An analysis of the opening title sequence for the film: The Conjuring

1. The Conjuring….
An analysis of the title sequence….
By Sophie Smart

2. Shots used and impact on the viewer:
These are examples of a few shots used:
 Establishing shot – this is of the house which gives the viewer a
visual of where the film and narrative is taken place. This shot
is placed at the end of the title sequence to symbolise and
evaluate the two previous images of family photographs,
which resembles where the family lives, and where the
conjuring is taking place. Furthermore, there is also another
establishing shot of a different house at the beginning of the
title sequence which gives the message that more than one
place might be haunted – which adds to the overall, content
of the film to the viewer. Also, by using houses at the
beginning and at the end of the opening title sequence has
connotations of being trapped inside with no escape, which
adds to the haunted feel of the overall film.
 Close- up – this was of newspaper titles demonstrating the
events that have recently occurred in the film, giving the
viewer an overall impression of the storyline of the film.
Presenting the film as haunting, bloodcurdling and
mysterious.
Beginning:
establishing
shot
End:
establishing
shot

3. Typography:
 The font style is bold which makes it stand out to the viewer to visibly show the people involved within
the making of the film. The overall contrast of the texts font with the background images and film
worked well, as it didn’t prevent the viewer from seeing and clearly reading the text.
 The capitalised font was kept the same throughout which kept the consistency of the text equal,
preventing the thought of one person being more important than the other. However, in other cases this
is shown by the order of the people stated. Also, the capitalised font is small which doesn’t take the
viewers eye off of the image behind which helps ease the viewer into the storyline of the film. This is
especially shown when the writing is merged with the background image, which can help to show the
more important images to the viewer as the text doesn’t cover up the image (it’s a part of the image).
 The titles appear when the image or the animation of the screen swipes with a white streak, which can
resemble a ghostly feel and generate to the viewer the feeling and anticipation of mystery.

4. Why is it an effective opening?:
 Overall, the opening title sequence gives the viewers and instant feel of what the film could be
about, i.e. haunting the families that live in the houses shown in the images presented.
 Also, the colours used resemble a ghostly feel with the creation of black, grey and white. The colour
black could be symbolising the devil and has connotations of death and darkness. Whereas, the
colour white has connotations of the opposite spectrum meaning God and light. The colour grey is
a mixture of both colours which generates the contrast of these two forces colliding. Also, it could
relate to the quote stated by Ed Warren: “The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very
destiny hinges on which we decide to follow.”

5. The order of the opening titles and why?:
The Perron Family:
This is one of the families that is involved within the storyline of the film, as it bases around this true real life scenario. Their
name is mentioned first to showcase firstly to the viewer that the film is based on real life paranormal activity which can lead
the viewers into the horror as this instantly draws them in to find out more.
The Warren Family:
This is one of the families that is involved within the storyline of the film, as it bases around this true real life scenario. Their
name is mentioned second to showcase the order to which family could have stayed in the house first in real life. To the viewer
that the film is based on real life paranormal activity which can lead the viewers into the horror as this instantly draws them in
to find out more.
Directed by James Wan:
The director of a film is the person who directs the making of a film, who generally controls a films artistic and dramatic aspects,
and visualises the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. Therefore, James Wan is the
first mentioned person who has worked on the film, as the film has to be thoroughly checked by him before they can move on
to release the film, or to the next shot or scene.

6. Opening titles continued:
Written by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes:
The screenwriters of the film are named next because they have created the base storyline of the overall film. Therefore, without the
writer the film wouldn’t even be created, as there would be no dialogue, emotions, reactions or even the narrative. Resulting in the
writers to be a very important part of the film making process.
Produced by Tony DeRosa-Grund, Peter Safran, Ron Cowan:
The producers will oversee each project from conception to completion and may also involve marketing and distribution processes.
Therefore, the producers work closely with the director (James Wan) and other production staff who shoot. Giving being a producer is
a very important job in order for the film production to run smoothly. This is why the people that have produced the film are one of
the first ones to be named.
Executive producers Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter:
Executive producers is in charge of hiring, managing and organising the film. The job duties that it entails include securing funding,
maintaining a schedule and managing cast and crew. Resulting in this job being very vital in terms of setting up the production and
getting it done within the correct timing restraints that may be placed upon the film, this is why Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadler
are mentioned within the opening titles.

7. Opening titles continued:
Director of photography John R. Leonetti, ASC:
The director of photography is the person responsible for all operations concerning the composition,
camera work and lighting during the production of a film. Therefore, this makes him highly required on
a film set in order for the scenes to look correct to put across the intended effect to the viewer.
Production designer Julie Berghoff:
A production designer is the person who is accountable for the overall look of the film. They have the
key creative role in the creation of the film, thus making them important in the entire production, which
is why Julie Berghoff is mentioned within the opening title sequence.
Edited by Kirk Morri:
Film editing is the art technique in assembling shot in a coherent sequence so that the film makes sense
to the viewer and so continuity is shown and represented throughout different shots within a scene.
Therefore, a vital part of the whole film being placed together for the film to work and to make sense,
which is why Kirk Morri is in the opening title sequence.

8. Opening titles continued (actors and actresses):
Patrick Wilson
Vera Farmiga
Ron Livingston
Lili Taylor
Joey King
Shanely Caswell
Hayley McFarland
Mackenzie Foy
Shannon Kook
John Brotherton
Sterling Jerins
All of these people are the actors and actresses
within the film. They have been labelled next to
images of the photographs of the characters they
are playing in order for the viewer to have an
outline of which character is played by which actor.
The order of the characters are, in some cases,
named by order of appearance, or by the
importance of the character within the narrative.
The actor and actress listing was placed in the
opening title sequence before the labelled casting
directors as this resembles how the actors/actresses
got chosen to be in the film (who chose them).

9. Opening titles continued:
Casting by Anne McCarthy and Kellie Gesell:
This is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor suitable to play the roles within the narrative who will best
portray them in order to deliver the right message across to the viewers. Resulting in this being a significant job in order for the film
to be a success, which is why Anne McCarthy and Kellie Gesell are named in the opening title sequence of The Conjuring.
Costumes designed by Kristen M. Burke:
This is the person who designs all of the costumes for the film which gives the film its correct theming, for instance if it was a
historical film, historical clothing would be expected to be seen. In this case because the film is a horror, therefore, black, red and
ripped clothing maybe expected by the viewer to see, as black has connotations of death and red can resemble blood.
Music by Joseph Bishara:
The person in charge of music provides music for certain scenes in order to build or relief tension within this context of a horror film.
Therefore, an important role in post production.
A New Line Cinema Presentation:
It is a film production company which is an American independent film studio, which is successful. Consequently, not only it is an
important part of the film making process, it is also a highly recognisable production company, therefore, this lets the viewers know
that the film is going to be a good film.

10. Opening titles continued:
A Safran Company / Evergreen Media Group Production:
The production group the physical basis for works in the film, thus having vital importance
within the making of the film, which is why it is mentioned within the opening title credits.
A James Wan Film:
This is usually referred to as a possessory credit and is traditionally reserved for the directors
name however This doesn’t make it a film by one individual – only in a few cases is the
possessory credit “A Film By ...”.
The Conjuring:
This is to entice the viewers into the further understanding of the title as the denotation of
conjuring is the performance of tricks which are seemingly magical, typically involving slight
of hand.