The document discusses various codes and conventions used in film opening title sequences to engage audiences and set expectations. It explains that openings typically include production company logos, actor credits, and the film title. Narrative codes like action, enigma, semantic, and symbolic are used to hook viewers and launch the story. Visual elements like lighting, fonts, colors, and location help establish genre. Sound is also important for conveying atmosphere through diegetic and non-diegetic cues. Successful openings intrigue audiences with questions to encourage them to watch the full film.

1. FILM OPENING CODES AND
CONVENTIONS

2. How I used Art of the Title
Art of The title is a website
created for the use of media
students all around the world. It
collects hundreds of award
winning opening title sequences
all in one place.
The thing I found most
useful about Art of the
Title is the vast amount
of information they’ve
you underneath each of
the title sequences. I
found them very useful
when writing my
analysis on 3 different
sequences.
The three title sequences I analysed were:
The Silence of the Lambs- Dir. Johnathan Denn, 1991
Gone Girl- Dir. David Fincher, 2014
American Horror Story- Dir. Bradley Buecker, 2011

3. Similarities and differences
between title sequences
Each title sequence is different and creative. A good title sequence is meant
to signal the genre of the film, it is also meant to show the time period and
where the film is set. A successful sequence will make the audience intrigued
and want to watch on and also creates questions the audience wants
answered.
Thor: Ragnarok American Horror Story

4. Key Conventions in opening
sequences
The main conventions of an opening sequence will usually
consist of:
1.) first of all the main production companies e.g. 20th Century
Fox.
2.) This is then followed by important principle actors e.g. Tom
Cruise.
3.)After this key developers are then shown on the screen e.g.
the director and producer.
4.) Finally at the end of the opening sequence is the title of the
film.

5. Enigma
The enigma code was a theory developed by Roland
Barthes after publishing his book “S/Z”. An enigma
code is used in opening sequences make the audience
quizzical and intrigued from the very beginning in order
to entice them into watching the rest of the film. It’s a
key factor in keeping the audience hooked. A great
example of an enigma code in use would be The Woman
In Black where the two young girls jump from the
window creating tension and mystery and unanswered
questions.

6. Narrative Codes
Narrative codes:
The main aim of an opening sequence is to hook the audience so they continue to watch. When
the narrative is launched it must be sufficiently intriguing and compelling to persuade the
audience that the rest of the film must be watched. Linguist Roland Barthes believed narrative
can follow one of four forms:
• Action Codes - The story progresses through actions, meaning an action can change the
narrative of the story, this is like a chain reaction where one event leads to another
• Enigma Codes - An enigma code presents the audience with a question, the viewer
continues watching to find the solution, for example a murder is committed and the film is
based finding the culprit.
• Semantic Codes- A semantic code is where there are deeper and often multiple meanings
beneath what is actually happening within the world of the film. It is often done by the writers
of a film to portray a bigger picture.
• Symbolic Codes- Symbolic code is all about contrasting differences within a story. For
example good Vs bad. It is often used to create tension and drama within a film.

7. LOGOS
Film Openings will always show the logos of the production companies
and also the distribution companies involved at the beginning. The
audience will often pay no attention to them however they provide a lot of
information about the film. For example if the Universal logo appeared the
film is likely to be a big budget block buster.

8. Titles and typography
Title sequences are key to gaining audience attention. The bold choices of font and colours contribute
greatly to the meaning of the opening sequence. This is part of what Barthes described semiotic codes.
This is vital in engaging the audiences attention. For example, the Gone Girl title sequence, features
actors names like Ben Affleck on a plain black background in a simple font to represent the loneliness and
silence within the film.
Another great example would be the ink pen handwriting of the titles in the opening sequence to Sherlock
as it shows the time period and setting of the film.
Another display of font is the stranger things title sequence where famous names like David Harbour are
displayed in a clean, sharp sans serif font on a plain background allowing the neon colourful lights to shine.

9. Establishing genre
A crucial part in establishing the genre of a film is through visual codes using mise-en-
scène. This includes lighting, outfits, scenery and more. It is essential to the audience
in understanding the theme of a film.
Within something like a thriller, the key conventions to show the audience would be
gloomy colours and low lighting to create an unsettling feel

10. Launch Of Narration
The point of narration is to expose the thoughts and feeling of a character in
order to strengthen the relationship between the character and the audience.
The narration of a character is done through voice overs. A very well done voice over was in
American Psycho where we are introduced to Patrick Bateman, we proceed to delve into a
side of his life no one else see’s, giving us insight into what kind of a man he is.

11. Sound
In title sequences sound codes are extremely important for understanding things like the
genre of the film and making the world around seem real. Sound codes are key for the
audience to understand the atmosphere to a scene, for example upbeat fast paced music to
indicate an excited, happy scene.There are two kinds of sound:
Diegetic sound- this is sound that originates from the world within the film. For example a
type of diegetic sound would be a wolf howling.
Non-diegetic sound- this is sound that is not in the world of the film. For example Christmas
music playing in the background of a scene to set the mood.