The opening title sequence of Shaun of the Dead establishes the main character Shaun and shows him in his regular pub setting. The non-diegetic music sets a tone that is both cheery and creepy. Scenes of people's daily routines like work and waiting for the bus depict them as behaving automatically and without expression, resembling zombies. Clever transitions like a passing car seamlessly move between scenes. The sequence concludes by showing Shaun walking zombie-like while tired, foreshadowing the film's blending of everyday life and the zombie genre.

1. Shaun of the Dead opening title sequence review
The image we see first (0.1 seconds) is of the Simon Pegg (Shaun), it is a close up with him in centre
shot which shows the audience that he will be the main character in the film. It also concentrates on
the facial expression of his face. We see the pub or bar setting in the background which shows a
modern time location and that the character is comfortable or spends a lot of time in this place.
After this image the title sequences start and the background music also comes in.
The non-diegetic music that continues the whole way through the opening title sequence uses wind
instruments and is very cleverly used. It almost has a mix between cheery and creepy, mysterious
music. The instruments used are commonly recognisable as the same one used in horror movies but
are playing a more light-hearted tune. It fits in really well with the scenes that it overlays and helps
set the scene, it makes it easy for the viewer to follow and understand what the film is trying to
present to the audience.
After a few seconds this scene is cleverly panned across showing the work place of the women. They
are all carrying out the same task and seems routine and boring. The women have a lack of
expression on their face which is contrasted by the balloons in the background which is commonly
seen as an image of celebration and happiness; it looks as if they are already in a zombie-like state.

2. The transition between the next two scenes is very creatively made. The camera pans across to the
next scene with a lamppost separating the two images. The titles of the next scene come on with the
rest of the image to make the transition seem natural.
At 19 seconds in we see the scene at the bus stop where the business men are waiting and
simultaneously looking at their phones. This represents the automatic processes, with little thought,
that zombies are stereotypically linked too. Also the background with the bus stop shows us that it is
taking place in an everyday situation.

3. After 22 seconds it has the scene in the street with the teenagers walking in time with each other. It
also relates the stereotypical view of teenagers that don’t realise what they are doing, almost
seeming stupid. This again links with the zombie stereotype, little thinking involved and a very
automatic process.The title arrives on the screen but looks as if it is on the floor in front of the
teenagers because of the slant. This is very effective because it includes the titles in with the scene
to make it seem real and not an out of place addition
The transition between the scene of the teenagers and scene of the boy playing football is probably
my favourite. The car drives past the screen and in doing so wipes away the previous screen and
introduces the next. It links into both because each scene is taking place in a street. The use of these
transitions make the opening sequence much smoother and easy to watch.
The scene with the boy playing football in the street follows but has no titles or writing on screen
which shows that the title sequence is concluding. It is used as more of an establishing shot to show
the audience where the events will be taking place.

4. The next scene is cleverly made. It shows a person walking like a zombie, the camera start with a
close up of the person’s feet and the shadow, it makes it seem scary. The camera tilts up to the man
face who we notice is Shaun, the main character. It turns out he is just tired, probably hungover, it
relates back to the normal life of many people and how, unnoticably, is very similar to the life of a
common zombie character.
All the relations between normal, everyday life and the connections towards the stereotypical
zombie fit in really well because it gives us an insite into what the rest of the film will be about.