Annotate (min 4 print screens) 4 title sequences, using subject terminology & looking at genre, semiotics and reflection (your views)

1. Georgina Saunders
Fragile – Title Sequence
The title sequence starts 4 minutes and 41 seconds into the film, by this point the setting of a
hospital has already been established, we have seen a small boy screaming as the doctor takes x-rays
of him, as his bones are breaking from him laying still.
The main image in this shot below shows a
hand drawing a picture, but to the left of
the shot we can see a different angle of the
scene that takes over the main shot, this is
using the technique superimposition in
editing to blend the two different shots
together. The background is dark and bleak
to signify misery and unhappiness.
The building blocks suggest children are
involved, which also leads to innocence. As
the setting is a hospital we feel sympathy
for these children, as they are obviously
unwell in some way. The letter ‘p’ may be
significant in the film, possible protection,
as they are in a hospital. As the block is
upside down it suggests that this is not
being given and the children are in danger. The toy is dirty, signify its age. Dirt is also not associated
with hospitals, as they are meant to be clean and germ free. From the scene before the title
sequence we see boxes so they could be moving and long lost items are being found. The image
again has a bleak tone, and has probably been filmed with a grey filter to add to the darkness.
This close up shot it linking back to the
setting of a hospital, as a medicine
bottle is being opened; it is also a point
of view shot, from the person opening
the bottle. These bottles are meant to
be child proof, which signifies it is being
opened by an adult, who is either going
to take the tablets herself or is giving
them to someone else, whom we
presume to be a child. The medicine bottle is all that is in focus, whilst the background is blurred,
this draws our attention to it, enforcing that hospitals and illness are an important theme in the film.
This print screen shows the rule of thirds
being used, as the text takes up the left
and middle part of the screen and the
ballerina the far right. The font used for
the text signifies what it is saying, as the
lettering is narrow, so potentially fragile

2. Georgina Saunders
and easily broken. We are drawn to the ballerina, as it is the only hint of colour seen in the
sequence. By it being dirty and broken it is a counter type of a stereotypical ballerina who we expect
to be perfect and neat, with all her hair tightly pulled back. The dullness of the surrounding items
suggests their age, which signifies the past might be reoccurring in the film, or something unsolved
has come back. The music being played does not fit with the ballet style of dance, but although it is
creepy and puts you on edge it also has a relaxing tone to it. The title is shown alongside the toy to
illustrate what is fragile in the film, so children and possibly their innocence.
The image shown is either shadows or imprints
of butterflies. These reflect the title as their
wings are fragile, and before they become
butterflies they must first protect themselves
from animals and the weather to form a cocoon
to make the transformation. This signifies that
the children must protect themselves in order
to survive and find somewhere they feel safe. If they manage this then as adults they will be
venerable, as maybe an event will psychologically harm them. Butterflies are normally associated
with bright colours and flowers, but neither is present in this shot, which signifies how the children
will not be as you expect them to be. This could link in with the toys being dirty, as they have not
been played with in a long time.
The title sequence starts with screaming to signify the genre of the film, horror, and suggests what
the producers want the audience to feel like. The music played throughout the sequence is creepy
and has a nervous feel to it. As an audience this makes you feel uneasy. The music is quite gentle
and consists or two tones, the first being made on the violin to give a bleak ton, low notes are used
to create this mood. This is mixed with the high notes of a piano, to give the music a happier feel,
although this is less noticeable than the violins so is suggesting a power struggle between happiness
and gloom in the film. The music alongside the dull colours suggests this will be a horror film. Having
a hint of innocence in the title sequence adds to the facts that children will be involved, making the
horror more realistic as children would be more scared than adults and you also feel sympathy for
them.