Timeline of Titles

The Others (2001)


For one of the film openings from my chosen genre (psychological thriller) we were asked to write a timeline of titles for when each title appeared in the opening. This would allow us to gain an insight into when titles were introduced to the opening.
Titles Timeline
0.13-0.16 - a CRUISE/WAGNER PRODUCTIONS
                                         SOGECINE
                    LAS PRODUCCIONES DEL ESCORPION
                                          production
0.20-0.23 - Nicole KIDMAN
                                     in
0.26-0.30 - The OTHERS
0.33-0.35 - Fionulla FLANAGAN
0.37-0.39 - Christopher ECCLESTON
0.42-0.44 - Alakina MANN
                   James BENTLEY
0.46-0.48 - Eric SYKES
0.50-0.52 - Elaine CASSIDY
0.54-0.57 - Keith ALLEN
                   Renee ASHERSON
                   Michelle FAIRLEY
0.58-1.02 - casting
                   Jina JAY
                   Shaheen BAIG
1.03-1.06 - costume design
                   Sonia GRANDE
1.08-1.10 - sound
                   Ricardo STEINBERG
1.11-1.13 - production design
                   Benjamin FERNANDEZ
1.15-1.18 - director of photography
                   Jaier AGUIRRESAROBE A.E.C
1.19-1.24 - executive producers
                   Tom CRUISE
                   Paula WAGNER
1.25-1.29 - executive producers
                   Bob WEINSTEIN
                   Harvey WEINSTEIN
                   Rick SCHWARTZ
1.30-1.34 - produced by
                   Fernando BOVAIRA
                   Jose Luis CUERDA
                   Sunmin PARK
1.35-1.39 - written and directed by
                   Alejandro AMENABAR
(End of Titling)
1.44-1.47 - Jersey, the Channel Islands
                   1945
(Introduction to place and time - historical)

I found that the institutional titles came first introucing production and presenting with the main actor following. This increases box office appeal as it states the main actor which viewers would have an interest in. The main title of the film (The OTHERS) was introduced near the beginning of the titles, followed by other actors (box office appeal), casting, costume design, sound, production design, director of photography, executive producers and finishing with written and directed by.
These titles then finished and we were given an idea of the time and place of the beginning of the film (Jersey, the Channel Islands, 1945), which was used to convey the setting and location to the audience.

This task has helped to give me an idea of what titles to include in the opening to my groups psychological thriller and at what time they would appear so i am able to take this into account when filming and editing the piece in order to create a strong title sequence like the one in this film.
I think that introudicng the audience to the location and time is a good idea as it gives an idea of the setting and creates the atmosphere so i will take this into account when planning my film opening.
However, institutional logos would need to feature at the very beginning before titles are introduced and the main actor could be as effectively introduced after the main title has been presented.

I then compared titles with that of a different genre and chose to analyse the opening and title sequence of mean girls(2004) which is a comedy to highlight the similarities and differences between the two.

Mean Girls (2004)


Titles Timeline
0.00-0.17 - Paramount institutional logo (animated)
0.18-0.20 - PARAMOUNT
                   PICTURES PRESENT
0.21-0.23 - A
                   LORNE
                   MICHAELS
                   PRODUCTION
0.24-0.26 - LINDSAY LOHAN
0.27-0.29 - MEAN GIRLS
-------------Film introduction - long pause of titles-------------
Titles begin to use a sliding and bouncing transistions - unusual & different 
1.41-1.44 - RACHEL McADAMS
1.46-1.48 - TIM MEADOWS
1.52-1.54 - AMY POEHLER
1.55-1.57 - ANA GASTEYER
2.02-2.04 - LACEY CHABERT
2.14-2.17 - LIZZY CAPLAN
                   DANIEL FRANZESE
2.27-2.30 - NEIL FLYNN
                   JONATHAN BENNETT
                   AMANDA SEYFRIED
2.38-2.41 - AND
                   TINA FEY
2.47-2.50 - CASTING BY
                   MARCI LIROFF
3.00-3.03 - BASED ON THE BOOK
                   "QUEEN BEES AND
                   WANNABES"
                   BY ROSALIND WISEMAN
3.06-3.09 - MUSIC SUPERVISORS
                   AMANDA SCHEER DEMME
                   BUCK DAMON
3.15-3.17 - MUSIC COMPOSED
                   AND CONDUCTED BY
                   ROLFE KENT
3.25-3.28 - CO-PRODUCER
                   LOUISE ROSNER
3.40-3.44 - COSTUME DESIGNER
                   MARY
                   JANE FORT
4.01-4.03 - EDITOR
                   WENDY
                   GREENEBRICMONT,
                                                  A.C.E
4.06-4.08 - PRODUCTION DESIGNER
                   CARY WHITE
4.18-4.21 - DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
                   DARYN OKADA, ASC
4.29-4.32 - EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
                   JILL MESSICK
4.33-4.36 - PRODUCED BY
                   LORNE MICHAELS
4.38-4.41 - SCREENPLAY BY
                   TINA FEY
4.53-4.56 - DIRECTED BY
                   MARK WATERS
END OF TITLES.
The titles in this opening are bold and colourful and stand out to the audience and reflect the comedy genre to give a bubbly and lively atmosphere and portray the theme of happiness and fun.
They are of a simple writing style but with the use of colour, this helps to introduce the film and actors and increase box office appeal with 'Lindsay Lohan' at the beginning.

There are many similarities and differences between the way in which the titles run and are presented in a psychological thriller opening and a comedy opening from what i have analysed.

Similarities
The titles run in a similar order - production companys and logos begin the title sequence with the main actors name following and then the title of the film which is the same configuration in both genres. Other actors names are then shown followed by crew members, casting, screenplay, music etc.
Both title sequences reflect the genre in which they are trying to convey and leave an open narrative.

Differences
The two writing styles and colours are very different as they are required to se different atmospheres and convey different themes for the film and reflect the genre of the film for the audience. The titling of a psychological thriller is very dull and plain with an artistic style to create a mysterious atmosphere whilst the comedy genre is bright and bubbly connoting a fun atmosphere.
The titles in a psychological thriller are also closer together within the opening than a comedy and the timings of each title are closer together with no breaks where as a comedy is given a pause in titles in which it shows part of the opening in more detail. This could be to draw the audiences attention and help them understand the opening better by letting them focus on the film more than the titles. This could be due to the fact that the psychological thriller holds suspense by not giving off too much of the film within the opening and using a simple title sequence before getting into the film unlike the comedy which plays the titles over the main introduction to the film.

By comparing the titles of my chosen genre with the title sequence of another genre (comedy) i was able to see the differences in which i need to focus on when inputting into the editing of the group film opening to make sure that the audience are able to see the genre and the correct atmosphere is created for the opening,