Title Website Research

For my title design research, I get to explore two really cool websites. The two websites are artofthetitle.com and watchthetitles.com.These websites are so cool!  I'm so excited to be learning about this since I have little knowledge of title designs.  I'm aware of title designs and their purpose however I am usually much too excited about the actual movie to be attentive to the title sequence designs. Although, I have never really paid much attention to title sequences I know there are some fascinating ones out there. After this research, I think I will be able to appreciate the title sequence design better and really comprehend how cool it is.  Both of the websites I will be researching are full of really interesting details. A really cool feature of both of these websites is that they have more to offer than just the video of the title sequence.  There is also a wide variety of opening sequences on both websites.  The websites show you all kinds of information such as an actual list crediting all of the people involved with the film production, and even a background of the actual movie and how it came to fruition.  It's good that I get to research a variety of title sequences with these sites since I have a lot of options to choose from. I can't wait to watch them and explore their differences. This research will help me figure out how I want my title sequence design to be. Watching a variety of title sequences will hopefully show me all the options and ideas for a title sequence. After my research,  I hope to be inspired enough to create my own unique and original title design. I'm going into this research with a blank slate of what I want, this way I can be more open-minded with the ideas I gain from the research. However, I think I want to focus on finding comedy title sequences since that is my genre.  I can incorporate the conventions of comedy title sequences into mine if I focus on them. I  am so excited to dive into this and learn. 

Movie Convention Research: A Madea Homecoming

• Common CAMS in the movie 
• Some common camera angles and movements and shots in the movie include long shot, Two shot, close ups and medium close ups. The movie also had a lot of panning as well as zooming for example the Red Lobster scene where they switched from the table to an overview of the restaurant. 
•  Common CLAMPS in the movie
• CLAMPS are situational, in this movie the costumes are urban just like the setting, the movie takes place in Atlanta, Georgia and most scenes are at the main character, Madea's house. Madea usually wears a "old grandma like dress" because of her age. everyone in the movie wears age-appropriate clothing throughout the movie. 
•  Common Sound in the movie
• Some common sounds in the movie includes Dialogue when the characters speak to each other , Monologue when one character speaks with no response from anybody , and ambient sound through the form of hearing traffic and gunshots outside. 
•  Common Editing in the movie
• In this movie some editing used is cut, most scenes in this movie are instantly cut and replaced by the new scene. 
•  Elements of the Genre in the movie
• Elements of comedy in the movie include, close ups , jump cuts, the bright lighting in order to brighten the scene, and goofy costumes in certain scenes. 
•  What elements of the genre did the movie have that you like?
• I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters, the ambient sound also added to the movie. 
•  What elements of the genre did the movie have that do not appeal 
• to you?
• I did not like the editing, I feel like more could've been done, the transition between each scene could have been more exaggerated in order to add to the comedic effect however this comedy was more on the realistic side so I understand.

Genre Decision

 

My opening sequence's genre will be a comedy.  I decided on doing a comedy for various reasons. After researching dramas, horrors, and comedies I think a comedy would be more simple to film. I love horror movies however I would have to adhere to all their different conventions. The dramatic lighting, the tracking shots, and more would be difficult to do on my own. Drama conventions are not as hard to adhere to but,  I prefer scripting a comedy.  Horror and drama also don't exactly fit my pitch. Although my opening sequence can be a drama, it would do better as a comedy. My pitch would work better as a comedy and the conventions are a bit more doable for me. The bright lighting in order to convey an uplifting mood could be managed as long as I use a setting that is well lit and attempts to use editing to brighten it more if needed. as for the Mis-en- scene, costumes in comedies are often fit for the scene. For example. the main character can be an extremely goofy person and wear "funny" or peculiar/unique outfits throughout the comedy. However, characters can dress practically and at some point during the comedy go through a funny event and have to change into an eccentric outfit. This is fairly easy to do since it's easy to make a bizarre outfit, utilizing random pieces to make something unconventional.  Although I researched improv, my opening sequence will be scripted but there will be many jokes sprinkled in. As for editing, I also think I will alter the typical use of a laughing track. I don't believe it will fit into the opening sequence along with the music. However if when I finish filming I believe it may fit, I will attempt to add on a laughing track. overall, a comedy is a right fit for my opening sequence. 

Genre research: Comedy

• Common camera angles in your genre (CAMS)
• Cameras in comedy films usually push the camera way too far in to make the scene funnier than it is. Using a close-up for humor effect. 
•  A common camera angle is to show the perspective of different items by either making them look too big or by making them look too small 
• Something that is also highly favored is the quick zoom to bring some comedic value into a scene. 
•  Common Mis-en-Scene in your genre (CLAMPS)
• Costumes in some of the films are usually goofy or really funny to look at to make fun of the character. 
• The lighting in a comedic film is usually very bright and uplifting type mood. 
• The acting is sometimes made up on spot to make some scenes even funnier by using a yes - and word phrase. This is improv. 
•  Common Editing in your genre
• Common editing is switching between cameras to maximize how much the viewers find it funny. 
• Something also used is long pauses in between or even before jokes to make them seem spontaneous.
•  Common sound in your genre
• A really common sound used is a laugh track to know when people can laugh or when the joke was made and sometimes its even used as sarcasm 
• Many different sounds can be used to make a scene funnier so its just a a matter of what joke was used 
•  Example films of your genres
• Jumanji: Next level
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife
• Tallgirl

•  What elements of the genre that you like, and would you use?
• The elements I really enjoy is all of the editing and camera angles that comedic movies has it makes everything about the movie funnier and overall has an uplifting mood 
•  What elements of the genre do not appeal to you, and would you stay away from?
• The elements that don't appeal to me would have to be yes and speech of phrase it isn;t all that funny to me and I wouldn't use it ever. 

Genre Research: Drama

• Common camera angles in your genre (CAMS)
• Most camera angles are used to show a characters face and to help understand their perspective, mood, and mindset. 
• In drama films there is a lot of close up shots and POV shots to show how they're are affected by the scenery and what they may do in the future 
• The camera angle is also based off whatever the expression is felt and if there is angle the camera will change to the hand clenching the fist showing off anger 
•  Common Mis-en-Scene in your genre (CLAMPS)
• The acting in drama films is usually very dramatized making everything feel suspenseful and dangerous.
• Make-up that they use in most of these films would make them look beat up and dirty if a fight scene has passed 
• The setting in a drama film would usually be in a war or in the middle of a battlefield 
•  Common Editing in your genre
• The most common editing in a drama film is to make dramatic films to amplify each word and to give the viewers time to digest what was said 
• Common editing is also making shot combinations like showing explosions and dramatizing things that happened. 
• Common editing is Co-coordinating the scenes together to make them more dramatic and to help emphasize.
•  Common sound in your genre
• The most common sounds in a drama film is exaggerated breathing or sighing by making them use props and so on. 
• A very common sound is the Wilhelm scream that you hear in most drama movies
• Suspenseful music is also highly favored in a drama film to emphasize basic thins that wouldn't be emphasized in a normal movie 
•  Example films of your genres
• Parasite 
• The Last Duel
• Greyhound 
•  What elements of the genre that you like, and would you use?
• An element in drama movies that I highly favor is the way that they emphasize reactions to certain scenes 
•  What elements of the genre do not appeal to you, and would you stay away from?
• An element I don't really like about drama films is the Wilhelm scream even though its used in most movies I don't think it fits the mood of a drama film

Genre Research: Horror

•  Common camera angles in horror 
• Close up: to focus on the character's reactions, often showing how afraid they are 
• POV: allows the audience to feel the character's experience in an exact way
• Tracking shot: can be used in horror films to show the character being followed, therefore building the audience's suspense 
• 
  
•  Common Mis-en-Scene in horror  (CLAMPS)
• Lighting in the movie is usually dark and gloomy and there is sometimes an ominous fog around the area 
• The acting in horror films vary but the acting is usually good the main character usually acts terrified an scare of whatever is going on in the film
• The setting in horror films are usually held in scary dark places like a cemetery, haunted house, and abandoned houses 
•  Common Editing in horror
• The Editing in horror is based on the viewers anticipation and to help them grow the suspense of the film. 
• Scenes are usually fast paced and based on where they want to grow the suspense of the film or where they want to build tension. 
• Scenes are sometimes are shot on screen longer then expected to build discomfort and anticipates a change is going to come 
•  Common sound in horror 
• Most of the sound in a horror film is called a infrasound and its used to create an ominous tone that you typically hear  in ay horror film 
• Silence is also used a lot of the time to create discomfort throughout the film to help people sense that something is going to happen. 
•  Example films of horror
• The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
• The Curse of La Llorona
• Candyman 
•  What elements of the genre that you like, and would you use?
• The elements of genre that I liked were the discomfort that they cause and the tension that builds throughout the whole film so out of everything that's what I would use. 
•  What elements of the genre do not appeal to you, and would you stay away from?
• The elements that don't appeal to me would have to be where the settings usually is they places are really dark and gloomy and not really my favorite.

My Pitch

 Pitch 1: a girl accidentally travels back in time on her 16th birthday and has to get back before her big party at 7 

I would do this because I have enough “throwback” clothes to use as costumes. However it would require me to have a female character my age. This may not work since I want to be more behind the camera, then in front. I want to use my family members and friends in the project. However I may need a backup plan since people may get busy. 

Pitch 2: a long distance couple quickly becomes obsessed and consumed with each other but can’t find a way to meet each other in real life 

This would work because it wouldn’t require me to be in person. This  could also be done anytime with facetimes and video calls. However I still don’t want to be the main focus instead of being behind the camera. Due to this I may enlist one of my close friends as the main character along with her boyfriend. I think this idea would work out more than the first.

Pitch 2 would work best for me due to the fact I can make it digital based. I wouldn’t have to meet up with anyone in person which could be easier for everyone involved.