The document analyzes the opening title sequences (OTS) of three horror films - Evil Dead, Zombieland, and The Last of Us. For each film, a student was assigned to analyze key aspects of that film's OTS, including whether it was linear or symbolic, how it established themes and settings, and how credits were presented. Key observations about OTS across horror films in general were also noted, such as their frequent use of non-linear or symbolic structures and music.

1. [Research]
Assign 10: Analysing real OTS

2. After watching 15 OTS’ in class, we have made
the following 10 observations:
• Horror films generally use non-linear or symbolic OTS’
•The use of music is a key part of the OTS
• Most OTS’ reveal some of the characters in the film
• CGI is common in symbolic OTS’
• It establishes the genre
• Reveals the basis of the storyline
• Sometimes reveals the setting
• OTS’ can reinforce or contradict common themes in the
films
• Music is used to set the tone of the film
• Reveals the themes that will appear in the film

3. Felix Bartlett’s OTS notes:

4. Gareth Tyrrell’s OTS notes:

5. Fabian Hogg’s OTS notes:

6. We were really inspired by the
following 3 OTS’:
• Evil Dead
• Zombieland
• The last of us

7. Who will analyse what:
Felix Bartlett Gareth Tyrrell Fabian Hogg
Evil Dead The last of us Zombieland

8. Evil Dead
By: Felix Bartlett

9. Answers
It’s a symbolic OTS:
• It’s used to introduce the themes that will appear in the film; in this case those themes are blood,
violence etc
•The themes shown are blood, gore, violence, weapons, death, murder, horror, and evil
The OTS prepares for the film by:
• Establishing the sub-genre: Devil & Demon & Hell
• Establishing the themes as previously mentioned
• Giving the audience a glimpse of some of the events that will occur in the film
Creates narrative enigma?:
• No characters are revealed in the OTS
• Reveals some events that will happen in the movie through the symbolic intro
• Makes the audience question who will die in the film and how

10. Answers (cont)
It doesn’t challenge the themes and conventions of the genre:
• Symbolic OTS’ are quite common in horror films now
• Uses themes and symbolism common to the sub-genre
• Reinforces the themes common to the genre through the use of CGI
Presents credits and main title by:
•Smaller font size used for cast roles and bigger font for names
• Font is in red to symbolise blood
• The main title fills the screen, is coloured in a glowing red and shows trees growing
across the title, revealing the setting.

11. I enjoyed...
• The following slides
illustrate what I enjoyed
and found effective

12. Bold font for the title & the use of trees, revealing the setting

13. Extreme close up shots & placement and font of credits

14. Use of weapons and blood to symbolise themes and future events in the
film

15. Use of low key lighting

16. Slow-motion shots and use of fast cuts

17. Zombieland
By: Fabian Hogg

18. It is A Linear OTS:
- It is linear to introduce the setting of the movie and the
genre of the horror film (zombie)
- It is used to give the audience a introduction into the story.
The OTS prepares for the film by:
- Establishing the Sub-genre (Zombie)
- Establishing the Setting (Washington D.C)
Creates narrative enigmas?
- Who is the Voiceover? (Is he important)
- What caused the outbreak?
Answers

19. Answers (cont.)
It doesn’t challenge the themes and conventions of the genre:
- Linear OTS is commonly used for zombie films.
- Set in modern day
- Usual characters (Regular people and Zombies)
- Special effects, Zombie make up
Characters represented and why are they represented in this way?
- Modern american, middle class
- Women, bad driver
- Overweight male, very slow, first to fall
Present credits and the main title by:
- Smaller font size cast role with bigger size for names
- Titles interacting with characters within the scene
- Red titles to represent blood

20. I enjoyed...
• The following slides
illustrate what I enjoyed
and found effective

21. 21
Upside down flag to show dystopian setting

22. 22
Close up of zombies face

23. 23
Transition used to show destruction

24. 24
Blood splatter on title, Interactive titles

25. 25
Use of slow-motion

26. 26
By: Gareth Tyrrell
Dexter

27. 27