Dark Knight Title Sequence

'Dark Knight' (Directed by: Christopher Nolan)


Part 1 of title sequence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OYBEquZ_j0


Part 2 of title sequence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-rkpgchJOA&feature=related




Two other students analysed the title sequence of Dark Knight as they thought it was an effective title sequence.

Badman Sign Fading


This image of the Batman logo fading tells the audience straight away that the film is based on Batman.  There is no title of the film shown however this fade of the Batman symbol is so well known internationally that the audience dont need to see the title of the film.  

Clown Masks

In the title sequence we see a bank robbery take place.  The robbers are all wearing clown masks which makes them look cunning and devious.  This may suggest that the robbers find the robbery a joke as clowns generally symbolized as funny.  It also suggests that the robbers want to hide their identity as they are robbing a Mafia Bank.

Genre

In the title sequence we see the robbers explode the window of a building and we also see them using guns, which conveys the genre of action.  The music used in the title sequence is deep and intense which establishes the genre of horror.

Dialogue

When the robbers enter the bank, the bank manager takes matters into his own hands by trying to kill the robbers with his gun.  "You don't know who you're messing with", "You don't steal from us or we will get you".  The bank manager says this as he is referring to the Mafia Bank, who the robbers are trying to steal from.  

Shots

A close up shot is used when one of the robbers takes off his clown mask to reveal that he is the Joker.  The close up shot emphasises the clown make-up on his face, which may suggest that he lives his life as a joke and takes nothing seriously.  This may also explain his signature quote "Why so serious?"

Character Information

In the title sequence we see the robbers killing one another.  

Then we see him shooting the other robber who opens the safe.

One of the robbers then tries to shoot another robber who was the Joker

However he doesnt succeed, as the Joker had already told one of the robbers to kill him with the bus

Then the Joker kills the robber who drove the bus in

The final robber left is the Joker.  The robbers killing each other one by one suggests the robbers are all greedy and want the money all for themselves.  As the Joker is the last robber alive, he may be the protagonist of the film. 

Enigmas Established

Whilst watching the title sequence some enigmas are established, such as: 'Why are the police so slow?', "Why did the bank manager not call the police, but take matters into his own hands', and most importantly "wheres Batman?'.

Snatch Title Sequence

'Snatch' (Directed by: Guy Ritchie)

Another title sequence which was analysed by a student in the class was from the film Snatch.  At the beginning of the film we see a tracking shot of the CCTV footage screens as the character are walking through the building.  It seems as if the security guards are keeping a look out on these people and their actions.  We see the people on the CCTV footage making their way throughou the building towards the office.  The CCTV footage gives us an insight as to what the film is about and what is going to happen as CCTV footage/monitoring is used in places such as shopping centres to keep an eye on things that could potentially happen.

In the opening sequence there is use of diegetic sound.  This is heard when the four characters are talking about a religious belief.  However, when the men enter the office and reveal their guns, non-diegetic music begins.  The music is very fast paced and up-beat which creates an effect of having an adrenaline rush on the viewers.  The music tries the mimic the action thats taking place - the four robbers behaving negetively towards the office staff.  This makes the audience emphasise with the fear and unease created by the disturbance of the robbery.  The title sequence also includes diegetic sounds of shouting and arguing.  When the robbery scene is over, we are introduced to the characters where we hear non-diegetic music playing.  This time the music is not as up-beat and fast but was quite 'rushing', which suggests the plot may be about fraud and corruption.  Through the use of mis-en-scene the characters look like sterotypical Jews.  This makes us as the audience assume they are religious believers and are good people.  However this assumption is completely changed when the robbery begins and underneath the 'costumes'  they have hidden guns to steal the diamonds and the 'stone'.  

SAW IV Title Sequence

'Saw IV' (Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman)


All students in the class had to choose a title sequence which they thought was effective.  One of the title sequences analysed was from SAW IV.  This was definately an effective title sequence and it was longer than usual and lasted over 8 minutes.  Three major events took place through these 8 minutes - Jigsaw's autopsy, the tape found in his body and the Mausoleum trap.
The sequence opens with surgeons performing an autopsy on Jigsaw. The close ups used of the cuts being taken place on Jigsaw's skull and chest cavity and the amount of blood shown suggests the film is going to be very gory, it also tells us the genre of the film is thriller.  Eventually this leads to the beginning of the movie’s story: a mini-cassette tape is found inside the corpse which tells us that the plot of the film may be based around the killer being dead however the games are not over with. The music in the title sequence is a hard sounded beat of an underlying woodchime instrument, symbolizing horror and preparing the audience for the unexpected.  The title sequence creates enigmas such as - when we see the long shot of Jigsaw's body we question "who is he?" and "is he relevant to the plot?"

Jackie Brown Title Sequence

Jackie Brown - (Director: Quentin Tarantino 1997)

The main reason for a title sequence is:

1.) To set the genre

2.) To introduce the film to the audience 

3.) To set expectations

4.) To show credits as the audience may like to read them as they may like the directors (engaging the audience)

We were analysing a slightly different style of a title sequence.  This title sequence from the film Jackie Brown doesnt consist a range of shots.  The first 1 minute and 51 seconds is a tracking shot of a woman - this may suggest that she is Jackie Brown and is the protagonist of the film.  Having a long section of the title sequence consisting of one shot makes the audience less engaged because it is too long and there is nothing going on, making the title sequence monotonous.  The beginning of the title sequence doesn't explain much about the plot, I think the director may have done this to emphasise the titles more than what is going on in the title sequence.  

However the title sequence did establish information about the character, where the film may be set, and the plot.

From the scene we establish that the women seen is Jackie Brown and she is a flight attendant.  We see this through her costume and because she is seen in an airport.  As she arrives at the airport she begins checking peoples flight tickets and escorting them to their flight, whilst doing this she speaks to them in Spanish.  This suggests that Jackie Brown is an intelligent women as she is able to speak another language besides English.  

The title sequence suggests the film is set in America.  This is conveyed through the American accent that Jackie Brown has and also through the music which is heard in the background. 

The plot is established through the music used in the title sequence.  In the lyrics of the song we hear "about living on streets".  This suggests that Jackie Brown may struggle further in the movie.  The lyrics of the music suggest that she may have had a hard up bringing.  It also conveys that she may have been raised in a place of poverty.

The medium shot which showed the screens at the airport scanning peoples luggage establishes the plot, as it suggests Jackie Brown may become part of a crime. 

The Talented Mr.Ripley

We have now come to the stage where we are planning our own title sequence within our groups.  However to get some ideas we watched a longer title sequence from the film The Talented Mr Ripley and analysed it to see how it establishes an effective title sequence.  

In the title sequence a lot of information is established about Tom Ripley (the protagonist).  We know that he is a Manhattan lavatory attendant, who borrowed a Princeton jacket to play piano at a garden party. When the wealthy father of a recent Princeton grad chats Tom up, Tom pretends to know his son and is soon offered $1,000 to go to Italy to convince Dickie Greenleaf to return home.  This created some enigmas such as - Is Tom Ripley going to succeed in bringing Dickie Greenleaf home?, and also at the beginning of the title sequence we hear Tom Ripley saying: "I wish I could rub it all out, it all starting with borrowing a jacket" this created the enigma - Why does he want to start all over?

The dramatic music which was almost harmonious and death like established the genre of drama, which may suggest the film has lots of depth to it.  

The character that we are introduced from the beginning is Tom Ripley.  Our first impression of him is that he is a young, mature adult is is very ambitious.  He wants to get out of poverty, aspires to be rich and will take an opportunity passed to him.  We see him working as a lavatory attendant, which suggests that he has a working class background.  We get the impression that the character of Tom Ripley is very intelligent as later in the title sequence we see him watching people playing the piano where he works.  He then tries to teaches himself in the middle of the night from what he saw.  This conveys that Tom Ripley is unable to afford a professional pianist who can teach him, therefore he is trying to teach himself.  We also see him trying to teach himself to learn the Jazz musicians with his eyes blindfolded. This suggests that he is ambitious and eager to learn.  Tom Ripley is portrayed as a poor character.  This is established through his small, cheap apartment, with the ceiling crumbling and the walls unplastered.  His apartment is situated near a meat packing district which is a poor area to live.

Textual Analysis 

We see a close up shot of the clock when Tom Ripley is playing the piano where he works.  This close up was trying to emphasise that it is very late in the middle of the night.  This suggests that he may be shy and wants to hide from the rest as he may be afraid of what others say.  

We also see a long shot of Tom Ripley and his ceiling crumbling because the people living above him are fighting.  This conveys that he has poor living conditions as he is from a working class background.

A close up shot of the first class ticket for Tom Ripley to go Italy establishes that Mr Greenleaf is rich.  This links to the use of dialogue which the driver says to Tom Ripley: "I can tell the you Greenleaf name opens a lot of doors"  This tells us that Greenleaf is powerful and there is a chance that Tom Ripley will be successful.  

We see a close up shot of Tom Ripley with a blindfold on his eyes.  This tells us that he is clever and is trying to have something in common with Dickie Greenleaf.  

In terms of editing - transitions the screen looks like broken glass gradually revealing Tom Ripley's face.  Suggests that he is multi-faceted and creates an enigma - Maybe somethings not right?

Analysis of Title Sequences

We looked at two examples of title sequences.  The first was from the film 'Donnie Brasco' and the second tittle sequence was from the film 'Alien' 

Donnie Brasco (Director: Mike Newell, 1997)

Donnie Brasco is a very effective title sequence as it uses many elements that engage the audience and inform them about the plot.  As the audience we establish the location of where the film is set. Through the models of the cars the men are driving and the shots of lights which look like a Broadway setting, tell us the film is set in the 1920's in New York.  In the first few scenes, there is a cross cut between Donnie Brasco and another male character.  This tells the audience that there may be some sort of relationship between both characters.  We get the sense that there may be a strife between the two characters.  We get this impression as both characters are shown seperately.  There is a close up shown of the character with light to dark lighting going across his forehead, showing he is looking out at others from the inside.  This makes the audience arise an enigma - Why is this character hiding from everyone? Does he have something to hide?  We also see a close-up shot of a photograph of a gang of men.  In the picture we specifically see Donnie Brasco and others circling a person.  The focal point in the photograph is the man in the centre of the gang, which could suggest that Donnie Brasco may try to hurt this man.  We establish the genre of crime through the use of mis-en-scene, as we see a gang of men dressed as gangsters, suggesting they are criminals.


Alien (Director: Ridely Scott 1979)

Above is a video of the title sequence which we watched, we analysed the first 40 seconds. 

This title sequence of the film Alien which also uses some elements to establish a successful title sequence.  The way the title appears on the screen is very unusual and unique.  It begins as white block lines, then gradially starts to form into letters reading ALIEN.  This suggests that the film may have a contrast of nature and natural life.  The lighting throughout the title sequence is dark which creates a tense atmosphere and may suggest the film is set in space.  The music used in the title sequence is very high pitched which creates tension for the audience and also establishes the sci-fi genre of the film.

What makes an effective title sequence?

We began discussing to see what makes and effective tittle sequence for a film.  We thought that the most important points are:

1.) It should send information about the plot through clues and symbolism

2.) Establish enigma's for intellectual engagement

3.) Should set the genre.  This could be done through the style of music chosen.  For example a horror film may have high-pitch, discomforting music, whereas a comedy film may have upbeat, and high tempo music.  This establishes the audiences expectations. 

4.) Information about the time and place of where the film is set, as this will help the audience understand the context of the film.  

5.) Should show the name of the film and the opening credits