Tittles of a film

In this blog i will explore how tittles are presented at the start of a film. I will give examples of conventional examples of the layout of them.

At the start of the film the tittles go in a conventional order. One of the orders is that they have the main actors name before the tittle of the film.Another is that they put the actors names in order of fame, this is so it makes the view feel excited and have an understand of what to expect from the actors. Here are some examples...



Another is that they start with the distribution and production company, they also put the least important roles at the end. Here are some examples...

Conventions of a opening sequence Equilibrium

In this blog i'm going to talk about some of the conventions within opening scenes. I'm going to talk about obscuring information and introducing new characters.

Obscuring information

The vampire diaries
Within the first few seconds the audience see a mysterious wood. However the director with holds information of where it is as we as the audience can not see the wood clear because of the fog. The director also with hold information about who is talking as we can not see the person who is doing the voice over. This is effective as it makes the audience want to ask questions. then the audience see a car drive down a road that looked similar to where it started off. then two characters are introduced through dialogue. this makes the audience question if they are related to the person that was talking. then the car crashes into a person and makes the audience fear for the new characters life as the voice over spoke about vampires, even though they are still questioning who the character is that they run over.


Pirates of the Caribbean
The director in this film also with held information by making the scene in fog, then slowly allowing the audience information about where it is set. by making it move slow it allows the audience to start thinking about what it is about. It then tracks a girl and makes the audience question who she is and what she is doing there. Then slowly by introducing new characters you start to understand why they are where they are, as they talk about what they are trying to do. By also introducing new characters it also show you their relationship toward each of them.


Room 1408
In this film the credits come up first in the dark with a scary soundtrack, this already creates a sense of mystery and makes the audience question if its going to be a horror. Then information is with held as a car drives past and the director waits a little while before he show you the drivers face. This makes the audience question who is he and where is he going. Its not in till he goes into the hotel that the audience realize what he is trying to do.

Introducing characters

The girl with the highest status is the one with the black top on. this can be told by her sitting in the middle. the girl with the least status is the girl sitting opposite as she inst sitting with them.

The audience can tell that what ever happened was done by accident by the face expressions on the mans face behind.It also makes the victim seem innocent by the way she is being carried. 

This character comes across as powerful and strong from the way she is holding the knife. 

Wallander (Firewall, 7th December 2008, BBC1)

Mise en scene

Settings and props

The first thing that the audience see as the screen starts to appear is the sea, it then does a shot of what looks like the country side. From the image it allows the audience to see that the place is isolated and not near anything. For example, shops, homes and people. From seeing the isolated place it allows the audience to think of why the camera begins to start tracking a car. The car seems to be OK from the outside however as the audience we know that something bad has happened to the man inside from the use of blood. Then from the image of the girls walking away we see the one with red hair hold a knife covered in blood. This suggest that she has stabbed the man with it. 

Costume, hair and make-up

From seeing the girls from an over the shoulder shot we as the audience think that the girl with the red highlight and leather jacket has higher authority over the other girl as the leather and red hair suggest that she is rebellious and therefor the other girl would have been dragged into doing something that she didn't want to. The other girl has her hair up and is wearing casual clothes which suggest that she was not ready to do what has just happened. When the audience get the chance to see the girls from the front they can see all of the blood that is splattered over their body which suggest that there was a struggle when they were in the cab.

Positioning within the frame

The fact that the girl with the red is closet to the camera suggest that she did more of the work as she also has the highest authority. which makes the other girl look weaker than her.

Facial expressions and body language

As the girls are walking away from the taxi there are not walking like they have just seen an accident and they are about to go and find help which allows the audience to think that they are the cause of what happened. However they also don't look like they are pleased with what they have done which could also suggest that they are not please with what they did. This might mean that they did what they did under self deference. The paste that they are walking with is quite fast which implies that they are walking with purpose. 

Lighting and color

The use of high key lighting allows the audience to see a clear view of the facial expressions of the two girls. It also allows the audience to see how isolated the area is. The colors used within the scene are quite dull, there are no bright pinks or yellow which allows to set the mood and atmosphere of the 

Camerawork

The camera starts at sea and slowly tracks towards the shore and the country side. It then allows the audience to see the car and the two people walking away from it. Its not in till it does the over the shoulder shot of them that the audience realize that it is two girls.  The camera then take the audience to the car and allows the audience to make their own decision on what they think happened by using a pull focus on the taxi mans id badge and the blood that's on it. It then allows the audience to see one element of the car and the body using different types of closes ups to allow them to make up their own ideas on what happened.

Editing

Through the scene allot of cross cutting is used when the camera is watching the girls walk away and the man lying in the car dead. This helps the audience to see the girls reactions to what they have just done. There is also the use of pull focus on the ID badge and the key ring of what looks like him and his son.The fact that the camera is on the key ring for a long period of time makes the audience feel sorry for him as we know that there is someone waiting for him at home. 

Sound techniques

At the start there is the use of hyperbolic sound of wind, this implies that something bad is about to happen or has happened.Throughout the scene there is allot of silence used which helps build tension. The fact that the two girls are not using dialogue suggest that they are not talking to each other. 

Brick(Johnson,2005,US)

Mise en scene

Settings and props

The setting seems as though it is set close to a dirty bridge, because as the camera shows an establishing shot there is a huge tunnel with a path way above it. There is also slanted walls going from up down to up that would make it difficult for the character to get out of it. In this scene it also appears to be miles from anything because the camera allows the audience to see above the bridge and as the audience all we can see is a field of grass. Then the camera uses cross cutting to take the audience to what seems like a school. As the audience i think this because of the school lockers. Both of the scenes seem to be deserted, which allows to make the audience wonder why it is. In the scene of the school the director uses the prop of a piece of paper with written places on it to make the audience see that the boy has some where to go. 

Costume, hair and make-up

The boys clothes seem to be casual clothes which indicates that he had a usual day in till something serious happened to the girl he is looking at. His hair seems to be the same as he would have had it, which suggest that he hasn't done anything abnormal. The girl on the floor also seems to be dressed in everyday clothes which makes the audience wonder why she is the way she is. her hair is covering her face which hides her identity to allow the audience wonder who she is. it also allows the audience to see that she is dead. her skin is a lighter color which also allows the audience to see that she has been dead and has been there for a while. one piece of clothing that stands out in the scene is the bracelet the girl is wearing, the reason for this is because it is used in the scene when it cross cuts to the school. this is used to allow the audience to make a connection between the girl on the floor and the girl at the lockers. 

Positioning within the frame

When the scene first starts it starts off with the guys foot in the center of the camera, this allows the audience to understand that the foot who it belongs to is about to be of a great importance within the film, it also helps identity him later on in the film. Then slowly the camera begins to move up his body and close to the face. then we see as the audience a boy that is staring at something in the middle of the scene. This close up is used to let the audience see the boys face to see his reaction toward what is has happened. The camera then goes to what looks like a girls arm that is in the middle of the screen, this allows the audience to realize what the boy is looking at. Then the camera later on cross sections to a hand that was in the exact same place of the hand that was laying on the floor, this is so that the audience can see who it is.

Facial expressions and body language

By the way boy is kneeling with his hands over his face the audience immediately assumes that something wrong has happened. His face expressions also illustrates that he is devastated and angry why it has happened. By the way the girl is laying down it looks as though she had fallen from the bridge above because of the way her legs are facing the bridge. This allows the view to question weather she fell or she was forced of the bridge. By the face of the boy makes me think that he feels responsible but didn't want to do it as he looks worried. 

Lighting and color

The lighting is low key as there is only the light coming from light of the sun. This adds a certain gloom to the situation and allows the weather relate to what has happened. The colors used are quite dark and dingy which makes the male character come across dark and secretive. If the colors used were bright and light it would take away the reality of what had happened. When the boy is at school it is also low key lighting as there is only the light coming from the light outside. Even in this scene the colors used are still quite dark which transfers the questionable about what is about to happen.

Camerawork

The Camera work is constantly changing throughout the scene. At the start it starts of on a close up of a wall. It then slowly moves left close to the pavement to a blurred vision of a foot. It then slowly fades out and into a blurred extreme close up of a male face. the camera then does an establishing shot of the seen and the two characters, this is so that the audience can understand what has happened and start to think of what will happen next. Then the camera goes to the male of a medium shot of him kneeling down. Then the camera the goes to a close up of the woman's legs that are still. Then back to the male where it starts to track him. After that it goes to a close up of the girls face. This is so that the audience can identify her. the director made more tension between the character by constantly tracking them. Then the last shot of that scene is the one with her bracelet on. Then it cross cuts to a close up of a girl with the same bracelet on. Then there is a blurred vision of the lockers with shoes walking closer to the screen, in this the camera is lowered slightly each time. There is then another establishing shot to allow the audience to realize that it is another place. The camera then goes to a close up of a hand opening a piece of paper. This is used to make it the main focus. 

Editing

At the start fade is used to go into the beginning of the film, this is used to help build tension and leave the audience asking questions. One of the first editing techniques is fade into a blurred vision. This is so that it leave the audience wanting to know more instantly  Then between the different shots crosscutting is used, so that the audience have an understanding of what he is looking at and how he is responding to what has happened. Tracking is also used so that it lets the audience focus on that one point that the camera is focusing on, it also adds tension as it makes the audience wonder if the character is about to start moving.

Sound techniques

The use of silence is used allot within the scene as it allow to help build mystery and tension. However, in the second scene the use of foot steps is used to high light someone getting closer.

The Sixth Sense (Shyamalan, 1999, US)

Mise en scene
Settings and props

The first thing that the audience see at the start is a light that then forms into a light bulb. By looking at the light bulb the audience can see all the dirt and grit that has built up over the years, this allows the audience to see that it hasn't been cleaned which suggest it hasn't been used.The audience will start to realize that it is an old fashioned one, therefor thing that where it is placed is an unused area. Then there is a long shot of the room, which allows the audience to see where the scene is situated. The long shot is taken from behind a stack of wine bottles this allows the audience to see why the subject is about to enter the room.

Costume, hair and make-up

The woman's style of dress is very plain, which she is having a formal occasion. The dress is warm purple with beads on it, the dress is quite long and flows. This suggest that her character is going to be friendly and understanding. however, her hair looks as though she had done it in the morning and has stayed with it like that all day, this suggest that she has come back from work. She is also wearing bangle earrings that hoop from her hair, this makes it seem that she had to look smart for something. she also has bald red lipstick which makes her come across as vulnerable. 

Positioning within the frame

When the first thing is shown to us it is centered in the middle this highlights that the area is a key point in what is about to happen. Then through the scene everything is centered in till  3:38 where the rule of thirds is used which allows the woman's shadow to take the middle. In this hot it is clear that the woman is standing there looking at what ever made the noise. This allows the audience to see the relationship between the character and the unknown. 

Facial expressions and body language
The way the actress comes down the stairs in her high heels suggest that she is vulnerable as it seems a straggle to walk down the stairs. when she stops at the bottom of the stairs she stops and created a movement with her hand which suggest that she doesn't want to be where she is, as her body comes across as uncomfortable. She then takes small steps toward the wine which makes the audience think that she is being weary of her surroundings. When she stops to look at the wine she created a frown which indicates that she is unsure of what she is about to choose.she then creates a little smirk with her face which indicated that she is satisfied with what she has chosen  Her body then freezes when she hears a noise. This creates tension as the audience think that she is about to go into shock. She then rubs her arms which suggest that she is cold, then scurries up stairs.
Lighting and color
The lighting is low key as there are only two sources of light, created from the light bulb and the light outside. The colors of the scene are quite dark and dim, this is to create the feeling of abandonment and isolation. The costume designer then decided to create a dress that would correspond with that which was purple. This makes her come across as pure compared to where she is. 
Camerawork
The first shot of the scene is a close up of a light bulb slowly turning on, this is to set the time of when the place was first built. It then goes to along shot of the set, which allows the audience of what it looks like from behind the bottles of wine. Then from a long shot of the woman it slowly become a close up as she walks towards the camera. I then think it is a hand held shot as it slowly starts to lower as the woman leans down to choose the bottle of wine she wants, then lifts up as she does. Then as she hears something move the camera the begins to track her as panic starts to hit her face. it then goes to a medium shot of the actress turning around, this is so that the audience can see all of her body language. The camera then uses the 180 degree rule and goes to the opposite side of her to see her walk out fast, this sis to make the audience think that she is about to walk into something bad. 
Editing
At the start when the credits come the text is in serif. This is to indicate that there that the film is going to be serious, as it isn't going to be casual or friendly. The music in the background also suggest its not going to be friendly as it has moment of tension as parts of the music jump to scare the audience, this also allows the audience to realize that the genre is horror.
Sound techniques
At the start there is mysterious music which helps build tension for the upcoming scene. There is also the noise of feet steps that sound like someone is entering the room. This is done in a slow way to help build tension and leave the audience in suspense for longer.