Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Ideas for our horror title sequence
Monday, 29 November 2010
Genre research summary
The main title for the shining is very simple which is also the same throughout the rest of the titles. The font is very big and clear which makes it readable to the audience. The titles 'fly' up the screen from bottom to top quite quickly which allows the viewers to concentrate on the moving animation. This is the main title for the changeling. The font is very simple once again like the Shining. The titles fade into the screen then fade out shortly after.
The rest of the titles are are the same once again but are shown over a different background.
The shining music is non-diegetic and is very loud and low which can be portrayed as scary which contradicts the moving animation of a natural peaceful environment.
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/04/10/the-shining/
The music from the changeling is very different because there is only diegetic sounds of the wind and car movements which allows the dialogue to be heard more.
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/07/23/tension-in-title-sequences/
In the Shining there are no characters only those who are not visible in the car. This leaves the story a mystery to the viewers. However in The changeling there are three main characters seen but during the title sequence these characters die so therefore become unknown in the film. The two characters that die are a mother and child who are dressed for their winter holiday.
The mise en scene is very simple in the shining as it only consists of a few cars as props. Its set in a mountaionus,snowy and forest area situated near a large hotel. The lighting is natural.
The changeling is slightly more complicated as there are many props including hats, scarves, phone box, cars, luggage and just things that make the story look believable. The lighting is also natural as its set outside. Just like the Shining, the Changeling is set in a snowy area near a forest.
In the shining the The music is used to create tension with the aerial shots used to give the sense of isolation and fear. Together they both create an enigma of confusion as you don't know what is going to happen in the clip.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Analysis of The Changeling
The Changeling
(Scroll down to the third video)
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/07/23/tension-in-title-sequences/
The changeling was written by William Gray and was released in March 1980.
The opening to the titles is very simple yet links in with the rest of the clip very nicely. The non-diegetic sound of the wind is played and while this is being played a few of the credits appear on the screen in a large red font. These introduce the clip and are shown as the more important people as they appear first and not joined by moving animation in the background.
The wind sound is then continued onto an establishing shot of a snowy location. Moments after a small caption is faded onto the screen to show the viewers where the location is set and what year it was meant to represent. The camera is set on this spot for quite a long time so this may show that its important in the upcoming action and that danger may be approaching. The proairetic code agrees to this statement that something is going to happen at some point, which allows the audience to keep guessing the outcome. This is good for a title sequence as it means the audience will keep watching, as they want to find out what happens. Due to the snowy weather this type of scene does not expect a horror film to take place in as snow is a joyous occasion and can be fun for all ages. The audience can get the impression that this is not scary but still has a relevant part to play. A sound perspective of a few voices talking joins the wind and becomes the ambient sounds of the clip.
As the camera moves on to another establishing shot this soon zooms out and shows a wide shot of a family pushing their car up the hill. The dialogue in this section can be formed as sarcastic and therefore it adds to the effect that this is not a horror film but a Rom Com, which allows the audience to be shaken and stupefied by the horror that approaches in the film. This is good for the title sequence because it may attract different people to watch it-those that don’t like horror films and those that do. The semantic code shows images that are used to mean something else, which relates to the clip before. It shows a normal family pushing a car up the hill but is that what it wants the audience to see?
The camera movement is the changed once again to a wide shot to let the viewers see the entire family achieve their goal of pushing the car up the hill. The diegetic sounds of the car wheel on the snow and handbrake are played in this clip and made to sound loud so that it appears more believable. As you really listen you can make out the ambient noise of the wind is still being played throughout the clip. This shows the coldness and the windy atmosphere of the mountainous area, which relates to the semantic code as the wind is being played to represent the coldness but it could also be represented to show the isolation.
Once the family have parked there car the main character in this clip goes off to a phone box to ring for some help, a pan shot follows his movement. But he is now out the frame, which suggests he is going to play an important role.
Another establishing shot shows a car on a road but with the shot previously showing a man in a phone box who acts as the leader in the family and the mother and the child playing by the road you get the impression that this car is going to bring danger. The Proairetic theory is used to make the audience believe that because the man in no longer in the frame he is still part of the danger that’s going to happen. As another car approaches the scene a low angle shot on the man shows he has noticed the passing cars and detects that something is going happen. As he looks a slow motion of the woman playing is used to show her importance.
The sound perspective of the cars lets the audience realise the cars are getting closer and closer to the family and make them realise that some sort of accident is going to take place. The Semantic code may suggest that this accident the audience think is going to happen may not happen. The woman’s close up shows that she can see the danger and realise that her and her son are in the middle with no where to run. The quick cut to the man shows he can’t escape the phone box but can see what is going to happen. In this moment neither of the cars are shown but you can hear them approaching. This lets the audience concentrate on the people in the clip. In a title sequence its important to let the audience connect with the characters as it allows them to feel more sympathetic and vulnerable when something happens.
Lots of jump cuts are used in the next 10 seconds to shows all the details of the accident. A final crane shot is used to show the accident from high up and what has happened to the family.
The freezed shot of the man suggests the scene is over and when the film title appears it can suggest that this action is now a devastating memory of the past.
As you believe when the title of the film appears and the screen stays black you think the titles are over and the film is about to begin but in this case it’s wrong. Non-diegetic music begins and plays a soft tune over a new establishing shot of a town and rather dryer area compared to the last one. The man from the beginning is shown in the screen walking through the town with small credits shown over the top. The audience may want to know why the film is following this mans journey. The Hermeneutic code allows the audience to keep guessing what type of man he is and how he plays a part in the rest of the film.
The final action of the man talking to the doorman and entering this building needs to happen as it allows the film to start in a flowing matter and not miss anything important out.
This title sequence is not like many others. It has a massive introduction, which in some cases might not be classed as a title sequence. But once this is over the titles begin once again. The accident at the start allows the audience to begin to question the rest of the title sequence and make up there own mind about the main character. With out the accident clip the titles won’t be as effective and wouldn’t connect with the audience as much.
(Scroll down to the third video)
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/07/23/tension-in-title-sequences/
The changeling was written by William Gray and was released in March 1980.
The opening to the titles is very simple yet links in with the rest of the clip very nicely. The non-diegetic sound of the wind is played and while this is being played a few of the credits appear on the screen in a large red font. These introduce the clip and are shown as the more important people as they appear first and not joined by moving animation in the background.
The wind sound is then continued onto an establishing shot of a snowy location. Moments after a small caption is faded onto the screen to show the viewers where the location is set and what year it was meant to represent. The camera is set on this spot for quite a long time so this may show that its important in the upcoming action and that danger may be approaching. The proairetic code agrees to this statement that something is going to happen at some point, which allows the audience to keep guessing the outcome. This is good for a title sequence as it means the audience will keep watching, as they want to find out what happens. Due to the snowy weather this type of scene does not expect a horror film to take place in as snow is a joyous occasion and can be fun for all ages. The audience can get the impression that this is not scary but still has a relevant part to play. A sound perspective of a few voices talking joins the wind and becomes the ambient sounds of the clip.
As the camera moves on to another establishing shot this soon zooms out and shows a wide shot of a family pushing their car up the hill. The dialogue in this section can be formed as sarcastic and therefore it adds to the effect that this is not a horror film but a Rom Com, which allows the audience to be shaken and stupefied by the horror that approaches in the film. This is good for the title sequence because it may attract different people to watch it-those that don’t like horror films and those that do. The semantic code shows images that are used to mean something else, which relates to the clip before. It shows a normal family pushing a car up the hill but is that what it wants the audience to see?
The camera movement is the changed once again to a wide shot to let the viewers see the entire family achieve their goal of pushing the car up the hill. The diegetic sounds of the car wheel on the snow and handbrake are played in this clip and made to sound loud so that it appears more believable. As you really listen you can make out the ambient noise of the wind is still being played throughout the clip. This shows the coldness and the windy atmosphere of the mountainous area, which relates to the semantic code as the wind is being played to represent the coldness but it could also be represented to show the isolation.
Once the family have parked there car the main character in this clip goes off to a phone box to ring for some help, a pan shot follows his movement. But he is now out the frame, which suggests he is going to play an important role.
Another establishing shot shows a car on a road but with the shot previously showing a man in a phone box who acts as the leader in the family and the mother and the child playing by the road you get the impression that this car is going to bring danger. The Proairetic theory is used to make the audience believe that because the man in no longer in the frame he is still part of the danger that’s going to happen. As another car approaches the scene a low angle shot on the man shows he has noticed the passing cars and detects that something is going happen. As he looks a slow motion of the woman playing is used to show her importance.
The sound perspective of the cars lets the audience realise the cars are getting closer and closer to the family and make them realise that some sort of accident is going to take place. The Semantic code may suggest that this accident the audience think is going to happen may not happen. The woman’s close up shows that she can see the danger and realise that her and her son are in the middle with no where to run. The quick cut to the man shows he can’t escape the phone box but can see what is going to happen. In this moment neither of the cars are shown but you can hear them approaching. This lets the audience concentrate on the people in the clip. In a title sequence its important to let the audience connect with the characters as it allows them to feel more sympathetic and vulnerable when something happens.
Lots of jump cuts are used in the next 10 seconds to shows all the details of the accident. A final crane shot is used to show the accident from high up and what has happened to the family.
The freezed shot of the man suggests the scene is over and when the film title appears it can suggest that this action is now a devastating memory of the past.
As you believe when the title of the film appears and the screen stays black you think the titles are over and the film is about to begin but in this case it’s wrong. Non-diegetic music begins and plays a soft tune over a new establishing shot of a town and rather dryer area compared to the last one. The man from the beginning is shown in the screen walking through the town with small credits shown over the top. The audience may want to know why the film is following this mans journey. The Hermeneutic code allows the audience to keep guessing what type of man he is and how he plays a part in the rest of the film.
The final action of the man talking to the doorman and entering this building needs to happen as it allows the film to start in a flowing matter and not miss anything important out.
This title sequence is not like many others. It has a massive introduction, which in some cases might not be classed as a title sequence. But once this is over the titles begin once again. The accident at the start allows the audience to begin to question the rest of the title sequence and make up there own mind about the main character. With out the accident clip the titles won’t be as effective and wouldn’t connect with the audience as much.
Friday, 26 November 2010
Analysis of the shining title sequence
The shining
The shining was written by Stephen King (novel) and Stanley Kubrick (screenplay). The film was released in 1980 where it was scored 8.5/10 allowing it to be a big hit making more than $22 million in the horror industry.
The opening establishing shot is quickly turned into a gradual zoom and allows the music to begin and the tension rise. The proairectic code by Roland Barthes creates tension which makes the viewers want to continue watching to find out what happens to this alone car. The gradual zoom of the small island is then interrupted with a tilt of the camera allowing the helicopter holding the camera to move on to the next location. A series of landscape sceneries and bird’s-eye view shot allows the camera to track the car and its journey out into the wide and unknown. With the camera moving from scenery to scenery its shows the serene and stunning natural environment, which almost acts as a false scene, it then becomes a bigger and more unanticipated shock when the film unravels as a supernatural horror. A wide collection shots including a cross dissolve, this shows the expansion of time during the journey. The cross dissolve and different locations allow the audience to believe the journey is very long and far away, showing the isolation of the hotel along with the sense that it’s nowhere near civilisation.
The slow non-diegetic music starts to build tension from the first note, using a simple bass arpeggio. This simple rhythm is very low due to it being played on a trombone, which creates the tension and fear that something is going to happen. The rhythm is repeated many times with a slight alteration in notes which are made longer to allow the welcoming of new instruments into this ominous, slow and almost terrifying piece of music. The use of a minor scale creates tension, making the music more strange and atmospheric to the human ear. This would not be used unless the directors wanted to create this type of dangerous atmosphere and prepare the audience for some sort of panic and shock. The semantic code demonstrates the music being played and shows opposite images being portrayed and influences the audience that there is something bad lurking in the area. The proairetic code once again appears as it makes the viewers want to know what the ‘something bad lurking in the area’ is and how the family is dealing with it.
The camera then moves in the shape of the roads swerving and slowly curving round the corners as it tracks the cars movement through the various sceneries. The wide range of high angle long shots that slowly zoom in on the solitary car reveal the isolation and fear for the car and its situation. The tracking shot acts like a mysterious object or eye watching the car as it travels to the unknown. Along with the camera angle the high pitched sounds almost makes the audience believe there is a supernatural horror following them. The angle is then rotated and looks like the ensuing horror is getting closer and closer ready to scare the humans inside. This can create an anxiety feeling and almost utter panic as the camera gets closer and closer to the sole car. The wide range of aerial long shots shows the amount of time and space that appears in the clip.
As the camera finally catches up with the lone car with a tracking shot getting closer, turning into a mid shot and then finally a point of view shot the credits soon rise up through the screen in a blue font. The blue font perhaps puts the composure into the clip making it less alarming and dangerous. The titles are moved out from the top as they ‘fly’ through the screen. With the font very big in the centre of the frame the reader is attracted to reading hence less conscious of what is happening in the clip behind.
The camera then overtakes the car and goes over the side of the road and flies through the air showing the surrounding area. The title of the film then appears in the centre of the screen without the car in the background. It’s displayed in a peaceful area contradicting the real story of the film, just like that of the semantic code. The semantic code shows one thing that could possible mean another like the title in a beautiful natural environment shows peace and calm. Which contradicts with the music. A high angle shot is then rejoined with the car and the music becomes high pitched, suggesting that something will be happening soon, whilst making the viewer unsettled and conscience of the situation.
As the original score starts with the simple bass arpeggio once again it declares that the titles are nearly over and the car is soon to be expected at the hotel. As the car moves onto a snowier location the non-diegetic music continues to play. The music finishes as it started creating tension, making the viewer believe the family have nearly arrived. The camera creates a long shot of a remote hotel, continuing into an arc shot which gets closer and closer showing the viewers this is where the family have been heading for and where the supernatural horror takes place.
As the titles end it has given the uneasy and unsettling feeling to the viewers that this isolated hotel located near lakes, forests and snowy mountains contains a hidden danger that has been built up through the scores and various high angle shots. The title screen’s job is to make the viewers seem interested and attached to the film making them watch the entire film to know what happens. This particular title screen contains strong versions of the hermeneutic code as it keeps the audience guessing and allowing them to make up their own mind of what the final outcome is. The shining title screen sets up the tension and fear ready for the main action. In doing this, binary opposites of good v evil and fear v happiness are taken place. These opposites make the titles successful in making them appear and attract to the target audience.
The shining was written by Stephen King (novel) and Stanley Kubrick (screenplay). The film was released in 1980 where it was scored 8.5/10 allowing it to be a big hit making more than $22 million in the horror industry.
The opening establishing shot is quickly turned into a gradual zoom and allows the music to begin and the tension rise. The proairectic code by Roland Barthes creates tension which makes the viewers want to continue watching to find out what happens to this alone car. The gradual zoom of the small island is then interrupted with a tilt of the camera allowing the helicopter holding the camera to move on to the next location. A series of landscape sceneries and bird’s-eye view shot allows the camera to track the car and its journey out into the wide and unknown. With the camera moving from scenery to scenery its shows the serene and stunning natural environment, which almost acts as a false scene, it then becomes a bigger and more unanticipated shock when the film unravels as a supernatural horror. A wide collection shots including a cross dissolve, this shows the expansion of time during the journey. The cross dissolve and different locations allow the audience to believe the journey is very long and far away, showing the isolation of the hotel along with the sense that it’s nowhere near civilisation.
The slow non-diegetic music starts to build tension from the first note, using a simple bass arpeggio. This simple rhythm is very low due to it being played on a trombone, which creates the tension and fear that something is going to happen. The rhythm is repeated many times with a slight alteration in notes which are made longer to allow the welcoming of new instruments into this ominous, slow and almost terrifying piece of music. The use of a minor scale creates tension, making the music more strange and atmospheric to the human ear. This would not be used unless the directors wanted to create this type of dangerous atmosphere and prepare the audience for some sort of panic and shock. The semantic code demonstrates the music being played and shows opposite images being portrayed and influences the audience that there is something bad lurking in the area. The proairetic code once again appears as it makes the viewers want to know what the ‘something bad lurking in the area’ is and how the family is dealing with it.
The camera then moves in the shape of the roads swerving and slowly curving round the corners as it tracks the cars movement through the various sceneries. The wide range of high angle long shots that slowly zoom in on the solitary car reveal the isolation and fear for the car and its situation. The tracking shot acts like a mysterious object or eye watching the car as it travels to the unknown. Along with the camera angle the high pitched sounds almost makes the audience believe there is a supernatural horror following them. The angle is then rotated and looks like the ensuing horror is getting closer and closer ready to scare the humans inside. This can create an anxiety feeling and almost utter panic as the camera gets closer and closer to the sole car. The wide range of aerial long shots shows the amount of time and space that appears in the clip.
As the camera finally catches up with the lone car with a tracking shot getting closer, turning into a mid shot and then finally a point of view shot the credits soon rise up through the screen in a blue font. The blue font perhaps puts the composure into the clip making it less alarming and dangerous. The titles are moved out from the top as they ‘fly’ through the screen. With the font very big in the centre of the frame the reader is attracted to reading hence less conscious of what is happening in the clip behind.
The camera then overtakes the car and goes over the side of the road and flies through the air showing the surrounding area. The title of the film then appears in the centre of the screen without the car in the background. It’s displayed in a peaceful area contradicting the real story of the film, just like that of the semantic code. The semantic code shows one thing that could possible mean another like the title in a beautiful natural environment shows peace and calm. Which contradicts with the music. A high angle shot is then rejoined with the car and the music becomes high pitched, suggesting that something will be happening soon, whilst making the viewer unsettled and conscience of the situation.
As the original score starts with the simple bass arpeggio once again it declares that the titles are nearly over and the car is soon to be expected at the hotel. As the car moves onto a snowier location the non-diegetic music continues to play. The music finishes as it started creating tension, making the viewer believe the family have nearly arrived. The camera creates a long shot of a remote hotel, continuing into an arc shot which gets closer and closer showing the viewers this is where the family have been heading for and where the supernatural horror takes place.
As the titles end it has given the uneasy and unsettling feeling to the viewers that this isolated hotel located near lakes, forests and snowy mountains contains a hidden danger that has been built up through the scores and various high angle shots. The title screen’s job is to make the viewers seem interested and attached to the film making them watch the entire film to know what happens. This particular title screen contains strong versions of the hermeneutic code as it keeps the audience guessing and allowing them to make up their own mind of what the final outcome is. The shining title screen sets up the tension and fear ready for the main action. In doing this, binary opposites of good v evil and fear v happiness are taken place. These opposites make the titles successful in making them appear and attract to the target audience.
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