds a new romance.One of the final lines is 'only love can thaw a frozen heart' which sets the new equilibrium of happiness all round.

- Denouement (Act 3)