Title sequences

A film can open in different ways. One way a film can open is using a title sequence. This will include a series of clips from the film, which have text overlaying the clips to showcase the people involved in the film. This is less common within Thriller films. They are more commonly opened with engaging shots and mise-en-scene to draw the viewers in, and make then intrigued as to what they are seeing.

The film Seven is a great example of title sequences that use a series of clips along with titles showcasing the credits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEq-4fua3lM

As you can see from the clip, director David Fincher has used a montage of seemingly disturbing images and content, along with well edited titles that are shaky and unstable. The use of these disturbing images and effective text gets the audience in an uncomfortable, chilling mindset. The tone of the title sequence furthermore establishes the tone for the whole film; the audience recognise these disturbing images and then can only assume the rest of the film will showcase similar things as such. This is primarily due to the intensity of the raw images; we can only expect the rest of the film to have the same elements as in the title sequence.


 




The other way films can open is by using engaging shots and settings, using establishing shots to give information to the viewer. There is no text in this opening; just engaging shots and footage of the characters involved in the film. An example of this is from 'The Dark Knight' and the opening scene is very effective and really does draw the audience in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OYBEquZ_j0

As you can see from the clip, the opening to the film features a wide shot of a zoom in towards a building. The music playing behind this clip, and the whole scene, is very effective and provides tension and unease for the clip. The sound is escalating throughout the clip, which adds to the tension. There are a range of shots, including fast paced shots and editing, to give an overall fast paced opening that truly engages the audience. No text is needed in this sense, just an opening bank robbery scene that sets the tone for the film and to tell the viewers to be expecting a lot of crime elements in this film. The image from the opening is particularly effective as the prop of a clown mask the person is holding. This is a symbolical sign for fear, and just by the use of this mask the audience can expect to see something bad happen in the scene to come. Also the way the person is standing on his own at the street; it connotes that he's an outsider ready to do something bad.