TASK: Analyse nine frames of an opening sequence in detail. To do this again use the art of the titles website or take your own screenshots from an opening sequence.
The film that I have chosen to analyse the following nine frames is 'The Conjuring'. I have used http://www.artofthetitle.com/ to get the nine frames of the film. The opening sequence of a film enables the audience to gain ideas about what the film is going to be about and perhaps capture interest which makes the audience feel intrigued with what is to happen next.
1. The first shot shows who the film was written by, these two people are at the very beginning of the opening sequence as this displays their importance. The background is black and white, mainly black which informs us that this is a horror movie, perhaps a supernatural one due to the black and white colouring which is often featured in paranormal films that present real life stories. The background is also of a newspaper and the font too suggests that this film is perhaps of a real life story which happened several decades ago. It could be said that this is a period inspired film. We can identify this by simply looking at the typography and colours which often would appear in older films. We can also see the words 'ghost-hunter' in the background, yet again illustrating that this film could be somewhat related to the paranormal. Additionally, it seems that the newspaper is projected onto a translucent screen and is zoomed in, this is purposely done so the audience are able to see the significant words in order to identify the genre of the film. The non-diegetic soundtrack that is being played is very much haunting, which may give the audience a rather disturbed and uneasy feeling.
2. The second shot shows who the film was produced by. The background is also black and white.This image also looks like it has been projected onto a translucent screen. The image shows a male and a female sitting down in front of a big crowd. It looks like they are sat in a lecture, which links back to the first shot as it says " ghost-hunter gives second lecture here" so we can only assume that either the male or the female presented in shot 2 is the ghost-hunter. The clothing that the male and female are wearing look rather old-fashioned, which suggests that the film is based on the past and they are lecturing about one of their cases. We know that they are ghost-hunters, so this further supports my point about the movie having a paranormal theme. The use of the overhead projector which is used for teaching yet again suggests that film is based in the 70s. The typography of the title sequence continues to be the same, which is still kept very simplistic which conveys a professional image. This image is also a long shot which is used in order to show the audience that this really is a lecture by showing the back of the heads of the other people and their surroundings. The non-diegetic music continues, which increases the uneasy feeling.
3. The third shot shows what looks like an article from a newspaper with the heading "Haunted Artifacts Museum" the word 'Haunted' suggests that this is a film related with the paranormal and the non-diegetic music supports this. However, the non-diegetic music becomes much lower and the volume decreases. The use of the colour black supports the dark matter and dark energy of the film. Considering the article mentions a museum, it could be implied that the image in this shot is of the museum, however due to it looking slightly out of place, it could be abandoned hence why it is described as 'haunted'. This image also looks like it has been projected onto a translucent screen, and we get the idea that all of these images and newspapers have been gathered from true past events that perhaps the ghost-hunter is making them as part of his paranormal case. The newspaper article is yet again black and white which suggests that this film is based on the 70s as they did not produce newspapers with colour during that time.
4. The fourth shot shows yet again a background of a newspaper, however this one has an image of a women dressed in what can be said 70s clothing. This yet again implies that the film may have historical aspects linking to the paranormal theme. Looking closely, we can see words in the newspaper article, such as, spirit, dead boy, demon hunters and witches coven all words associating with the paranormal theme. The article mentions a dead boy, therefore the film could be based around a true story about the dead boy and the ghost hunters are called in to investigate the matter of this paranormal force. We can only assume that the woman photographed in the newspaper article is the dead mother's boy, however we question why she has a smile on her face. Through this shot, we also discover the names of the ghost-hunters which are Ed and Lorraine Warren and we can assume that they will be significant characters throughout the film due to their name being mentioned several times. The lighting that is projected onto the image suddenly darkens just seconds before it is changed to a different image, this creates a very mysterious and eerie atmosphere, but also links to the death of the young boy. The non-diegetic music progresses and continues to produce an eerie feeling which connects with the story of the dead boy and the demons. Reading the article and listening to the non-diegetic sound in the background instantly brings a feeling of uneasiness.
5. The fifth shot shows a sheet of acetate which is lifted so its perpendicular to the camera. When the photograph is flipped, it reveals an entirely new image, creating a transitional moment. The use of real life photographs yet again indicate that this film is going to be based around a true story, due to real life photographs of the two families that have been shown. The photographs that have been shown must indicate their importance to the story, meaning that they have relation to the story or are victims of the paranormal events. The non-diegetic music continues, however we also can hear the diegetic sound of the person flipping the photograph. The typography still remains very classic and minimal so it doesn't overcomplicate the professional image of each shot.
6. The sixth shot shows a woman standing next to a house with five other girls whom vary in age. Their faces, besides the woman's is covered with the names of the characters in the film, perhaps this shows their insignificance and that the only significant person is the woman. Children are also a key symbol used in horror films, especially in psychological horror movies, therefore the fact that children are included instantly implies that this is a horror movie. Looking at their style of clothing, we can see that it is not modern, therefore we can guess that this photograph was taken several decades ago, again linking to the idea of a historical matter. The non-diegetic music continues, however the voices of what sounds like demons clashes with the sound, adding to a much more sinister feel. The image is a medium shot which is used to show the audience their choice of clothing in order for identify which period this photograph was taken and what period this film will be based on. In this shot we can also see the incorporation of macro shots of hands shuffling sheets of acetate as well as the archival imagery. This is used to show the before and after shot, the after shot including the titles of significant actors.
7. The seventh shot shows what looks like a black figure with a sun reflection. The black figure of the person could suggest evil due to the hidden identity. The reflection of the sun brings light to the scenery, which doesn't make it completely sinister. The location in the photograph looks like the woods, which is a very popular location to use in horror movies due to it being isolated which brings a feeling of suspense and mystery. The same non-diegetic music continues and we can hear the diegetic sound of the pages flipping. The photographs, newspapers and sheets of acetate that are shown are continually flipped at a rather slow tempo, which makes the film seem much older. The slow pace is used purposely so the audience are able to absorb the simplicity of the compositions and the content, but also the eeriness of it all is to scare the audience as with the slow pace of it all, we never know if or when something is going to jump out. The shots are not designed to impress the viewer, nor does it have to. The impression that anything can happen at any moment is what creates the paranormal and eerie atmosphere. However, if looked at closely, in some of the shots some things actually do happen.
8. The eighth shot shows a number of people around a table, however their faces are blurred which makes them non-identifiable. This also adds to the idea of the film being a paranormal one, as typically when a place is haunted and a photograph is taken, the paranormal force takes dominance which blurs the identities of the alive ones. The significant of the people who are around the table with their hands on it, all in the same position further supports this idea, as it appears that they are trying to dismiss the paranormal forces. The director has yet again used black and white cinematography in order to convey this is a period inspired film. The use of photographic compositions and an archival approach adds to the eerie, yet genuine quality of the opening sequence, creating a 70's period piece. The ominous and off beat pace continues and this is further supported by the use of non-diegetic eerie music which at times sound like the voices of ghost that impede throughout.
9. Lastly, the final shot displays a long shot which shows a house and a large tree nearby, however the tree has rope attached to it which is tied into a circle which indicates that someone has used this to hang themselves. Most likely a member which lives in the house presented. The use of the big house which looks like it is in the middle of nowhere is a convention location that is used in horror films. The use of such a location creates mystery and suspense, but towards the end of the opening sequence, we can already gather that this is going to be a horror film, especially one that is associated with the living dead. The cinematography used is yet again black and white which is very old-fashioned and is used to portray the period that the film is based on. The typography even for the title still remains very simplistic which keeps with the professional image. On the other hand, this particular shot differs to the rest, due tot the fact that this does not look like a photographic image, instead it looks more like a sketch drawing and it makes it look like something that would've been designed in the 70's as sketch drawings were very popular during that time as not everyone had access to technological resources such as cameras.
What has this analysis taught you and what can you take forward for your own film opening?
This analysis of the opening sequence of 'The Conjuring' has taught me a diverse range of skills which will be very beneficial when it comes to planning, filming and editing my own title sequence. Analysing each shot has made me much more aware of why specific images are used and what they convey. I have learnt that every image links to the next in some kind of way and this enables the audience to guess what the film may be about. The entire title sequence of The Conjuring was in black and white, and I learnt that the use of such cinematography is used purposely to convey the period of time. For example, if this was a modern 21st century film, the use of black and white for a title sequence or even the film is very unlikely. The use of diegesis is also key for a title sequence, and throughout the whole of the title sequence for The Conjuring there was non-diegetic eerie music which created tension from the very beginning and mystery as it was hard to predict whether something or someone will appear to scare the audience. The use of the non-diegetic eerie music also made it predictable from the very beginning that this was going to be a film within the horror genre. The whole idea of a film opening is to get an insight into what the film will be about, but also to present significant people who made the film possible in the first place. The titles of the names are displayed at the very beginning after the production company logos and can usually last from two minutes up to five. The names of the people involved in the film are presented from most important to least important. Most important being at the very beginning. The typography that is used to present all of the titles is also significant as this helps to create meaning at the very beginning and through typography we can usually assume what kind of film it will be. Learning about each of the different elements which are used to create a title sequence has proved to be highly beneficial, as I can now incorporate these techniques into my own title sequence.
