This document summarizes a group assignment analyzing the opening title sequence (OTS) of the TV show Penny Dreadful. It identifies the key conventions used in the OTS, such as scoring music, crediting actors and cast, establishing genre and theme. It explains how these conventions create atmosphere and intrigue audiences. The document also compares the OTS to others seen in class and evaluates its effectiveness at setting expectations for the show's genre and theme.

1. ASSIGNMENT 2-OTS
CONVENTIONS TASK- PENNY
DREADFUL
BY ZAIN ZAFAR, JACK MELTON, CONNER HARLING, IHAB SAEED

2. IDENTIFY THE OTS CONVENTIONS
• SCORE MUSIC
• CREDIT ACTORS
• CREDIT CAST MEMBERS
• ENIGMATIC
• ESTABLISH GENRE
• ESTABLISH THEME

3. WHY DOES THIS OTS HAVE THE CONVENTIONS YOU
NAMED IN NUMBER 1
• SCORE MUSIC- THIS IS USED TO CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE AND START TO ESTABLISH THE THEME OF THE FILM/TV SHOW
• CREDIT ACTORS- THIS IS USED TO ENTICE THE AUDIENCE INTO WATCHING THE SHOW AS THERE COULD BE A FAMILIAR
ACTOR IN IT WHICH HAS A GOOD REPUTATION FOR EXAMPLE BILLIE PIPER
• CREDIT CAST MEMBERS- THIS IS USED TO GIVE THE CAST MEMBERS THAT HAVE WORKED ONTO THE SHOW TO GIVE THEM
CREDIT.
• ENIGMAS- THESE ARE USED TO MAKE THE AUDIENCE ENTICED AND MAKING THEM WANT TO SEE THE NEXT EPISODE OF THE
SERIES.
• IDENTIFY THE GENRE- THIS IS USED TO LET THE AUDIENCE BE AWARE OF THE TYPE OF SHOW THEY ARE ABOUT TO SEE SO
THEY CAN IDENTIFY TO CERTAIN FEATURES OF THE SHOW AND IT COULD APPEAL TO THEM.
• IDENTIFY THE THEME- THIS IS USED SO THAT THE AUDIENCE CAN IDENTIFY THE SPIRITUAL OR GOTHIC SCENE THAT MAY
ATTRACT CERTAIN VIEWERS TO BE MORE ENTICED.

4. CONNOTATIONS OF THE CONVENTIONS
• OPENING TEXT IS MIDNIGHT BLUE
• CREDIT TEXTS ARE WHITE WHICH STICKS OUT AND IS JUXTAPOSED WITH A BLACK
BACKGROUND.

5. HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO ONE OF THE OTS'S
THAT WE WATCHED?
• ALL 4 OTS'S REVEAL GENRES AND THEMES ABOUT THE SERIES. FOR EXAMPLE IN PENNY
DREADFUL IT REVEALED THE THEME AS SPIRITUAL THROUGH THE USE OF THE CRUCIFIX AND IN
WALKING DEAD THE USE OF CONSTANT EMPTY BUILDING AND USE OF BLOOD SHOW THE
THEME OF ZOMBIES.
• SCORE MUSIC IS SIMILAR IN THE WALKING DEAD TO PENNY DREADFUL DUE IT BEING A CLOSE
RELATION IN THEME OF GOTHIC AND SUFFERING.
• PENNY DREADFUL IS THE ONLY ONE TO SHOW REAL PLOT COMPARED TO THE OTHER OTS'S
THAT WE SAW.

6. WHAT CONVENTIONS/PURPOSES ARE NOT
APPLICABLE AND WHY?
• TO INTRODUCE CHARACTERS WHICH CREATES MYSTERY THEREFORE IT CREATES A ENIGMATIC
ATMOSPHERE
• CREDITS ON THE BLACK SCREEN, THE CREDIT FONTS ARE WHITE AND MIDNIGHT BLUE WHICH
IS IN CONTRAST TO THE BLACK BACKGROUND SCREEN, THIS MAKES IT STICK OUT MORE.
• PREVIEW OTHER FILMS/ TV SHOWS IS NOT APPLICABLE DUE TO IT NOT BEING IN THE OTS.

7. ARE THE CONVENTIONS IN YOUR OTS TYPICAL IN
FILMS IN THE SAME GENRE? WHY OR WHY NOT?
• YES THE CONVENTIONS IN OUR OTS ARE TYPICAL IN FILMS OF OUR GENRE AS THE MUSIC AND
CREDITS AND IMAGES COMING ONTO THE SCREEN RELATING TO BLOOD AND DARKNESS AND GOTH
TO MAKE IT TENSE FOR THE AUDIENCE AND CREEPY.

8. EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OTS
• THIS OTS IS EFFECTIVE AS IT GIVES US ALL OF THE NECESSARY CONVENTIONS THAT WE EXCEPT
FROM A OTS. IT ALSO GETS US READY FOR THE SHOW WITH THE GENRE AND THE OVERALL
THEME WHICH IS EFFECTIVE

9. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING