Fostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds in the Classroom
History and evolution of opening sequences
1.
2. A film opening sequence, also known as a title sequence,
is the way in which films of all sorts present their title,
production crew, and cast members, through the
utilization of conceptual visuals and sound. More
importantly, the titles help prepare the audience for the
viewing of the film, nurture audiences’ expectations,
evoke the film’s overall mood, and help set up the story.
3. Film titles made their appearance in the earliest silent films, along with letter
cards , which provided context. Ever since cinematography came about, the
earliest titles, for silent films, were presented through title cards. These were
cards with printed material on them which were photographed and then
incorporated into the film. Words and lettering played a major role in films of
the silent era. As the early films were silent ones, they portrayed dialogues which
were essential to comprehend the story and that they set the time and place for
individual scenes. These title cards were first photographed and then edited into
the main film. In the 1920s, synchronized sound motion pictures were
introduced, also known as ‘talkies’. This was followed by the introduction of
color motion pictures in the 1930s,due to which the opening sequences started
to articulate and develop. This enabled film producers to invest in big budget
films with a growing commercial awareness of advertising, and enabled
audiences to come out of the ‘Great Depression’ phase. The cinemas lengthened
the opening sequences for the audience to engage with, so as to turn down
competition from televisions at all costs. As the cinema’s opening sequences
lengthened, the graphic design luminaries started to evolve. Such a development
created an impact in the 1960s TV preference for the title design, leading to the
creation of strong graphics-led sequences for several TV shows. Since then,
there have been a few pivotal moments in title design history.
4. The 1980s and early 1990s brought about the
introduction of digital technologies to films and
television, which resulted in the rising popularity of
opening sequences. Soon after, television networks such
as HBO rose to developing more cinematic experiences
for television, including more elaborate and considered
title sequences. In modern day, opening sequences are
not only found in films and on television, but also in
videogames, conferences, as well as music videos.
