Title Structers

There are four different types of opening titles for a movie:
1 - Text on a black background then the film starts
This is a basic introduction to a movie, it doesn't give away a lot but it will usually give you a brief idea to the genre and story line of the movie through the font, colour, movement of text, extra graphics and music. An example of a movie that uses this is 'One Hour Photo', the font is in negative to give the idea that cameras will be involved in the film, the colour is very effective as it begins white, then there is a flash and the text fades off in red so this gives the idea that the camera in dangerous. The music used creates a really effective sense of suspense.

This is the original opening of the text

There is the a flash of a camera

And the text fades to red

2 - Straight into the film with the titles on top of the film
This is a basic flow on narrative information, there is usually no dialogue or narrative events, just a basic introduction to the type of characters we will be dealing with and the genre of the film. For an example 'The Stepfather', all we get in the first 3mins is a guy calmly & methodically changing his appearance, this gives an understanding of where we are which is modern day America and we can see that it is Christmas time.

This shot shows us that is is Christmas time

This shot is the first sight of the stepfather

This shot shows him applying hair dye

3 - Discrete, separate from the rest of the film 

This sets up ideas for the rest of the film without giving anything away. Like in the opening sequence of Casino Royal, we can see form the titles that it will be set in a casino, there is going to be lots of fighting, there will be high-tech gadgets and weapons, lastly, there will be a sexy bond girl. Although we have not met the characters and we don't know any specific events, we have learnt all this information. 

This indicates there will be fighting

This reveals it will be a casino scene

This shows weapons will be involved

4 - Stylised film opening, this is a different style of editing, a combination of 2 and 3

It is number 2 because the film has begun and we've been introduced to some characters and narrative events. It is number 3 because the editing style is different from the rest of the film so it stands alone. We are not in a hectic, packed scene, the audience is slowly being given information about characters and events, plus the tone is set. For an example, The Taking of Pelham 123.

This shows us the setting

This introduces us to some of the characters

This gives us an idea of what the movie will be about