Codes and Conventions using Prezi

Codes & Conventions and purpoes of opening title sequence on Prezi

By Megan & Laura

Home Work - The Art Of Film Title Design Throughout Cinema History

' White lettering on a black background is another characteristic of this era, because titles simply looked better this way when projected with live-action B&W film.' - White lettering on a black background was used for silent films because it simply projected better but nowadays we have better technology to use different ways to show titles in films although a black background with white writing is still common.


'It could be argued that typography lost importance in this era of title design. The imagery behind the credits received a lot more attention.'

You could argue that when images where used as part of the background of titles that it does take away the audiences eye to stop first and read the title but instead to actually look at the image in the background and then read the words after. Although the imagery does get more attention if you look at this as the big picture you'll find that typography is a key element title design and that without it we , the audience wouldn't understand the what the picture was about.

Research of Opening Scene - The Exorcist

In this opening scene of The Exorcist it is set at night outside looking onto a house and on of the lights from a room turns off. This first shows the house looking creepy with all the light off and spooky in the dark. This is also a clear sign that something odd and weird happens within the house. The audience then looks down onto the street while a couple walk past the house, this suggests that theirs more than meets the eye in this film and the house just looks like any normal house when walking by. The lamp post which is shown in the poster for the film apaears outside so this gives the audience a clue that the film is about something in this house shown. The name of the movie and the director is show on a black background with red letters. This is a very stereotypical in a horror film , black dark background and red letter which is a symbol of blood.

Mood Board

Researching of Different Horror Title Sequence Videos

Leatherface Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1990. The first thing the audience sees is a scroll of information that explains what happened before the movie while it is being read out to the audience, it gives a lot of information on the backstory so the audince will understand what this movie is about. We then cut to some one being beaten and then we are cut to another shot of someone screaming and the sound of a hammmer coming down. From this we can tell the film is horror and while be quiet graphic and will a jumpy and sudden sort of film. The Title is then shown is a stereotypical horror style of writing.The back to the person that was beaten which the girl is now being dragged across the floor with blood all over her face. The next few shots are either the productuon team names credited on a black background to then change into someone cutting the face of the the women that was beaten, to then having the flesh of the face on a tale while the the serial killer cuts into it evenmore and stitches the face.The light for this is dark and the only light is from a lamp of the table. The music is slow and creepy to start with then it picks up to a fast tempo during the rest od the shots. From all of this we can learn that this film is about this figure cutting people up and that its a horror so the filming will be dark and errie and not bubbly and light hearted. The target audience aimed for this sort of film would be 18-40 simply by how graphic the shots used in the title sequence.



I thought Star Wars would be a good contrast compared to Texas Chainsaw Massacre as they both start the same way. In Star Wars it starts with the theme music and the title that appears on a background of space. This is a clear indictor that this film is a sci-fi. Then we see a scroll of words explaining the backstory of the film like Texas Chainsaw Massacre. They both are completely different genres and one is horror and the other is adventure/Sci Fi.
Star Wars opening title scene works better as the theme music is very well knwon to it builds up a hype for the film more. The music is loud and dramatic right from the start which would immediately caught the audiences attention. The title sequence is clear and simple and it doesn't give much away about what will happen in the film and just a backstory of what happened. This leads the audience to watch more of the film. There is no props or actors or anything like that included in the title sequence.

Researching of Different Horror Title Sequence Videos

Stephan Kings IT. The Title Sequence end at 3:17.

Researching of Horror Title Sequence

• Stephen King Film - IT
• The Hostale
• Psycho
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• The Exorcist
• The Ring
• Orphanage

Developing Our Own Ideas for Opening Credits

Genre - suspense/ Horror

Music- Hans Zimmer/Daniel Lincht

Setting - House and Woods

Producing Industry -Lionsgate

Typography - Edgy (Dafont)

Dull contrast of dull washed out colours

Eeire/Jumpy rather than gory Cinematography like Paranormal Activity

Produced by Jerry Brickheimer

Continuity Piece

What did you find difficult about the task?

I found it was hard to try keep the flow of shots and dialogue going when editing to make the

continuity piece.

What new skills have you aquired/developed ?

I have improved on my editing skills and learnt the rule of a 180 degree rule which is very important to stick to so the audience doesn't get confused in a scene.

What worked well?

With the story board we were able to plan and successfully get all the shots needed and we were able to film parts over again in different angles as well.

What could you or your team done better?

We should of filmed the conversation in a quieter room and we should of planned the time it would take to film the piece better.