Genre - opening title sequence research task

 Horror

Film: "Get Out"

The structure of "Get Out" opening title sequence is quite unique. The audience is guided through three locations during the sequence, in 2 of which the characters are not exposed, which already sets the ambience of suspense and obscurity. In the very beginning - during the kidnapping part - due to the low key lighting and the long shot, used to capture the crime, the viewers are unable to see the faces of both the victim and the abductor. 
This is done intentionally for the audience to start getting anxious and fearing the unknown. In the following tracking handheld shot, only the woods are being captured from the car's window, which is similar to the opening title sequence from "Shining".

As the music bridge occurs, the audience is finally introduced to the main narrative - the storyline will be presented from the perspective of a black male, who is in his 20s. The viewers realise he is the main character due to the fact that he is captured in series of close-ups (an intimate point of view) and, even though, his girlfriend is being introduced as well (in parallel editing: she was in a bakery, while he was shaving), the amount of shots, where the male is seen exceeds the number of times the female character is presented. More to that, the establishing shot of the apartment hints the audience on the fact that the couple is relatively wealthy and very serious about their relationship: the flat is quite big and well-designed, the pair even has a dog, who is laying on the couch in one of the shots.

The black-and-white photographs, presented in the beginning of this part of the sequence along with the big photos, hanging on the walls in the apartment set two important themes. First, the director shows the audience that the main character is probably a professional photographer, which is important for the viewers to create an image of the protagonist. Second, the "black-and-white" photos might be linked to the fundamental idea of the movie: the juxtaposition between the two races, discrimination and inequality. Only at the very end of the scene the audience becomes confident, the main character is a photographer ( a close-up to him scrolling through the photos on his camera) and the white girl from the bakery is his beloved one.

Undoubtedly, the viewers are unsure about the sincerity of their relationship, as the abduction scene in the beginning set the fundamental emotion of suspense and mistrust. The audience can't yet predict what is going to be happening to the two main characters, yet they might predict the crime scene will be one of the main subjects in the film, possibly with the action taking place somewhere far away from the city (the forests captured from the car set the feeling of isolation and vulnerability).

As previously assumed, the main opposition, which might possibly be developed in "Get Out" is between the two races. This, therefore, suggests, that the target audience for this film is the white population of our society. Probably, not the younger generation, but white adults in their 40s/50s - as it is hard for them to keep up with the events taking place in the modern overly digitised world and they might be following the principles and morals they had in the 20th century (they might be racist, not thinking equality is important). Due to the fact that "Get Out" is a horror film, the director most probably included violent scenes and plot twist to the storyline, which means that the main themes and ideas are going to be developed by presenting the target audience some unpleasant events, that will make them feel uncomfortable and think about the meanings conveyed in the movie.

A number of key convention of horror films are being used in this opening title sequence to set the genre. One of the most significant ones is the setting. The low-key lighting used during the abduction scene along with how empty the street is, makes the audience feel unprotected and sets the atmosphere of abandonment and mystery. The dark sky can't even be seen due to the fact that the crime takes place at night and the trees along the street are too wide, covering up the top part of the camera frame. Even though the scene is shot outside, the viewers might feel slightly claustrophobic, surrounded by houses, trees and the kidnapper. Moreover, the car drive part is prolonged, which implies that the destination is far away.

The typical conventions of isolation, darkness and violence (in the first part) are being set in this sequence. Even during the last part of the opening titles, where the music is upbeat and the mood is cheerful and happy, unlike the first part of it, the male character cuts himself when shaving. The blood still implies the movie will be later connected to violence and horrifying events. 

Background music plays a crucial role in setting the genre of "Get Out". The kidnap part is accompanied by contrapuntal sound - rhythmical orchestra music with solemn horns and violins, which is similar to a dance tune. It is synchronous on the moment when the car door is being shut - the music disappears and the silence is used a sound bridge to the next tune. The fact that the visual doesn't match with the audio impacts the audience, making them feel uncomfortable and tense. This technique emphasises that the genre of the movie is a psychological horror, created to build the fear in the audience gradually (not through basic jump scares, for instance). The theme song (in Swahili) with the violin staccatos, a harpsichord progression and a voice ensemble make the atmosphere even more mysterious and terrifying. It goes on for a while, almost hypnotising the audience while they are looking at the prolonged shot of the woods. At the very end of the sequence, the music transitions again, being replaced by a chill, comforting and upbeat tune. It is used to release the tension for a short period of time and draw viewers' attention to the narrative rather than the scary background music. 

The camera work in this sequence, as well as the editing are not complicated. The kidnap part is captured through a deep focus static long shot, which goes on for about a minute. The following part is similar to it, as the forest is being captured through a handheld car shot and is prolonged as well (2 minutes). In the first part there are no cuts and the image is being changed to the next part through a dark screen. The forest scene is cut multiple times, implying the duration of the drive. The extraordinarily long (in duration) shots make the audience focus their attention on the action taking place far in the darkness. This technique almost tricks the audience into thinking they are the one observing the action in real life (as the camera is not moving). As the car drive is taking too long and there are no signs of towns or villages around, the viewers already become concerned and worried for the main characters.

Lastly, the neon blue  titles appearing perfectly in the middle of the screen are also an example of a common horror convention. The name of the movie - "Get Out" - suddenly appears in caps, occupying almost the whole screen. The audience feels pressured by it (taking into account the phrase itself is vey unpleasant and scary). The titles are put in the middle of the screen to create an illusion of some sort of symmetry, which is not natural in real life, which is why it makes the viewers feel out of place.

Overall, the opening title sequence is successful in my opinion. It sets the genre of the movie - horror and presents two or maybe even three storylines (as it is separated into three different parts). The director skilfully applied camera techniques, sound and mise en scene in order to start influencing the audience psychologically straight away. More to that, the fact that the viewers are only introduced to two main characters (a couple) brings up a lot of questions concerning the identity of the kidnapper and the victim and the person from the car (the shot of the forests was most probably a POV). The audience is, thus, intrigued and scared already after 4 minutes of watching the movie. 

"Action"

Film: "Baby Driver"

The opening title sequence of "Baby Driver" is eye-catching especially because it is choreographed to the soundtrack playing at the background. In this scene Edgar Wright skilfully manages to both set the genre of the movie - action - and introduce the audience to the narrative. Talking about the latter, the viewers observe the storyline from the perspective of a stylish young man, who is listening to music in his headphones throughout the whole sequence.

The opening tracking shot, capturing him getting in a car and quickly driving away emphasises the dynamics and the fast pace of the events that will later be taking place in the film. The audience gets to know the man, called, Baby, quite well: the music, continuously playing in the headphones and the black sunglasses the character is wearing imply he is introverted and  lives "in his own world". Moreover, the fact that he is dancing, carelessly crossing the streets and is constantly bumping into the pedestrians shows that he is confident, straight forward and probably leads an extreme lifestyle. As he reveals his name -Baby- during the conversation in the cafe, the audience realises, that this sarcastic, funny nickname might refer to him being involved in illegal business. A mid tracking shot of Baby seeing a girl walk past the cafe foreshadows a romantic plot twist that will occur later in the movie.

Finally, the facts that the main character ordered 4 cups of coffee, got stressed (and looked down) when walking past a police officer and checked around to make sure no one is watching him before walking in a building imply that he is a part of some secretive team or organisation. 

Background music plays a significant role in the sequence. Baby's moves as well as everything happening around him are in sync with the tune, which is clearly a synchronous sound. For instance, the sound of a woman entering a pin code in the ATM machine seems like a short percussion progression, perfectly matching the theme song as well as the tune played by a guitarist on the street has the same pitch as the background music.

The audience feels like they are in a musical, where even the car horn and the bell ringing as the cafe door opens accompany the soundtrack. All these diegetic sounds, that magically appear to be in sync with what Baby is listening to in his headphones make the sequence rhythmical, upbeat, stylish and continuous. 

The mise en scene is also thoroughly thought through by the director. As the main character is walking and dancing, the viewers notice some song lines written on the walls of buildings as graffiti, on the ground and on the storefronts. For example, during the line "you're moving to the right", Baby turns to the right and appears to be face-to-face with a sign on the wall, which says..."right"!

As we observe the main character looking at the young woman, passing by the cafe, a graffiti of a heart on the wall across the street is revealed (links to the upcoming romance). The combination of scenery, choreography and music that are perfectly parallel to each other involves the viewers in the narrative and reveals the humorous tone of the movie. Furthermore, the long shot of the car driving away and the low angle shot of the building, Baby walks out of in the beginning of the sequence, draw the audience's attention to yellow lines.

They both appear as road marking and the design of that residence. It can be interpreted as a symbol of car races (the lines can always be seen on the roads), which directly refers to the action genre of "Baby Driver". 

The whole sequence is filmed in one long take, except for one cut between the car driving away and Baby exiting the building in the beginning. This technique makes the events continuous and holds the viewers' attention on the action. The camera is freely moving around, capturing Baby from different sides, transitioning from long shots to mid-shots and close-ups, which means a steadicam was probably used. Even though there are no cuts, that usually set the pace in movies, the dynamic movement of the camera, following fast walking Baby, creates an illusion of rapid tempo. It seems like the director is almost preparing the audience for the upcoming action and the thrilling storyline.

The titles, that slide in the frame form different sides, zoom in and fade out are animated this way for the audience to pay attention to them. The yellow line, dividing the the phrases links to the theme of cars and races once again. The design and the animation together intentionally distract the audience, adding the sense of action and chaos to the sequence. 

In my opinion, the sequence is stylish and well constructed. Edgar Wright sets the genre of the movie by adding small details (like the yellow lines) in the mise en scene, introducing the viewers to the suspicious but funny main character and enhancing the pace of the action through the one take shot, combination of music and events, occurring. It is clear this action film will be spiced up by the romantic plot-twist and the humorous, sarcastic subtext, noticed at every turn. The audience is intrigued, introduced to the narrative and awaiting of the action, Baby will be the centre of later in the movie. 

"Thriller"

Film: "Wrath of Man"

The opening title sequence of "Wrath of Man" is undoubtedly edgy, suspenseful and exceptionally mysterious. Created in an unconventional way of woodcut imagery, the scene exposes the main themes, ideas and archetypes, presented in the movie.

The opening moving close-up image on interlocking hands, later crossfaded by snakes and fire introduces the audience to the theme of trust, friendship and betrayal. The wolves fighting on top of the roll of dollars refer to the illegal business, that will take place in the movie as well as set the location of the action - the US.

Numerous sketches of animals, like horses, dogs and wolves, fiercely fighting with each other, hints the audience that "Wrath of Man" is violent and graphic.  On the contrast with such images, religious context is being brought up in the sequence. As the dark silhouette of Jason Statham's profile appears in the frame, sketches of a falling angel and an angel fighting a devil can be seen.

Apart from the fact that the viewers might already guess the silhouette of the man presents the main character of the movie, his background and feelings are conveyed in this imagery. The fall expresses grief and the fight implies the binary opposition of good and evil in the movie. The main character's archetype is the broken antagonist, who will bring justice to the victims the audience will be introduced to later in the film. This idea is conveyed through the images of angels defeating devils and the scales of fairness appearing along with the portraits of Statham.

Not only the audience gets to know the antagonist, but also assumes who the protagonists are going to be. A close-up on a man hiding his face in the shadows, accompanied by the sketch of a male killing a victim with a sword hints on the bad intentions he might have. Moreover, the audience sees another character in dark glasses along with the images of snakes and screaming people, which implies the pain he might bring to the life of the antagonist.

An eyeline match of Statham pointing a gun towards one of the secondary characters the viewers saw in the previous shot expresses the anger the protagonist holds towards that individual. The final long shot of a city full of skyscrapers makes the audience confident the action will be taking place in one of the main metropolises of America. The audience is introduced to the narrative even after a 2 minute title sequence. The viewers got an idea that Statham - the main character - experienced some grievous personal event (possibly the loss of a loved one), which filled him with anger, pain and motivation to do justice. The viewers are intrigued to explore the details of the plot and observe the main character fight against multiple protagonists in the movie.

The colour patterns play a significant role in creating the atmosphere of suspense and violence, the film is filled with. The chiaroscuro effect is applied: the strong contrast between the dark and the light is present throughout the whole sequence. The black background and shadows imply mystery and suspicion. For example, the extreme close-up on the eyes of one character makes the audience mistrust this persona due to his evil glance and the gloom on his face. Furthermore, contrasting tones of red and orange - fire and explosions - directly link to the genre of "Wrath of Man" - thriller. The presence of guns also implies there will be a lot of shootings and fights in the film. 

The background tune - synth staccatos, low pitched string instruments, percussion - is solemn and motivating, sounding like a war is about to begin. The soundtrack rises in a gradual crescendo, making the atmosphere tense and dramatic. The slow motion images are juxtaposed over the sound of bass strings and brass instruments. And even though, the music contrasts the visual in terms of the pace, it successfully builds tension and mystery. 

The whole opening title sequence is, basically, woodcut imagery and sketches depicted on top of the black screen. The audience observes the slowly moving figures and characters mostly through close-ups and extreme close-ups (apart from the final long shot of the city), which implies intimacy and engages the viewers in the scene. All the images are smoothly crossfaded by each other which makes the sequence continuous and doesn't confuse the viewers, drawing their attention to the details and the narrative. It's important to mention the orange titles, appearing throughout the whole scene.

They match the colour palette of the visual, which is why they add on to the ambience created by the images. Fast paced, they fade in and out in different corners of the frame, depending on the location of the figures and characters. this way the whole frame is filled in and it doesn't feel like some parts of it are empty. Along with a brass instrument drone and an explosion, the title of the movie - "Wrath of Man" appears in the centre of the screen 25 seconds in the sequence. It is then crossfaded by an extreme close-up of an eye, which makes the audience think it is the protagonist who will represent that wrath later in the movie.

Overall, I think the sequence is eye-catching, dramatic and definitely successful. Guy Ritchie manages to reveal the main themes present in the movie as well as introduce the audience to the narrative. The woodcut imagery, colours, editing and music all together set the thriller genre of the movie. This way, the viewers are intrigued and curious to see what events will take place in "Wrath of Man".

"War"

Film: "The Boy in Striped Pyjamas"

The opening title sequence of "The Boy in Striped Pyjamas" sets the genre of war from its first seconds. The crane establishing shot captures a square surrounded by dull, neutral coloured old-fashioned buildings with three swastika sign red flags hanging from one of the balconies.

Straight away, the audience realises the presence of the Nazi symbol refers to the setting and location of the movie: Germany during WWII. Mid-shots introduce the viewers to a group of small boys, who are running and pretending to be airplanes. Even though, at first sight it might refer to such themes like friendship and innocence, the fact that the boys are imitating planes in particular means that they see and hear them constantly. During their run, presented through match on action, the long shots draw audience's attention to the people seen on the streets.

The viewers can notice males in navy and army uniforms, different rank and age officers, as well as simple citizens, wearing neutral coloured clothes and hats. In one of the tracking shots, the audience observes german officers violently pushing jewish people (they are wearing kippahs) in a military car. At this point the viewers are confident the action takes place during the Holocaust (the genocide of European Jews during WWII). The crosscutting technique applied reveals both the boys playing outside and the staff taking care of an expensive house. By the end of the sequence the two storylines combine, as we see the boy in an auburn vest entering the mansion, which appears to be his home.

Previously, a clearly high social status lady was leaving an expansive car and entering that house, treated with respect and admiration by guards and servants. As the main character - the boy - refers to the woman as "mom" the viewers realise he belongs to the upper class german family. The director develops the plot through the perspective of a young boy in order to imply the presence of purity, childish innocence and naivety even during the horrifying events, taking place in the 1940s.

The fact that he passes the military car with jewish people without realising what is actually going on shows that he lives in rose-tint glasses because of his young age. Moreover, the hierarchy of social classes is depicted through the juxtaposition of wealthy, dominant germans and oppressed, violently treated jews. The audience is introduced to the narrative: a story about the life of a wealthy young boy during the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. 

The colour scheme used in the sequence adds to the atmosphere of sorrow and oppression. The beige, brown and nude tones in clothes, buildings and home interior imply the conservatism during the times of the Holocaust. It emphasises the lack of kindness, equality, justice during that time frame. The contrasting red swastika flags imply the cruelty, violent actions of the germans. Finally, the khaki and navy blue colours refer to the war genre of the movie and add to the military ambience of the scene.

Talking about the camerawork, crane shots are frequently used in the sequence. This technique is applied during the establishing shot of the square as well as when the germans push the jews in the back of the military wagon. Due to the camera moving up to the bird's eye level, the viewers might feel like they are observing the action from the point of view of military planes. Close-ups, that focus on the items rather than faces, introduce the viewers to servants and staff in the mansion of the main character.

A ground level tracking shots, capturing people rolling out the carpet in the house imply their lower social status, while on the contrast the low angle shot of the woman (mother) and her daughter walking down the stairs emphasise their power and dominance. Continuity editing and match on action techniques holds the viewers' attention on the narrative and even though cutaways between the boy running outside and the staff cleaning up the house are present, the sequence of events is quite linear and logical. 

The non-diegetic soundtrack - piano progression, accompanied with strings ensemble - is parallel to the visual. Rising in a crescendo, the music constantly changes from being major to being minor. The latter depends on the visual: when the boys are running and the servants are cleaning up the house, the music sounds happy and playful, however, when the jews are being violently treated by the germans, it is sad and melancholy. The diegetic sounds add to the atmosphere of the scene as well. The ambient sounds of the cars and people talking outside imply the presence of life even during war times. Moreover, the dogs barking and the officers raising their voices to the jews bring the sense of danger, vulnerability and violence to the sequence.

The titles are minimalistic and white, which is why they almost blend in the visual the viewers observe. They fade in and out in different corners of the frame, not distracting the audience from the narrative. Most importantly, in the beginning of the scene the title - "The Boy in Striped Pyjamas" - is shown during the extreme close-up to a red flag. 

All in all, I consider this opening title sequence successful, as it clearly sets the time, location of the action, reveals the main themes of the movie and most significantly makes it clear the genre of the film is war and drama. The perspective of the young boy elicits sympathy in the audience, drawing their attention to the narrative. Even though, it is clear the movie will be disturbing and dramatic, the viewers are interested to see how the story will be developed and what events are going to take place in the film. 

Sci-Fi

Film: "Iron Man 2"

"Iron Man 2" is the second movie in the series about this superhero, which is why in its opening title sequence the audience is introduced to the antagonist, Tony Stark will confront in this particular film, rather than to the protagonist, everyone previously knew about. 

The low-key lighting, used throughout the whole sequence refers to the evil intentions of the main character in this scene.

With key-light being the only source of illumination in most parts of the sequence (lamps), his face can hardly be seen, which makes the audience mistrust the character and feel suspicious about him. Conversely, the numerous posters of Tony Stark, captured in close-ups on the walls of the basement, are lit well, which suggests the binary opposition between the good - Iron Man - and the evil - the main character of the sequence.

The fact that the scene begins with the man, forging iron and, therefore, producing sparks makes the audience feel like the character is full of wrath, violent intentions and desire for revenge. Some of the posters and newspaper extracts are printed in Russian, which sets the nationality of the antagonist. Moreover, the high angle tracking shot of the table with a have-eaten bread roll and a tiny piece of butter implies that the man is poor and belongs to the lower social class.

It is also emphasised by the location of the scene: a dark basement room with low ceilings and exposed wires. Antagonist's clothing and general  untidy appearance depict a. stereotypical image of a villain as well. Long greasy hair, tied with a bandana, an old dirty shirt, tattooed chest, unkempt stubble add on to the ambiance of mystery and suspicion. The antagonist has a small white parrot which might be associated with the theme of pirates and criminals in general. Throughout the whole sequence the antagonist is constructing a complex piece of equipment or possibly a weapon, which implies that he is skilled and smart. Overall, the viewers are introduced to the narrative: a story about the opposition of Iron Man and a Russian villain, who is about to use his self-made weapon to defeat the protagonist. 

Talking about the camera work in this sequence, after the establishing shot in the beginning, mid-shots and close-ups are prevailing. The close-up to Vanko (the antagonist) forging metal allows the audience to examine his face in the light of the sparks: his metal teeth can be noticed, which might repel the viewers and make them feel anxious.

Extreme close-ups on the equipment Vanko is using draw audience's attention to details: wires, weird substances and mechanisms confuse the viewers with its complexity and make them mistrust the character even more. His stiff hands and dirt under the nails make him look even more unsympathetic.  Crossfades are mostly used in the sequence, suggesting the passage of time, which implies that the antagonist is a psychic zealot, spending a long while on creating something, that will help him defeat Tony. The editing in general is fast-paced which implies Vanko's passion to what he is doing. The antagonist is mostly captured through low angle shots, which makes him appear powerful, dominant and intimidating. Lastly, it's important to mention, that in one of the tracking shots of the wall a dark blue poster is conspicuous amid the other white sheets.

"Starc's Arc" is what is says and depicts, which is why when Vanko's final product is shown at the end of the sequence, the viewers recognise it from the poster. 

From the very beginning of the scene, the non-diegetic soundtrack is loud. Low pitched brass instruments, a variety of percussion and a choir ensemble create a terrifying, disturbing and tense atmosphere. It emphasises the power of the villain and his evil intentions. Most of the diegetic sounds, such as Vanko drinking something or walking around the basement, can't even be heard due to the volume of the music. However, sound effects of forging metal and light bulbs cracking are pleonastic, which might refer to the themes of violence and fights. After the climax in the soundtrack is reached, music fades out in a sudden diminuendo for a few seconds for the audience to clearly hear the sound effect of Vanko's evil laugh. After that it rises again in a crescendo and ends with a sound effect of metal rattling when the title of the movie appears in the centre of the screen. These volume fluctuations make the audience feel anxious and scared. 

The metal gold titles fade in and out throughout the sequence. As they match, the colour palette of the scene, the audience doesn't get distracted by them and focuses its attention on the narrative. They are fast paced, which matches the editing of the sequence. The title of the movie - "Iron Man 2" - appears at the very end of the scene, when the blinding light of the "Starc's arc" is used as a transition to a fully black screen, where the name of the film is shown. They suddenly slide in/zoom out, accompanied by the sound effect of rattling metal, which can be associated with "iron" itself. 

There is a few significant ideas, portrayed in the sequence. Apart from the binary opposition and the stereotypical image of the villain, mentioned earlier, a political subtext can be noticed. In one of the close-ups of the newspapers, attached to the wall, the viewers can see a title to an article, saying "Iron man stabilises East-West relationships". 

The information, spread by media is juxtaposed to what is actually happening in the MCU, as the whole sequence is about a Russian villain planning to defeat the American superhero. It is quite ironical and might also refer to the fact that media is not really trust worthy. 

Overall, I think the opening title sequence to "Iron Man 2" is successful, as the audience gets to understand what the movie is going to be about. The image of the villain can be examined in details, which is why the viewers are curious to find out if he will actually be able to defeat the superhero. The genre of the movie - science fiction - is clearly set in the title sequence, as it is clear a superhero will be opposing a villain. Finally, the atmosphere of suspense, tension and mystery is skilfully created through the use of music, light, camera and editing.

Comparison

All the opening title sequences are similar in terms of the information they provide about the movies. All of them introduce the audience to the narrative, including the main character/characters, time frame, location and core themes of the film. The genres are clearly set in all five sequences and neither of the scenes expose too many details about the movies in order to keep the audience intrigued. In my opinion, "Wrath of Man" and "Baby Driver" opening sequences stood out the most. Unlike all the others, the first mentioned was computer-designed and introduced the viewers to the narrative through symbols, woodcut imagery and portraits of the characters. The opening sequence of "Baby Driver" is extraordinary due to the fact that it is choreographed to its soundtrack. Filmed in one long take, it seems more like a musical rather than an extract from an action movie. In my opinion, this sequence is the most successful and eye-catching out of all five, previously analysed. Its unconventional structure engages the audience in the action and makes them watch the scene in one breath. Conversely, I think, the title sequence of "Iron Man 2" is the least successful from the list. In comparison to other scenes it is quite basic: the audience is introduced to a stereotypical villain, whose archetype is already familiar to the viewers.