The document discusses conventions used in opening title sequences (OTS) of films. It provides examples from the horror film Evil Dead. Key conventions discussed include displaying the film title, credits for actors and production companies, and establishing the genre/tone through visuals. The OTS for Evil Dead uses a dark font, red text and images of blood and gore to set the tone for a horror film and portray the genre. These conventions are typical of other horror film OTS and help introduce the audience to the type of film without revealing the storyline.

1. OTS Conventions
By Harry Ellis

2. Conventions of OTS'
• Follows the beginning credits
• Contains the films title
• Credits the actors, mentioning names
• Gives credit to production, distribution and post production companies
• The establish the genre, e.g. may set a dark, tense tone for a horror.
• They can also establish settings
• Introduce characters

3. An example OTS
Evil Dead
(OTS contains this title. Font is quite bold and dark. It is red (like blood). This is
common in horror OTS'

4. Conventions in this OTS and why
they are there.
Convention Reason why
Credits of actors/ filming companies To show who was in the film,and to
show who made it.
Film title Shows the films name
Visuals of an area/thing To set a scene, tone or genre.
Lots of blood To show it’s a gory horror film

5. Some examples of OTS conventions
in this OTS
The first credit in the
OTS is the directors
name. This is common.
Blood here is
foreshadowing what
shall happen in the
film.

6. More examples
More credits against
the dark bloody
background. The credits
are also red,which is
commonly seen in
horror movie OTS' as it
relates to blood and
gore, portraying the
genre.
Lots of images of blood
and gore.

7. More conventions
Actor's name
Establishing the
genre/tone with lots of
blood and fire.

8. Comparing this OTS to 'Hackers
• Hackers is more linear, as it has a chronological order.
• It is more action based, as opposed to evil dead's gore
• The title appears at the end of the OTS for hackers, but at the beginning for
Evil Dead.
• The font and color of the credits is different, which shows they are different
genres.
• In hackers ots, we have more idea of who the characters are, and where it is
set, where as Evil Dead didn’t really give any of this away.
VS

9. Are the conventions in my chosen OTS
typical in other films in similar genres?
• Yes.
• Other OTS' in horror genres are quite imagery based, not showing much
storyline, but foreshadowing what the film will be like,and will set a general
tone for the film.
An example of another
horror films OTS
(Haloween)