2. Art of the title
In order to gain a full understanding on what makes a successful and effective title sequence, I researched into the Art of
the Title website. This website hosts clips of title sequences taken from films. I looked at Taxi Driver (1976), The Set Up
(1949) and After Hours (1985). This gave me a well rounded idea into the most impactful aspects of a title sequence of
past films. The other members of my team looked at more modern films such as Black Panther and Maze Runner. The
contrast in time gave me and my group a grasp of past and present title sequences.
This Analysis gave me the knowledge that there are 5 conventions to a title sequence. Establishing the genre, the credits,
the main title, presenting the star actors more distinguished for recognition and the hook. The hook is the main goal that
the protagonist has to face and it is usually shown in the film opening.
3. Establishing the genre - This is done through the tone we set in the film. For instance, it starts with a detective receiving
a call regarding a murder, and an envelope including the suspects. This sets a serious tone, whilst also telling the viewer
that this is a crime, murder-mystery film.
Showcasing the main talent - in our case, there is no real Hollywood movie stars in the film, however, we have all the
actors names in the credits building up to the film, alongside the “production team” and other staff such as director and
producer.
The hook - This is shown in the beginning of the film when the detective receives the phone call and envelope. This illustrates
perfectly the hook and enigma of the film opening, presenting the purpose of the film opening straight away.
The main title - The word Suspect will be presented onto the screen in the dying embers of the film opening. This way,
people remember what the film is called when they view this title opening, as it is the last thing that the viewer sees.
Applying the film opening conventions to
our production
4. Stereotypes
Stereotypes help a viewer characterise actors in a film, relating them to other people like them. To have a successful
stereotype, a producer must make the character relatable, however, not to the extreme where it is over exaggerated.
This makes the film look tacky if over exaggerated.
However, some Hollywood production companies have faced backlash in recent times for the way they portray certain
social groups. For example, women have generally been presented as a man’s wife and as if without their husband they
are nothing. This is extremely inaccurate, however, film producers are now coming to realise how out of order presenting
women in this negative way is. Marvel are leading the way with their latest film Captain Marvel, where Captain Marvel is a
woman. This portrays a woman in a positive light as it is showing that women have a mind and a body of their own and
that a man isn’t needed to be present in their life.
Aside from gender stereotypes in film, there has also been heavy disability stereotypes in films. For example, generally
disabled people have been presented as weak and frail. 34.3% of disabled characters in film die somewhere in the timeline
of the film. This opposes to 11.7% of non-disabled characters dying.
5. Stereotypes - Herbert Crafts
One of the stereotypes in our film is Herbert Crafts. He is a stereotypical, upper class businessman who cares only about
himself. We tried to make this character modelled around politicians you see nowadays, as we thought this was the closest
accurate relation we could make. We did this through the accent he has, the clothes he wears and the expensive items he
always has.
We engineered the character of Herbert Crafts to be a self-centred, self-indulged, condescending, selfish man through the
way he interacts with his surroundings. For example, in one scene, Herbert Crafts is talking to his assistant. The dialogue
from his side was extremely disrespectful, with no manners. He said “make it quick” to his assistant, making it seem as if
she was incapable of doing a decent job of the task quickly.
These are examples of the
expensive items that Herbert Crafts
would have to help portray the idea
that he lives a lavish lifestyle, and
looks down on others who don’t.
6. Stereotypes - Alan Cork
Another stereotype in our film is Alan Cork. He is a fisherman. Alan Cork is presented as slightly insane through the way
he is filmed talking to himself while fishing by the riverside. This dialogue with himself portrays him as a man who isn’t all
there in the head. This is the main stereotype we were trying to put on Alan Cork. The audience can also clearly see he is
a fisherman through his clothing and how he is holding a fishing rod in the river.
Alan Cork is a character that we tried to make look as crazy as possible, without breaking social constructs and without
making it look over exaggerated.
These are the items that Ben Richardson used to make himself
look like a fisherman and in return, completing his
characterisation of Alan Cork, the mentally insane fisherman.
7. Stereotypes - Kieran Tucker
Kieran Tucker is a typical British “chav” who’s is extremely patriotic and talks in a cockney accent. Kieran Tucker is
portrayed as a man who likes to drink alcohol frequently through the cans of beer lying around his room, alongside a few
cigarette butts. In addition to this, he will be wearing an England football shirt and a pair of jeans. These characterisation
objects allow the viewer to relate Kieran Tucker to a man they’ve seen before. We tried to model him off of the characters
in Green Street, as we believed this was the closest representation of a man like Kieran.
With Kieran Tucker we tried to make him look like a typical British chav that goes to football matches with his “mates”,
drinks beer all around the clock, speaks cockney and is a builder.
Finn Hanley could use
these items to complete
the representation of the
cockney football fan we
are trying to portray in this
stereotype.
8. Stereotypes - Detective Heyns
Detective Heyns won’t feature as much as the other characters, however, it is still important that we make him a relatable
stereotype so people can recognise the type of person he is. Detective Heyns will look like a typical police officer through
the clothes that he wears; an overcoat, smart, black trousers and a shirt and tie. This will make him look like a police
detective, instead of a police officer, which is the representation we are looking for. He will be holding a mug of coffee to
help with this characterisation.
We are trying to make Detective Heyns based somewhat off what Sherlock Holmes has been represented in, in films. This
will allow the viewer to relate him to a well known character.
Using these items would
help the audience relate
Matt Heyns (Detective
Heyns) to other detectives
they have seen in film.
