Titles & Credits- Cristina

Are the titles/ credits separate to the moving image incorporated into/ superimposed over the moving image, or is it in the form of a mini narrative?



Conduct a textual analysis. You will have formed a strong idea to what the opening credit sequence is trying to communicate. Cherry pick ‘eight’ significant aspects relating to its construction. You need to blog ‘how’ the credit sequence has been constructed in order to communicate this. Consider two aspects of Mise en scene, two relating to sound, two relating to camera work and two relating to editing.


The Orphanage:

In this title sequence a mini narrative is created through the children ripping the functional wallpaper which could leave the audience thinking whether they are revealing the hidden truth. There are two different moods felt by the viewer as the mood of the title sequence is the opposite of the mood from the establishing sequence.

Through the mise en scene it shows the hands belong to the children as earlier in the opening sequence we saw children in their uniforms which match the children’s arms and hands in the title sequence. The lighting the both in both parts also help drum the idea of something evil ‘lurking’, as in the opening sequence the children are placed with white and very soft colours which relates to the idea of how children are ‘innocent’. When it cuts to the title sequence the lighting changes rapidly to very dark and harsh colours which helps create shadows and silhouettes to show the ‘horror’ hidden behind the walls. It also helps to create a foreboding atmosphere.


The sound is parallel as what we see matches with the mood, which is very eerie and odd. As the music builds up the image on screen follows the same ruthless pace.


With the use of camera they have mainly used a panning technique to help follow all the cracks in the wall which is part of the mini narrative. There is also a bit where we see a shadow appear where you are not able to see whether it is a child or an adult making it very sinister.


The editing such as the wallpaper was mostly created by using CGI; it helps the audience understand more about what they are going to watch, as it is telling a mini narrative.


Oldboy:

Oldboy also tells a mini narrative, there are lots of various clocks which have words superimposed over them. By doing this the audience is questioning what it trying to tell us. In the title sequence it shows lots of different clocks ticking and whilst we see the clocks we also see the title being introduced by us, it is shown as it each letter was part of a clock ticking anti clockwise. But as you keep watching you see there is nothing else to do with clocks which leave the audience wanting to find out what the relevance was between the narrative and the title sequence.

With the mise en scene we see that the main prop is clocks which are all ticking in an anti clockwise direction again confusing the audience leaving them to find out more.

The sound used in the opening are various different ticking clocks and music on top of it, this enables the title sequence to become very strange and creepy as you do know what the significance is. By using this type of music it is although helping the audience to gather ideas of what the genre of the film could be. The camera work used in the title sequence is a lot of close ups of the clocks ticking.

Sweeny Todd:

Sweeny Todd tells a mini narrative in it's title sequence as it is showing the audience roughly what might happen in the film. it sets the mood of the film through the blood and gore, it's also very clever as it is showing everything in a cartoon form which could suggest what might happen in the film.

mise en scene: shows that it clearly is an old traditional London barber shop, with the chair and the red and white spinning sign. through this it gives the audience an insight of why the title sequence used certain objects.

the sound in the title sequence is parallel to the image as the title sequence progresses the sound gets more harsh which is balanced out by the image as it is also intensifying.

In the title sequence there is a lot of panning shots and close ups, which used CGI in order to achieve the cartoon affect.

Reservoir Dogs:

There is a mini narrative being told in this title sequence but there is also some superimposed titles.

Mise en scene- all the characters have the same costume which is a black suit, with a white shirt and black sunglasses. this communicates to the audience that it is some form of 'gangster' film. The idea of the genre is also communicate through the positioning of all the characters all being in a group.

sound- sound here is contrapuntal as i believe it doesn't fit in with the image especially when the off screen non-diegetic sound is happening where you hear very violent and disturbing noises which don't fit in with the tone or pace of the music.

Use of camerais mostly tracking when all the characters are walking together, it also uses alot of mid shots when each character is individually being introduced to the audience again this is created to the audience understands that each character is significant.

Romeo +Juliet:

Similiarly like the others i have anyalysed the title sequence for Romeo + Juliet  also tells a mini narrative. it is introducing to the audience what they are about watch but in short quick moving images.

mise en scene tells the audience it is set in a modern time through the aspects of setting and costume. the costumes and hair of the 'montague boys' are very wild suggesting they could be rebelious and troublesome.

Sound- is parallel and fits in with the moving images which the audience are watching, when a crecendo happens in the music the images also start to resemble the music by them being very quick and chaotic. You start to understand what is happening in the title sequence and how they are trying to communicate the progressive society through the idea of love and hate.

Use of cameras there are lots of pans and zooms again suggesting this idea of a chaotic moder lifestyle. this throws the audience off as so much is happening in such little time.

To Kill a Mocking Bird:

In this title sequence the titles are superimposed  over the moving image.

mise en scene: the props used are crayons, dolls and a pocket watch which suggests that they belong to a child. through the postioning within the frame it is clear that they are important to the child and that they are his prized possessiones. the colour is black and white which relates back to when it was produced.

Sound: the sound is parallel and fits in well with the image, the diegetic sound of the pocket watch ticking shows it's significant in the boys lift and also when the white and black marble rolls into the black marble again is showing significance in the story. Another diegetic sound used is the child's humming which reinforces his innocence.

Use of camera: There are lots of point of view shots again i think this is because it is trying to get the audience to be in child's position. there are also a few slow pans again used to show the significance of each individual prop.