Title Research: Soylent Green

 

I found the introduction to Soylent Green on Art of the Title.

1) How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
Unlike the other openings I have researched, the opening sequence of Soylent Green has no titles besides the main title.

2) What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The opening sequence gives a visual timeline of the development of society. It starts with simple sepia images of people living an agricultural life. As the sequence goes on, the images show cities being built and technology such as cars being invented. The opening ends with imagery of polluted cities and people with medical face masks.

3) What connotations do the images carry?
The images carry a positive connotation until the last few seconds, in which they take a negative connotation.

4) How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
This film takes place after an apocalyptic event, which is typical for the genre. Like many apocalypse movies, Soylent Green's story is based on a man-made event that changed the world. In this case, it is overpopulation. It uses imagery that symbolizes death and destruction.

5) How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The opening sequence piques the audience's interest by showing that the film takes place in 2022, which at the time was far into the future. The sudden shift in mood from nostalgic imagery of people living simple lives to foreboding images of sick people and crowded cities makes the audience question what the consequences of overpopulation are.

6) What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The film uses sepia-tone and ominous imagery to show that its meant for older audiences.

7) How has technology been used effectively?
Transitions were utilized to show the gradual change in society. Overlaid text that gives context to the setting was also used at the very end of the title sequence.

Title Research: Dawn of the Dead

'I found the introduction to Dawn of the Dead on Art of the Title.

1) How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
There were 31 titles,with only one credit coming before the main title: the production studio. After the main title, the actors were listed. The credits listed jobs such as casting director, music supervisor, costume designer, production designer, and executive producers. The director was the last one listed.

2) What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
There are close up shots of zombies throughout. In the beginning, there is a clip of the president answering questions about the zombies. After the shot with the president ends, the screen shows static. For the rest of the opening, there are shots of people running, fires, close ups of viruses under a microscope, and chaos in general. The final part of the opening sequence has a solider shooting a zombie as the song cuts off. The sequence ends with a zombie attacking the camera.

3) What connotations do the images carry?
The imagery carries an ominous and fearful connotation. The visuals paired with the audio, such as the heart beating, creates tension.

4) How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
There is a heartbeat sound playing in the background while the president talks about the zombies, which adds tension. This is usual for films in the apocalypse genre.

5) How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
By showing the audience a glimpse at what the zombie apocalypse looks like through the intro sequence, it captivates their attention and curiosity about how the situation is fixed.

6) What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
Through close-up shots of gore and violence, this film appeals to it's target audience of horror movie fans.

7) How has technology been used effectively?
The text came in and out with a blood splatter and a static-y sound effect, which is fitting for what the movie is about.

Title Research: Mad Max

I found the introduction to Mad Max on Art of the Title.

1) How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
There are 15 titles shown, with 7 of them being shown before the main title. The ones before the main title were the name of the actors and the studio that made it. After the title of the movie appeared, it listed the people who wrote the screenplay, the photographers, editors, art director, composer, and producer. The final credit shown was the director.

2) What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The opening sequence ended with a wide shot of a building called the Halls of Justice. The shot faded out to show a road. While the camera zoomed into the horizon, the text "A FEW YEARS FROM NOW..." appeared on the screen. The next shot has a skull shape on the floor. The camera pans up and the text and skull fades out. The final shot of the opening is a close up of a sign that says "Anarchie Road" with a car in the background.

3) What connotations do the images carry?
The images carry a negative and desolate connotation. They make the viewer feel isolated and interested in why the setting is seemingly so empty.

4) How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The shot of the skull on the ground reinforces the theme of survival that is prevalent in apocalypse movies. In the barren landscape that we are shown in the first few shots of the film, it's either survive or die. After the title appears, the first shot is a wide shot of a broken down building, like many other movies in the genre. Additionally, the text "a few years from now" shows the audience that the film takes place after an apocalyptic event, which is a very common setup for the apocalypse genre.

5) How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The shots the director chose to show in the introduction piques the audience's interest. The decrepit building and empty road makes the viewer wonder what happened to make the world look like this. The shot of the skull, especially, makes the audience question what is going on.

6) What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The film uses muted colors and ominous imagery to show that its meant for older audiences.

7) How has technology been used effectively?
No special technology was used to display the credits. The names simply appeared on screen without any special movements. The font is white on a black background. However, later on in the opening, text that says  "A FEW YEARS FROM NOW..." appears on screen as if it was being typed up. There was a typewriter sound effect as it came onto screen. The intro also used fades to move from shot to shot. Throughout the entire title sequence, there is a score with drums and horns, which sets the mood of the film.

Title Research: Watch the Titles Website

  To research the title sequences of my opening scene, I am going to be using two websites: Art of the Title and Watch the Titles. Watch the Titles is a database of opening and ending sequences to various forms of media. Much like Art of the Title, it includes movies, tv shows, and video games. Watch the Titles includes foreign films and student projects. However, not all of the opening sequences have videos attached. Some are only still images of the opening alongside a description of the movie. This website focuses more on the behind the scenes of title sequence development. There aren't a lot of opening sequences available, but there are plenty of interviews. The website has separate tabs to showcase title designers and studios.

   Because of how limited the title sequence selection is, I'm not sure I'll be able to find an opening that matches my genre. Additionally, I think it would be more beneficial to get to visually watch the title sequences rather than try to understand through screenshots. I will most likely use Watch the Titles less than Art of the Title during my research.
   Even though it won't be as helpful as Art of the Title, Watch the Title will give me insight into the often overlooked design behind making a title sequence. I may utilize it's "designers" tab to see if there is any information that could help me.

Title Research: Art of the Title Website

   To research the title sequences of my opening scene, I am going to be using two websites: Art of the Title and Watch the Titles. Art of the Title is a database of opening and ending sequences to various forms of media. It includes movies, TV shows, animations, and even video games. The movies on the website go back as far as the 30s. The title sequences can be sorted by release date, title, and the date they were added to the website. In the description of each video, the website lists the title designers, producer, illustrators, animators, and the composer of the music playing throughout the title sequence. In addition to opening and ending titles, Art of the Title also offers summaries and interviews.

   Despite the variety of title sequences on Art of the Titles, for my final task, I will be focusing on films more than anything else. Specifically, I am going to be researching apocalypse movies. Some of the clips go beyond the title sequence and include the first few minutes of the film. While this is interesting, for research, I'll only be watching to take note of the way titles appear and in what order.

   By watching the openers to films in my genre, I will be able to understand the typical sequence of titles in apocalypse movies. This will allow my final task to look and feel more professional. Researching titles may also inspire ideas for my own title sequence. It will also help me narrow down pre-existing ideas I have by allowing me to see what is and isn't fitting for the genre.

Genre Research: 10 Cloverfield Lane

10 Cloverfield Lane

Director: J.J. Abrams

Camera Movements/Angles/Shots
An over the shoulder shot is used when Howard is talking to Michelle to show her reactions to and mistrust of what he is saying. The power dynamic between the two main characters is shown through camera angles. A low angle is used when Howard is the focus of the shot to show the control he has over the situation. A high angle is used when Michelle is the focus towards the beginning of the film to show that she is powerless. This idea is further shown in a low angle shot of Michelle when she tries to escape the bunker. She is put in a high position, which makes her have the power for that short period. 


Mise En Scene
The bunker that the characters stay in is empty, which demonstrates isolation. The bunker is disorganized and filled with objects that add to the confusion throughout the movie. The costumes are simple, but the makeup is used for gore effects. The woman outside the bunker early in the movie has rashes on one side of her face. Later on in the movie when Howard falls into acid, his face is severely burned. 

Lighting
In the scene where Michelle looks outside the bunker, a strong source of bright light in the focus of the shot. This hard lighting intensifies the shadows and makes the bunker behind her darker. The bunker is lit with a lot of intense blue lighting. When Michelle escapes through the vents, the room is lit with warm colors. 

Sound
In some scenes, Howard's voice has an echo, which reinforces his power. 10 Cloverfield Lane relies on its non-diegetic score for its sound. 

Genre Research: Train to Busan

Train to Busan

Director: Yeon Sang-ho

Camera Movements/Angles/Shots
Movement is a major part of Train to Busan. Within the first few minutes, there are multiple instances of panning. The camera pans across a road to show a zombified deer. Another pan is used to follow a train leaving the station. The train is followed via a track and a trucking movement many times. Characters running alongside the train are also tracked. There are a lot of close ups on the character's faces, which are used to show emotion and the faces of zombified people. Shaky cam is used when the characters are running through a train car, trying to escape the zombies. In the climax of the film, an extreme close-up and tilt is used to show a zombie bite on the father.

Mise En Scene
The beginning of the movie foreshadows whats to come by having the first characters seen in the movie be wearing hazmat suits. The outfits the characters wear in the film get progressively dirtier and bloodier as they survive through waves of zombies.  Props such as bats, shields, and coats are used as weapons against the zombies. Throughout the film, special effects and makeup are used to show the effect of the monsters. Zombies have their eyes glazed over via contact lenses. Gore and blood are heavily used throughout the film. Special effects are used to give infected people zombie-like skin.

Lighting
Throughout the movie, the lighting is soft lit and fluorescent. In the first scene on the train, the contrast in coloring of the lighting helps set the mood. The outside of the train is lit with cool colors to show how the city is falling apart. Inside the train, the lighting is warm colored, which contrasts the outside strongly. This lightens the mood and leads the viewer into thinking the train will be a place of safety.

Sound
Diegetic sound plays a large role in Train to Busan. The zombies detect people through sound. A ringtone is used to distract the zombies while the characters escape. A heartbeat is used to raise tension. In the end of the film, the girl sings a song to signify that she isn't a zombie, which allows her to enter the safe zone. In addition, there is also a score in the background to make the emotional moments more impactful.