Research task 11 - what is genre?

Genre is a word to describe a type or category of something; in this context, a film. Film industry uses genre to help market their films - as people have preferences for particular genres of film, they will be more likely to go to see a film if they know it matches their interests.
This can also help to set out how to make a film - certain conventions such as horror movie tropes can make storyboarding and filming easier. In turn, the conventions help the audience to understand the genre further.

Films also have hybrid genres - for example, a drama film could be a period drama. This further distinguishes the plot and setting of the film. A sub-genre is a genre, but narrowed down - for example, a football film is a sub-genre of the genre sports film.

My favourite genres are horror, superhero, and animation.

I love horror! Mainly, I like it because its conventions are so easily distinguishable - I like being able to recognise the common features and have knowledge of different films that do the same things because it makes me feel smart. Being able to analyse the music, scene, and character choices for the films I am watching makes it a more enjoyable experience for me.

One of the first horror films I ever watched was Devil. I suppose you could count lift-based horror films as a sub-genre, considering how many there are... It's a very conventional horror film, and if you can get past the fact that the entirety of it is based in one area, then it might be a more enjoyable watch.

Superhero films are another favourite of mine. I like them because they're really nerdy - specifically Marvel films, because they tend to link with each other. I like seeing things get destroyed and terrible special effects (that's counted as a convention of superhero films, right?).

Specifically, the Captain America films hold a special place in my heart. They're quintessentially American, so they follow lots of tropes. They also pique my historical interest... or at least I like to say so.

Finally, I'm interested in animation.
I've been into anime since I was really young, so it's pretty sentimental for me... It also follows loads of tropes to a feat (can you see a pattern emerging here?) and I love being able to recognise them. I also like to be able to distinguish animation styles between different companies.

This is a screenshot from the movie Time of Eve. It's very stereotypically Japanese - it differs from American films in the sense that, if you're paying close attention to the movies you're watching, you'll know that American films featuring robots usually use them as enemies to be destroyed, or have them taking over the world - whereas in Japanese movies, it is usually the opposite; painting robots as friends of humans and humans as the destructive kind. I think this is really interesting and relates a lot to America's history versus Japan's history with technology.

Research task 9 - analysis of favourite film title sequence

The opening sequence I have chosen to analyse is from the movie But I'm A Cheerleader.


I chose this film mainly because it is one of my favourite films, and also because the title sequence is interesting - the actual titles appear only briefly and the main point of the opening is to establish the setting and plot of the film.
The entirety of the opening sequence is signified by the background music, and when it ends, the title sequence ends with it. The movie has already begun during the title sequence.

For context - the film is about a teenage girl whose family and friends suspect her of being a lesbian, and send her to a 'straight camp', where she realises for herself that she is a lesbian, and goes on a journey of self-discovery. It talks about the difficulties of being gay during the time it was set, and problems such as dealing with family and getting into relationships.

The film begins with the idents of the production and distribution companies. It then fades to black, and switches between the black screen and titles and images of cheerleaders performing a routine - establishing setting (a high school field, probably in America) and possible guesses as to the main character's personality (a teenage girl, sporty/interested in cheerleading).

The screen focuses on one girl among others. She is not only in focus, she's also made to look bigger than the other girls using perspective.

The girls in the background take up the rest of the screen, showing their importance in setting the scene.

The scene then changes to a mid-shot of the girl shown before walking with a teenage boy. They are positioned close to each other, showing a close relationship, and he is wearing American football clothing - this is relying on the audience's knowledge of common tropes (the cheerleader and the jock, in this case), to assume that they are probably in a relationship.

The next scene is a of the two characters kissing in a car - the camera moves quickly and the movements of the characters are also jerky, and the body language of the girl suggests she is uncomfortable or unsatisfied.

 The final part of the opening (before the music stops), shows images of cheerleaders with provocative connotations - the audience assuming that this is what the girl is thinking about while kissing her boyfriend, leading us to believe that she is a lesbian.

Research Task 7 - Analyse 2 film title sequences.

The title sequence of the popular film "Zombieland"  heavily uses special effects in order to make it look high quality whilst keeping audiences engaged and interested therefore serving the main purpose of a title sequence but it also incorporates the titles into the physical sequence and they almost seem intractable with the visuals which heavily both seamlessly show them off yet hide them strategically so the audience is subconsciously intaking the titles. The entire sequence is in slow motion which gives the audience the chance to take in everything whilst making certain moments such as the bride attacking the groom to be even more comedic and also makes the film look much more flashy. The typical Colombia pictures indent is not used at the very beginning but it is swapped out for a much more suited and not even standing out title. which really emphasises how it is very unique to an expected and rather common sequence.  


The title sequence of the film adaptation of the book "the girl with the dragon tattoo" is rather abstract and only gives very small hints to the genre of the film through the use of black throughout the entire sequence which suggests thriller vaguely but apart from an extremely intense bird that is set made completely out of fire which many would call a Phoenix others may say that it looks like a crow alight both carry very ominous symbolism. Faces and hands are predominantly seen as well as flowers, all are black but rather than blend in its almost as if they also stand out the titles are in white but are rather small but yet contrast to the black background which is quite eye catching but with all the special effects and intense dramatic scenes are not the main focus. The shots are matched with rather intense almost action like music which is rather surprising with the visuals but really intriguing. 

Research- Task 18- Genre shortlist

The 3 genres that I would choose to use to produce my own title sequence includes:

• Teen Drama
• Sci-Fi
• Action

Research TASK 18 - Genre Shortlist

The genres I would preferably like to explore are:

• Action
• Horror
• Thriller

Remake Gone Girl

Research Task 6 - What makes a good title sequence?

As shown above.

Research Task 17 - Sound Analysis of Title Sequence

Research Task 14 - Micro/Macro (Deadpool)

Fast and Furious 7- Khadijah
Deadpool- Nahiyan
Insidious- Daniel

Research Task 12 - BFI Statistics Yearbook

Research- Task 17- Analysis of sound in a title sequence

Research- Task 12- BFI Statistics yearbook

Research-Task 16- why is sound important in film?

Sound is important in a film as it helps establish tone, atmosphere and it helps give the audience clues about the plot, characters or to identify the Genre of the film. It also helps in engaging the audience in the film and it helps to create realism for the viewer and heighten their experience of the film.             Sound also helps in adding depth to the images by design, ambient or layering sound/sound effects .

If the picture is bad, sound helps to disguise it. However if the sound is ‘bad’ it will make the image (even if the image is good) look bad.

Without sound the images being played seem boring and it can confuse viewers. While with music that confusion disappears and helps to make you feel more engaged and focuses on the details in the scene.

In films there are different types of sound terms used to create different effects. These terms also help us understand how sound is used or created in a film. Examples of these terms are:

-Diegetic- Sound from the music world e.g dialogue, wild sound, ambient sound and foley.
-Dialogue-A conversation between two or more people.
-Wild track- It is a audio recording (recorded separately) that is intended to go with the film.
-Ambient sound- Background sound that are present in a scene e.g wind and rain drops.
-Foley- Making the sound effects after shooting the film, this helps in adding realism to the film.

-Non-Diegetic- Sound that is not visible during a scene and is added during editing e.g score, voice over, dubbing and songs.
-Score- Originally music written specifically to accompany a film.
-Voice over- a piece of narration in a film
-Dubbing- Adding sound effect in the background of the film.
-Songs- a short poem or set of words meant to be set to  music.
 
-Sound bridge- sound carried over a visual transition of the film.
-Sound motif-A message, statement or idea given by the usage of sound. Can be used for a character or location.

George Lukas (the director of the Star Wars franchise), argues that 'sound is 50%'. in other words, without sound you only have half the product or a film that isn't as good as it could be.

Research- Task 11- what is Genre?

Genre is a type or category of film. Genres are used as a way to categorise different products that share similar features or characteristics.

Genre is important in the Media and Film industries because it helps establish different media forms. it also helps to establish certain codes and conventions that film makers can follow in order to make the product look a certain way, to achieve a certain effect and attract a specific audience who is a fan of the genre.  Lastly it helps audiences to develop personal tastes around genre and consumption (what they do and don’t like).

Other than a genre, films may also contain a sub-genre, which is a specific division in the genre. It may also have a hybrid genre which is a genre that blends themes and elements from two or more different genres.

A way to detect a films genre is by looking at the codes and conventions the genre may be recognized by. E.g the conventions of the horror movie is that it is usually set in a dark location, which contains a dark history/past that will unveil itself. It also often contains a old, derelict and abandoned building. 

Genre Preferences
Genre Preference 1: one genre of film I like is Teen Drama.
 A reason why I like this genre is because it’s often relevant to teenagers mostly teenage girls, as many teenagers may be facing certain issues which are highlighted in teen dramas.  The convention of this genre includes things like having the perfect prom, a good high school (secondary school) experience, the social groups/cliques that exist, conflicts that take place with peers & older generation and lastly being set in American school. Example of films from this genre is: Wild child, Mean girls, Another Cinderella story, Sorority wars and lastly the sisterhood of travelling pants.

Genre Preference 2:

Another genre I like is Sci-Fi. The reason why I like this genre is that ideas of what the future may contain is expressed. Since no one exactly knows what the future may hold, Sci-Fi films is a way to convey an idea which may possibly happen e.g living or moving into space. e.g Star Wars: the force awakens, Avatar, Wall.e, Earth to Echo, Star Trek: Into Darkness.                                                      

Genre Preference 3:

And lastly my favourite genre out of the ones above is Action. The reason why I like action movies is that there is often a hero or a good guy trying to save the city from harm and crime. E.g in a film like The Dark Knight Batman saves Gotham City from the joker. Another example of an action that has a similar theme is The Fast and Furious series, because is has themes of car racing, heists, helping and running from cops. 

Purpose and conventions of a title sequence - Research task 4

Title sequences originally only contained credits to the creators of the film - this developed around the time of Hollywood's boom with the introduction of credits to actors and movie stars, and then became a medium to introduce the story that the film was going to tell.

To fully understand the purpose of title sequences in film, you must first know the conventions of them, and see how the use of such conventions help to bring about an understanding through text and connotation.
For example, films commonly start with idents from the production company - this shows the audience who created the film and thus establishes a 'brand' for the company - which means that people who like a film produced by one company may be more likely to watch another film by the same company. There will also be credits for whoever else was involved in the making of the film, and the actors who star in it, for similar reasons.
Connotation is also something that is heavily relied on in storytelling via the medium of film - even in the title sequence, music is used to create mood (i.e. suspense), colour connotations such as red for blood, white for purity and blue for sadness are used to establish themes and the emotions of the characters, which can also be created with pathetic fallacy (using nature and the weather to establish mood.)
We can also see characters and settings in the title sequence to give the audience context to the film. This can establish the date, the location and the theme.
All of these examples show that the title sequence, in short, helps the audience to gain a greater understanding of the theme and plot of the film.

Out of the four film openings that we watched, I think that the Skyfall opening remains the most prominent in my mind.



This film opening has incredible detail -

Research Task 6 - What makes a good title sequence according to Kyle Cooper?

Research task 9 - Analyse favourite film title sequence

Research task 16 - Why is sound so important in film?

Sound is considered to be very important in film because it is argued that sound makes up 50% of the product and that without it you miss out on half which heavily takes away from a desired effect and context. Through sound layering a great amount of depth so without it the product image would seem rather flat and unrealistic so the audience is left disinterested and unengaged.

Images that are considered rather "bad" can be salvaged by the simple use of good sound for it distracts the audience from being solely focused on just the image where they are able to heavily criticise it when they are already rather bored.

Research Post 16 - Why is sound important?

Sound is 50% of a film. I think sound is incredibly important as it serves as a indicator of several things. For example, sound would instantly be a signifier of the genre of the film - if it uses slow, suspenseful music, the indication is clear that the film is more or less likely to be a horror film. Sound also sets the tone, so if it utilises suspenseful music, the atmosphere/tone is eerie and horrifying which clearly explores the genre of horror. Sound also creates a sense of realism which is hugely important  because that way, the viewer would be glued to the film and they'd feel like they're involved in the film itself. Without sound, it feels as if viewers would be confused and they'd tend to perceive the film as banal which isn't what film directors would want. Music would also engage viewers and immediately bring them in. Ultimately, sound is absolutely crucial in creating a compelling film which would attract viewers.

Research task 10 - What are 4 different "types" of title sequences?

Research Task 11 - what is genre?

A genre is a type or category of film, Genres are in place because they categorise and order films on the basis that they share similar features or characteristics.

Genres are quite important in the film/media industry for they help to quickly establish differences between media forms which is vital. Conventions and codes are also established by genre this helps film producers to be able to make better products that are much more effective to a certain type of audience.

Research - Post 11 Genre Preferences

Genre is a style or category of art, music or literature. I enjoy three genres in particular; those being: action, super-hero or horror. Action because it consists of pure and utter destruction and thrilling fighting scenes, for example; Fast 7 which utilised all of those. Super-hero because I admire the idea of beginning with equilibrium then disequilibrium and then going back to equilibrium. A film which does this and I thoroughly enjoy is Spider-Man and Deadpool. Finally, I enjoy horro because of the suspenseful music, the dark settings and the random pop ups on the screen which frightens me. I enjoy horror films such as; Grudge, Insidious and Scream, all in which explore the genre of horror very well.

Research task 3 - analysis of a previous group's work

I have chosen to analyse AS set 2's group 6.
Their blog really stood out to me from the beginning as their background was lighter and brighter than many other groups' blogs.

Their post titled 'Task 54 - Evaluation Q7' is particularly good because of the way in which it sets out text versus images - the usage of images between text in almost an article format and GIFs used to show more than one image instead of taking up more space on the post make it stand out.
The text is clearly structured into paragraphs and titles are highlighted in purple to make them easier to find. The descriptions themselves are detailed, but don't go on for too long.

I think that their title sequence is a good one because, even right from the beginning when showing the idents they make me feel that they are professionals. The background music and the introduction compliment each other.
The use of worm's eye view is heavily implemented and cleverly used to fit with the theme of a refugee travelling.
The group use effects such as slowing the speed of their film and cutting two sets of film together and fading one out to show that the main character's daughter is gone.
They create a powerful distinction between the woman's faith and identity previously versus that of how she dresses in modern London with use of props which don't fit the colour scheme of one scene or props that rely on the audience to connect them with the main character's identity instead of explaining them aloud.

Research Task 9 - Analysis of favourite film title sequence

I have chosen to analyse Spider-Man. This is because, in this title sequence it involves titles using animation which seems intriguing to me and would easily captivate an audience. It consists of typography and font which relate to the film and the protagonist as a whole.

In the beginning of the title sequence, the film displays the production icon; Columbia Pictures. This company is a global phenomenon which Spider-Man has been produced by and it immediately promotes this film on a different level. The title sequence begins with the original Spider-Man theme song and is heard throughout the entire title sequence.








MARVEL is the common name and primary imprint of MARVEL WORLDWIDE INC. It is an American publisher of comic books relating to superheroes. This logo is the indication that this is a superhero film and most likely hints at the genre of action. The Spider-Man theme song plays in the background whilst numerous pages of MARVEL comics are seen in the background of the logo.

This is the production in the title sequence as it states that this has been produced by Laura Ziskin. The font is seemingly italic and the transition is made quickly from the MARVEL logo to the producer. The text is clearly put in front of a web which epitomises the link between the title sequence and the actual film itself. The webs are symbolic of the protagonist; Spider-Man.

This displays the title of the film for the first time. Once again, the transition is quick and pacey from the producer to the name of the film. The font is spread out and has a luminous element to it as it is the brightest part of the sequence signifying the most important part - the title of the film. It is placed in front of webs again, which relates to Spider-Man.The text then merges right into the face of the camera whilst the letter split apart and a beam of light flashes.

The title sequence then goes onto represent the actors of the film beginning with the protagonist; Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. This use of font is more effective in a sense that instead of being placed right in front of the web in the centre, it is placed literally on the webs as if the letters are stuck onto it.






Each of the following actors who are presented after Tobey Maguire are actors 2,3,4,5. Once again, the font is attached to the web behind the name which is relatable in terms of Spider-man's character. Willem Dafoe plays as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin.

Actor 3 - The original Spider-Man theme song is continuously playing at this point and once again the text is attached to the webs in the background. Kirsten Dunst plays as Mary Jane.

Actor 4 - Similarly employs the same effects of all the other actors' names. James Franco plays as Harry Osborn.

Actor 5 - Cliff Robertson plays as Ben Parker - Peter Parker's uncle.

This displays the casting crew. The font remains similar throughout the entire title sequence. Here, some parts of the web go through some letters which once again emphasises the link between the title sequence and Spider-Man.

This is the co-producer and once again repeats the same effect of font, the link between the spider web in the background and the letters being attached to the web.

This displays the music producer for Spider-Man. It has a similar effect (compared to the others) with font and background.

This shows the costume designer. Each title moves position every time, however the font of the titles remain consistent keeping that Spider-Man genre constant.

This shows the visual effects designer. However, this title is unusually different to the others. For the first time, it isn't completely attached to a Spider web although on the top left of the screen, there's a little touch. The camera in this case is in a bird's eye view and the letters appear as the web comes along.

This shows the editor/s of Spider-Man. The title sequence has differentiated as it now goes back to what the font looked like before. The letter are now attached to the web and appeared in the middle one by one. Each letter had a separate entrance on the screen but the name was formed quickly.

This shows the director of photography. The background differs in this part of the title sequence as it involves a spider web which is creating movement. This sort of effect hasn't been used in the title sequence up until now.

This shows the executive producers. Just like before, each letter has its own entrance onto the centre of the screen and the web vaguely appears in the background.

This shows the producers of Spider-Man. This is a worms eye view shot and on the left is the side of a building. As per usual, the letters are attached to the web. The web becomes more visible after the names of the producers come onto the screen.








This shows the screenplay producer. It appears on the screen at the same time as the web in the background.

The final title sequence consists of the director's name. It is completely similar to how all the other typography is presented as the name is attached to the webs. It appeared with each letter entering the screen at different times but in fast motion. The original Spider-Man theme song was playing in the background.

Research Task 10 - 4 different types of film openings

Research Task 6 - Title Sequences

Research- Task 10- What are four different types of film openings?

Research- Task 6- What makes a good title sequence according to Kyle Cooper?

Research- Task 9- Pick your favourite film title sequence and analyse.

•       My favourite film is The Dark Knight Rises.                                                                                  The reason why I like The Dark Knight Rises is that the film is quite mysterious and you don’t know what to expect if you haven’t watched it before. From the title sequence you can sense that it maybe a thriller/crime genre to what is displayed as the titles are credited. The music also correlates to the title sequence as the Non-Diegetic sound is fast paced. The title sequence follows the typical order of credits like many films the title of the film is placed before the actors’ starring in the film is introduced.  The audience should know that The Dark Knight Rises is the trilogy to the previous two films which are called Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Batman Begins is about Batman being introduced as the hero of Gotham City. In the first film we get to know the story behind Bruce Wayne and how Batman Began.  The Dark Knight is about is   about the continuing war on crime with the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent. Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. And lastly The Dark Knight Rises is about Batman coming out after eight years to help Commissioner Gordon fight new villains in town known as the cunning cat burglar and Bane.  

The title is displayed after the Bat symbol is shown.  The Bat symbol is symbolic as represents Batman and his view of wanting  Gotham to be a place where its citizens will feel safe.  The type of title sequence the Dark Knight Rises is called titles over a moving image.  This is because as the titles are credited you can see in the background that there is smoke and some sort of lab investigation, which explores Bruce Wayne and Batman  (which is his cover for when Bruce Wayne fights crime) and those who are involved with him during him being Bruce Wayne and Batman.  Whilst this investigation is going on the titles are credited. This type of title sequence incorporates text with visual moving/still images and music to hint at the title or genre of film, which is an action thriller.  The moving image serves to offer a narrative thread, to help introduce the storyline of the film to the audience.  

Blog task 8 - What observations can we make about the titles used in title sequences?

Titles follow a very specific order in a film's opening. Gone Girl is an example of a conventional sequence of a title opening.