What is a Title Sequence? A title sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programs present their title’s key credits including production crew and cast members. A title can utilize conceptual visuals and sound. The opening credits of a motion picture are shown at the beginning and list the most important members of the production. They are often shown superimposed on a blank screen or a series of static or animated images; sometimes they appear on top of the action in the show. There may or may not be accompanying music.

What do you already know? What do you expect to see in a title sequence? Examples: https://youtu.be/8LUEiKs2UAo http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/mission-impossible-rogue-nation/ What key conventions have you identified? How similar or different are these two sequences?

Key Formal Conventions 2-5 minutes long introduction of main characters & plot/themes Key cast and crew credits Non diegetic sound to accompany the visual Conceptual, narrative or montage in style Create Enigmas (raise questions) Where have you identified any of these formal conventions in the sequences viewed?

Title Sequence Formal Conventions Research TASK: Research the formal conventions of the title sequence. Use screenshots from at least three films (use different genres, including your own) to evidence your findings. Section 1: should be a definition of what a title sequence is and the key conventions (2-5 minutes long/introduction of main characters & plot/themes/Key cast and crew credits/Non diegetic music/conceptual, narrative or montage visual) Section 2: A list of what order the cast and crew credits appear along with images to evidence. Annotate them to illustrate what you are discussing. Section 3: Are main characters introduced? How? What key themes are introduced? How? Section 4: Comment on the style of the sequence (conceptual, narrative or montage?) Section 5: Comment on how sound is used in the sequence (music and/or dialogue) Upload this presentation to your ‘main task research’ section on your blogs. You may notice the following order for the cast and crew credits Name of production companies Director Producer Executive Producer Top billing actors The movie title Links: Artofthetitle.com, Youtube and Vimeo

Unfinished Example Top Billing Actors including Nicholas Cage whose name appears first being the main protagonist. Title of the film carefully placed over the image of the bullet on a factory assembly line. Reinforcing the theme of arms dealing and war.

Unfinished Example Style: Concept and narrative: Titles appear over moving image following the journey of a bullet and clearly highlights the theme of war and consequence (give example). It illuminates deep political and social issues surrounding the morality of arms production and the impact this has on a variety of nations from First to Third world (give example). This is a balance between conceptual and narrative as the ‘arms production’ concept is paired with the story of the journey the bullet takes to its final destination. Whilst the main character (Cage) is introduced at the beginning of the sequence the bullet almost takes on the role of protagonist, telling a story of its own within the overarching narrative of the film in this stylised opening narrative/conceptual sequence. Sound: The soundtrack “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield is used (in a conventional manner) to support the visual. This is a typical use of music for a film title sequence as music is often used to support the visual and drive the action forward. As well as this, the music reinforces the themes of war within the sequence as it was written in 1966 after the Sunset Strip riots and quickly became popularised as an anti war protest song.