1. Sam McNamara
The Importance of Titles
Considering why titles are used, and how to use them effectively.
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Titles are important in all movies and can be particularly effective for setting the
tone or mood of the film.
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Films typically start with identifications and company logos. For example: Warner
Bros, Columbia, Paramount etc. They also include the branding of co-production
companies. For example, the film Saw is introduced with Lionsgate's branding as well
as Twisted Pictures'.
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It is important to show an awareness of genre when producing a title sequence; the
titles need to match the tone of the film.
For example, the brand Warner Brother changes its introduction's style in order to
match the tone of the film it is presenting.
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Typical opening titles include the following:
• Main Character Actors - names displayed plainly.
• Directors - Directed by...
• Producers - Produced by...
• Director of Photography...
• Costume Designer...
• Prop Designer...
• Set Designer...
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The order of the titles should also be taken into consideration. For example, in a film
where the director is particularly famous, and may be a selling point for the film, his/
2. Sam McNamara
her name should be displayed fairly early-on in the title sequence. Actors
conventionally come first, followed by directors, producers, set designers etc..
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When thinking about the appearance of titles, take into consideration:
Font
Colour
Size Size Size
Placement Placement
Genre Genre Genre
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When title text links appropriately to the film in terms of tone, and genre, they can
give the audience an idea about the type of film they are about to watch. In thriller
films, artistic, visual connections with the narrative are often used in order to reveal,
subtly to the audience, narrative information.
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For our thriller opening, we should come up with a brand and produce our own
opening introduction video. We should also design our opening titles and make sure
they fit in with the thriller genre.
