Work from lesson on Monday 21st November on Title Sequences

1. Monday 21st November 2016
Titles
Awareness of conventions
What do films start with? – Distribution companies (think about who you would want to distribute your
film- there are only about 6!)
Remember! The production logo must keep with the genre and match the tone of the film
Co-productions: our film could be a co-production (more than one company – e.g. main one is a famous
distributor and another reference to your own company)
You could start with your own – you could have a famous one and yours or just yours (Cracking
Productions)
What else?
 Language –
o Hollow Man: main actors before the title (people may watch films because of the actors in it,
they are most important), then the other actors, some other roles (music, costume,
photography, producer, director – director comes last on Hollow man because he isn’t very
famous)
o Se7en: Director first (very important, famous- he is the main selling point for the film), then
titles, then other roles (casting by, production by…)
o Da Vinci’s Demons: key names to start with, finishes with the title (executive producer,
casting by)
 Co-executive producer, consulting producer, executive producer (producer is man in
charge of money)
o Vertigo (Hitchcock): his name quite close to the start (his name is in the titles twice because
he’s so well known) actors come first as they were very famous at the time- very important
sequence in setting the tone, setting etc. for the film
o Usual Suspects: Production company first, director (like Hitchcock, he’s first), title, actors
(not very well known) – different from the others as the titles appear over the first shot
o Signs: Mel Gibson first (when he was super famous), finishes with the director (written,
produced and directed by)
 WHAT NOT TO DO:
o ‘Starring…’
o ‘Camera by….’
o Scrolling credits
o Black screen titles all at the end
o ‘Emma as Emma’
o Spell incorrectly
o Make it too long
 What to include?
o Director credit, producer credits, director of photography, music composed by, TITLE
o Proper backing (not just a black screen)
o There must be a reason for what you do!
 Ordering of titles
o More famous someone is, the
closer to the start of the titles they
are
o Somewhere on your blog, explain
the logic of your order
o Start with production company
o Often end with ‘directed by’
 Think carefully about…
o Font, colour, size, placement, transition, design aesthetic that links to your film
o Remember to blog about whatever you do! Explain it!
HOMEWORK TASK – Due in Monday next week
Use website: Art of the Title: Choose three title sequences (at least 2 thrillers)
Read the information provided on the website and watch the sequence
Analyse how titles are used, what was included, what kind did they use and why – FOCUS ON TITLES