What are the conventions of an opening title?

What is the purpose of titles in the film opening?

• Introduces the people who worked on the film.
• Sets the scene
• Foreshadow a character’s personality
• Introduces the film
• Work of the institution, cast and crew on a product.
• List the most important members of the production.
• They are now shown as text superimposed on a blank screen or static pictures or sometimes on top of action in the show.
• May or may not be accompanied music.
• Title of the film gets revealed right at the end of the title sequence

 

1. What titles do they use?
2. How are they different?
3. What effect/theme do they create?
4. What type of opening is it?

 

Captain America – The First Avenger:

1. Producer
   Executive producer
   Director of photography – Camera operator
   Editor
   Costume designer
   Co-producers
   Music
   Music supervisor
   Casting
   Actors
2. Title of the film is at the end or the sequence
3. Propaganda – past billboards, World War posters
   Music is synchronised with the images.
4. Superimposed – thematic theme

 

Domino:

1. Producer
   Executive producers
   Director of photography – Camera operator
   Editing by
   Costume designer
   Co-producers
   Music by
   Casting by
2. Title is at the middle of the opening
   Actors names before the titles
3. Theme of dominos
4. Superimposed –
    

Napoleon Dynamite:

1. Producer
   Executive producers
   Director of photography – Camera operator
   Editing by
   Costume designer
   Co-producers
   Music by
   Casting by
2. Titles are not edited font
3. Theme of lunches
4. Sees characters lunches, introduces them – see a school meal