2. Title 2
• LEGANDARY PICUTRES
• 0.25 seconds
Title 5
• A FILM BY
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
• 0.57 seconds
Title 3
• DC COMICS
• 0.40 seconds
Title 4
• A SYNCOPY
PRODUCTIONS
• 0.53 seconds
Title 1
• WARNER BROS.
PICUTURES
• 0.10 seconds
Title 7
• CHRISTIAN BALE
• 1.10 seconds
Title 6
• THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
• 1.06 seconds
Title 8
• MICHEAL CAIN
• 1.13 seconds
3. Title 9
• GARY OLDMAN
• 1.16 seconds
Title 11
• TOM HARDY
• 1.23 seconds
Title 10
• ANNE HATHAWAY
• 1.19 seconds
Title 13
• MARION COTILLARD
• 1.29 seconds
Title 12
• JOSEPH GORDEN-LEVITT
• 1.26 seconds
Title15
• BASED ON BATMAN CHARACTERS
CREATED BY BOB KANE
• 1.52 seconds
Title 14
• GORDAN FREEMAN
• 1.32 seconds
Title 16
• SCREENPLAY BY
JONATHON NOLAN,
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
• 1.56 seconds
4. Title 17
• STORY BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN,
DAVID S.GOYNER
• 1.59 seconds
Title 18
• EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
BENJAMIN MEENIKER,
MICHEAL E.USIAN,
KEVIN DELANEY
• 2.03 seconds
Title 19
• DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER
NOLAN
• 2.20 seconds
5. Analysis
In the opening of BATMAN - the dark knight rises, there are a number of titles
presented in a sequence. I only analysed the first 2-3 minutes of the title
sequence, writing down what they consisted of and the time they were
presented. Each title was presented in capital letters, with no punctuation
included, making it seem very sharp and direct to the audience which fitted
the theme of the movie, as it is under the thriller genre. It was also created
digitally. On average the titles were presented for just a couple of seconds
making it slightly hard for the audience to read. The title content included the
names of the actors and actresses, the directors and the producers, and the
companies who made the film, such as WARNER BROS AND DC COMICS.
There was not a wide range of colours used as the majority of it was in black
and white. The only colour present was the use a deep red, usually linked
with the image of blood and anger, representing the thriller genre.
Throughout the sequence a variety of scientific equipment is being used in
the background which is slightly distracting as a lot is taking place as the titles
are being presented. This can distract the audience from reading the titles as
they are more likely to take notice of what is taking place in the background.
6. Twilight – Breaking Dawn Part 2
For my seconds analysis I decided to look at the opening title sequence of Twilight
Breaking Dawn – part 2. This is a hybrid genre film of drama, romantic and fantasy,
making it dissimilar to the thriller genre. The titles consist of the names of the
actors and actresses, the names of the producers and directors and the companies
who have funded the movie, such as Summit Entertainment. The reason I have
chosen to analyse this particular title sequence is due to the interesting link of the
effects used on the titles to the opening of the film, continuing from part 1. Again
the majority of the titles have been presented as capital letters. However the main
title of the film ‘ Breaking Dawn ’ was the one title that was not presented this way.
The reason for this is to make it more noticeable so the audience can identify what
the film is called. It also follows a pattern as this particular movie is a sequel to 4
other films and the title is always presented in the same way. The interesting
feature I originally spoke about was the colour changing effect which was applied
to the titles. The colours changed from red to white, signifying the blood turning
cold which had a huge link to the story line. The action occurring in the background
accompanies the theme of the titles as it is also displaying how the blood is turning
cold.
7. Comparison
Both Batman and twilight have sequels to their original films but are of
completely different film genres. Batman is from the thriller genre; whereas
twilight is a hybrid of drama, fantasy and romance. This signifies a huge
difference in the main contents of the film but does it effect the difference in
the titles presented?
To begin with both of their title sequences consisted of titles presented in
capital letters, making them seem very direct and sharp to the audience.
These are shown in the images below. By using capital letters and simple clear
sharp fonts the titles seem more apparent to the audience, making them
clear and easy to read. This results in less confusion for the audience. Linking
back to the genres of the films, the thriller genre fits well to the sharp direct
message they are trying to give the audience and is commonly used. However
for the hybrid genre of drama, fantasy and romance it is unusual to see. This
takes us to the size of the fonts. Although all of the titles (except the name of
the film) is presented using capital letters, the sizes do vary. The main
message in each title is larger than the rest, such as the names of the actors
and actresses. The smaller font size was applied to the introduction of each
title.
9. However there is also some differences in the two films. Apart from the
different genre types the flow of the titles is also very different. The title
sequence for Batman presented at a rapid rate making it difficult for the
audience for the audience to identify what the titles are saying. Also the
transitions used are scatty and sharp which occasionally are so quick the title
can not be seen. Whereas the Twilight title sequence flows at a much slower
rate with smooth transitions included. By applying transitions to the
sequence it is a lot easier to read and flows much smoother.
10. The Notebook
For my final analysis I have decided to analyse a film under a hybrid genre of
both romance and drama, The Notebook. Unlike the other 2 title sequences I
have analysed, the majority of the titles are presented using lower case
lettering. The only time capital letters are used are at a beginning of a
sentence or the first letter of the names displayed. The titles consist of the
actors and actresses names, the producers and directors, and the name of the
film. They were created using a pure white and different front effect making
them look slightly old fashioned. The colours in the back ground were deep
reds and black representing the sunrise, as a character was rowing down the
river. The deep red applied is commonly associated with love linking back to
the romance genre. By using this colour the audience feel as ease and are
aware that a love story is about to unfold. The backing music is also very
calming which runs at a slow pace, also making the audience feel at ease and
relaxed.
11. Comparison
There are a number of differences between the titles applied in each sequence. The
first obvious difference is the use of capital letters. In the first 2 analysis’s of the title
sequences in Batman and Twilight, I highlighted the fact that both have consistently
applied capital letters to the text. Whereas in The Notebook this is not apparent as
only capital letters have been applied to the beginning of names. In my opinion they
have appropriately added this feature to the text as it fits into the genre type well. For
example, as The Notebook is a romantic the flow of lower case letters makes the
audience feel at ease when reading them; whereas when capital letters are applied it
creates an intense direct effect, best suited to other genres.
Anther difference is the transitions that have been applied to each title in the
sequence. For The Notebook and Twilight smooth flowing transitions have been
added to the movement of one title to another. By doing so it is easier for the
audience to identify what is written. Due to the genre types of each film, the
transitions are suitable for the target audience and content. Whereas the title
consistency in Batman is not so smooth. They titles switch from one to the other in a
very disorganised manner, making the audience feel a slight disorientation. This may
also be a weakness as it makes it harder to read. However due to the genre of the
film being thriller, the purpose is to made the audience feel on edge and slightly
uncomfortable, meaning the title sequence has relevance and a purpose.
12. A similarity of all of the films combined is the font colour and the colours expressed in
the background action. Each sequence consists of white font colour and occasional
deep reds. Although this is not fully consistent the majority of text seen has been
presented in white. This is a common font colour used in many title sequences,
regardless of the film genre.
The colour expressed in the background action consists of deep reds, blacks and
whites. Each title sequence has used a deep red during the short piece but each has a
different purpose. The Batman title sequence consists of mostly black and white due
to the scientific equipment being used and the newspapers and prints lying apparent
in the background. The use of deep red signifies anger and courage. The reds are seen
on a number of occasions, such as in the string linking a number of the prints
together. This emphasises the courage of a character who is clearly on the hunt for
batman himself. Another occasion the red is expressed is through the use of fire. Fire
is a usually sign for anger or fear which are both emotions suitable and commonly
used in the thriller genre. The deep red applied to the Twilight title sequence
represents blood. The main message given from the title sequence is the formation of
the blood turning cold. This is done through the text as the deep red transforms into
a pure white colour. The use of red is also expressed through the sunlight
representing love as one of its hybrid genre is romantic. Finally the notebook has
applied the deep red to the river seen in the background. In this case the red is
signifying the love of the characters and the storyline, matching the genre romance
and drama. It is applied to help the audience feel calm and relaxed.
13.
14. Conclusion
By conducting this analysis I have been influenced of how to piece together
my own title sequence and what to include in it. The main features I am
planning to include into my own title sequence is:
• The use of dull colours
• Possibly capital letters
• The names of the actors and actresses
• The names of the directors and the producers
• Transitions
These were all of the common aspect each film applied to their title
sequence. As I am categorising my opening sequence in the thriller genre I
believe each one of these features is appropriate to the genre and can be
developed to make them more original to my own work. Here are some
examples I have been influence by and will try and interpret myself:
15.
16. Twilight – Breaking Dawn Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Aw2yZWaEU
Batman – The Dark Knight Rises
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDpjSr9VhG0
The Notebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=558rexgg3ew
