An investigation into the Antihero

An investigation into the femme fatale

Above is a presentation which goes into detail about the femme fatale.

Key conventions of an OTS

After analysis of a series of opening title sequences and additional research I have constructed a list of typical conventions which we must as producers take in mind to optimise the quality and for fill the brief. Below is a presentation I have found on slide share which goes into detail on each of the convention necessary for a title sequence.

Key conventions

• Correct hierarchy of production companies and appropriate placement of the other titles, including the film title.
• An expression of style which is allows the audience to interpret what genre the production is.
• Clues and foreshadowing of plot/narrative
• A fitting soundtrack which fits the genre
• Cinematography of the film 

Please note I did not create the below presentation however I have found it incredibly useful and I deemed it pointless to recreate a nearly identical presentation.

Analysis of opening title sequences

To enhance my knowledge of the conventions of opening title sequences I de constructed a sample of different sequences including amateur attempts which allowed me to see what is going to be possible for my own project. One of the most apparent things I obtained from doing this is what a suitable OTS is precisely what is needed to make it engaging and meet the requirements which credit individuals who were involved. Additionally I think this activity exposed me to a wide range of techniques to present titles which has inspired me to begin thinking and evaluating how to present the titles in my own opening title sequence.

"Two detectives, a rookie and veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi"

Film/TV programme title	SEVEN
Date Of Release	1995
CONVENTIONS Form/ length/structure/media type	The form of the opening title sequence seems to be quite overt.  It follows a reasonably simple pattern which includes showing an action and then associating it with a credit which is shown on a black background. For example the fingering of the razor blade and Morgan freeman's name. The length of the title sequence is 02:08 and this allows all of the required credits to be awarded in an inventive and engaging way. The opening title sequence is in the form of live action yet I believe some post production effects were added to give it a unsettling style and interest the audience .
CODES Outline the style/content and scheduling of titles/credits	The integrity of the sequence is presented in a way which appears gGothic with a few aspects of mise-en scene which bring it into modern-day. The use of photos and close ups of unpleasant fingertips projects onto the audience a feeling which makes them uncomfortable or digusted. Paralleling with the short gestures and movements of the subject within the film, titles have been edited in which appear onto black which support the Gothic/horror theme of the title sequence.
INDUSTRY/INSTITUTION Studio information Production Info	The majority of the screenplay of the film came from Andrew Kevin Walker who lived in New York at the time of production. The film itself was created and distributed by New Line Cinema, an American film studio which was founded by Robert Shaye in 1967 and merged into Warner Bros. The studio is based in Los Angeles, California. The Film  had a budget of $33 million for production.
NARRATIVE DEVICES Exposition of narrative/characters	The opening title sequence exposes the main character very early on through close ups of his actions. Using this method the creators prevent the majority of the character from being prevailed that therefore generates mystery and suspense. Even though key plot points are not shown in the opening title sequence the style gives impressions to the audience which  presents the plot as something which includes horror or thriller elements.
NARRATIVE DEVICES Creating a hook/ developing tension or suspense	With the use of limited acting in the sequence it creates a defined enigma. The audience would begin asking questions concerning the figure featured and why he is doing the actions he is performing. The numerous props used in the film generates suspense and tension as the intention of the person in the sequence is unclear however it does suggest that this person in not completely sane.
REPRESENTATION Character types  and introduction/reference to characters	Even though not a lot of information is projected onto the audience from the opening title sequence the use of mise-en-scene introduces the character present and stereotypes them into a well known category. The props the character holds gives the impression that he has no regard for his own safety. In particular when the figure rotates razor blades through his finger tips it reinforces the idea that this person is a psychotic killer or madman.
FORM Structure of transition from OST to main film	Towards the end of the OST the piece of film uses amplified bars of music as a signifier for the end of the opening title sequence. Additionally the frames become a lot more separated and seem to flicker. This was used to form a transition and works very well due to how it flows into the actual film. The flickering in particular removes the barrior between sequence and film reinforcing the idea that the unsettling events in the title sequence are happening in the world featured in the film
GENRE/ AUDIENCE What generic pleasures are met.	The nature of the opening title sequence does please a considerable amount of audience pleasures regardless of its unsettling theme. Horror and thriller fans would be very interested as it meets the generic pleasures which are attached to such genre. The unsettling nature would appeal to horror fans as it meets conventions which are typically found in the highlighted genre and thriller fans would be engaged as it gives the impression that the police may e involved.
GENRE/AUDIENCE Introducing style and genre	The use of the minimal acting and whole body shots presents a more "art house" feel to the opening title sequence as it does not conform to generic  conventions. However the lighting used, especially hard light, gives the impression of a neo-noir film.

Below is a screenshot providing evidence of the kind of imagery the opening title sequence. The close up of the fingertips really exaggerates the unsettling feeling the audience would feel due to the tone. Along side this the blade adds to the predictions of the audience that the man involved is not sane and is the antagonist who features in the film.

This particular screenshot takes a large role in the process of introducing the character or killer. The fact that he is disfiguring money gives the impression that he may be wealthy or simply disregards what others value. This adds to the mental image or profile which begins to generate of the killer in the audiences head. Additionally the particular word which is getting cut out could be linked to the subjects mentality as it could represent the his/she's mentality. This in particular element of the opening title sequence I like and I would like to use the concept of complex imagery in my own film. I believe that it allows the film to have a strong sense of ambiguity which in some cases makes the viewing more pleasurable.

The Walking Dead tells the story of the weeks and months that follow after the apocalypse"

Film/Tv programme title	WALKING DEAD
Date Of Release	13 October 2013
CONVENTIONS Form/ length/structure/media type	The structure of the opening title sequence is conforms with a lot of the general conventions of the media type. However the walking dead sequence heavily relies on imagery to present the various titles. It follows a pattern of showing a piece of film and then a title super imposed on top. An example of this can be found at 0:16 when a grave stone is visible. The actresses name which is visible plays a character who kills a considerable amount of zombies and therefore the title and image are connected. The length of the title sequence is 00:40 and is particularly short compared to other OTS due to the fact that the Walking Dead is a television show and has to short to engage the audience episode after episode. Also it could be said that the cold open before the sequence is already quite long and a further length of titles may put off a audience. The media type of the opening title sequence is live action however is has been heavily edited upon in post production and could be mistaken for CGI.
CODES Outline the style/content and scheduling of titles/credits	The style of the opening title sequence focuses on the theme of abandonment and horror. The continual use of abandoned building in frame really builds upon the idea of isolation and separation. The titles themselves in the sequence have been organised in a particular way. After the production company has been shown the titles are ordered in terms of the importance of their character in the series. Andrew Lincoln, who plays Rick Grimes, is displayed first as Rick is the main character in the show.
INDUSTRY/INSTITUTION Studio information Production Info	The Walking Dead has a very large amount of production companies working together on the show. These include the internationally famous company AMC Studios. Headquartered in New York City, they are responsible of many very popular series such as Breaking Bad and of course Walking Dead. The company emerged from a series of separations and stock sales of Rainbow, a company set up in 1980. The show has team of writers and a very large cinematography team which is necessary of a show of such popularity as the Walking Dead due to the huge audience and expectation.
NARRATIVE DEVICES Exposition of narrative/characters	Other than an extreme close up of a eye the sequence does not contain actors. Even though this is the case the characters of the show are still exposed through imagery. When the actor, who plays Rick Grimes,  name is visible so is a sheriff badge which is a key piece of iconography for Rick. However the fact that the sequence is from season three of the programme the creators are presuming that the audience are fairly familiar with the characters.
NARRATIVE DEVICES Creating a hook/ developing tension or suspense	The opening title sequence creates a lot of enigmas due to the placements of the props used. The fact that most of them look discarded and dropped gives the impression that whoever misplaces them did so in a hurry and zombies could have been involved. Furthermore the music used creates alot of tension as it is quite slow and strings are used to give it a unsettling tone.
REPRESENTATION Character types  and introduction/reference to characters	Even though the OTS is not explicit when giving information about the characters the props and locations allow the audience to classify the different character types. One of the most overt is the arrows sticking into a tree. This reinforces the stereotype of the archer and the shadows underneath the door could be the antihero.
FORM Structure of transition from OST to main film	After all of the titles have been displayed the OST transitions into a frame with the show's title on. After this the episode starts, continuing on after the cold open. Furthermore s flickering transition is used between the titles and the final title frame.
GENRE/ AUDIENCE What generic pleasures are met.	As the target audience is aimed at people who follow the show the amount of pleasures and what they are, are tailored at them. The references to the characters would be highly appealing as they know the individuals already and seeing key pieces of iconography is enough to engage them. However there are another generic pleasures which are met through the suspense of the sequence. Along with the music the shots all leave the audience guessing what happened and why for example is there saw in that particular place.
GENRE/AUDIENCE Introducing style and genre	The use of mise-en-scene during the opening title sequence is a very overt signifier of the genre of the show. The use of weapons gives the impression of violence or action. The location and the centipede suggests horror. The fact that a lot of the scenes have a small of light acts a s evidence to support the horror genre.

Below is a key piece of iconography which features in the opening title sequence. The use of imagery as a whole is very effective and this clock is one my own personal favourites. As The actor's name appears during the frame it physically connects the two subjects in the picture. The clock represents the passing of time in the show and how anyone of the characters could die at any moment with the exception of Rick Grimes.

Textual analysis of film

To enable us to competent at understanding various areas of film and why they are used we were given a textual analysis grid which highlights key areas of critical understanding with questions. This has allowed me to perform a deconstruction of a promotional film poster. By doing this it has allowed me to recognise particular pieces of mise en scene and which individual elements appeal to specific audiences. This is going to be very useful when planning for our opening title sequence and analysis of existing ones. Below is a picture of the grid we are given and a annotated film poster.

The 180° Rule

The 180 degree rule is a wide spread technique used during the filming process which keeps the camera one one side of the action. Below there is a diagram which displays a axis of action. When taking the rule into account the camera must stay on one side of the axis throughout the scene. This ensures that the characters are composed in a fixed position in the frame. Additionally if this rule is ignored or not used to execute a shot correctly it could risk giving the impression that the actor's positions have been inverted or reversed.

Noir style photo shoot

Above is a final copy of my groups photos after they have been edited and refined in post production. Each one adopts certain aspects of the style and uses this to give a atmospheric and sophisticated image. Below is a link to my Flickr page where I have undertaken a full evaluation where I have printed out the good aspects of each photo and what we as I group could have done to improve the final product.
Flickr

Film certificates

Below is a presentation displaying the different film certificates awarded to films by the BBFC. Within it mentions how the certificate is relevant to the content within and if a noir film could be constructed abiding by the requirements for each age. However it is very important to remember that these age ratings are relevant to modern day and therefore many noir films which were made in the last century may fall into much lower certificates due to how society has changed.

Examples of Universal films

Monsters Inc
Chicken Little

Nanny Mcphee

Examples of  Parental Guidance films

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Frozen
The Nightmare Before Christmas

Examples of 12/12a

Guardians of the Galaxy
Skyfall
Batman Begins

Examples of 15 

21 Jump Street
Zombieland
American Pie

Examples of 18
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
The Devil's Rejects
Battle Royale

Lighting And Film Noir

To enable me to contribute towards the filming of the opening title sequence I researched different types of lighting used in the filming process on a professional level. When I analysed pieces of film noir I realised that lighting is very important in the highlight genre. It often acts as a device used to create mystery and exaggerate enigma.

High Key Lighting

this type of lighting involves the process of trying to reduce the lighting ratio in the scene. It was originaly used to fix early technical problems as early film cameras did not deal with high contrast very well. The amount of light is quite large and the subject is very visible. Scenes using this type of light tend to have minimal shadows and dark areas. This type of lighting may be useful in our opening title sequence as it could highlight a particular prop or object in the room. However if it is used to much it could effect the tone and atmosphere of the piece as it remove enigma.

Low Key Lighting

This type is particularly relevant as it is very common in noir films. This is mainly due to the use of shadows. As you can see in the picture above the subject in low key lighting is a lot more mysterious and the scene  can be taken more seriously. Furthermore in high-key lighting the subject appears to be    a lot more innocent. Low key lighting generally involves only one key light and no others which minimises the amount of contrast between the background and the subject. I personally think that this type would be the most suitable for our title sequence as it provides enough light yet it shrouds the subject enough to maintain mystery.

Types of lights

Open Faced Tungsten: Larger versions of standard household lighting which uses a filament of tungsten wire.  Within this sub category there are two types; Studio and baby.

The open faced Tungsten studio lights can be virtually any size where as the baby edition is a lot smaller therefore a considerably more portable. If we use this type of lighting the studio version would be much better as we will be working within only one location therefore the portability is not relevent.

LED: The head of the light consists of many diodes which produces studio quality light. These particular lights have become very popular in the film industry as they are very efficient and keep costs low. Furthermore they do not become hot easily so this allows long periods of filming without causing damage to equipment and potential bodily harm. This type of lighting would be suitable for our opening title sequence however they produce a very white light which would be suitable as high key however if low key is used it may look bad due to the colour of the light.

Fresnels: A type of lens which is commonly placed over other lighting equipment to focus the light into a controllable beam. In the filming bussiness this technique is used to create spotlight effects. Before LED heads were used they were placed over tungsten lights.

HMI: This type of lighting, even though expensive, is a very efficient and powerful way of producing light for film. Generating approximately three or four times the level of lux than Tungsten Lights. Furthermore they, like the LEDs they do not produce large amounts of heat making them a very good option when filming for large periods of time while minimizing accident.

Conclusion:

Due to the minimal budget our production team has it does narrow the choices considerably however the school does own a series of Tungsten lights with fitted Fresnels which will allow us to customize the beam and essentially the effect on the scene 

Noir Websites

As part of my research into noir I discovered man useful resources online which benefited me in numerous ways.Below is a series of links and how they have benefited me and given me additional knowledge into the genre/style.

http://www.filmnoirfoundation.org
I found this particular website very intriguing as it really opened my eyes to the modern day fans of noir. It appears as if many people are fond of the classic noir films yet many of those said films are not available for the public to watch. Additionally I found out that regular festivals take place which embrace the genre. These include various productions put on by the Secret Cinema company which encourages role playing and really emphasising the method of watching films, trying to make the audience truly feel like they are watching the film in the year the film is based. This is done through various types of mise-en-scene which is used at the actual event.

http://www.filmnoirstudies.com
This website allowed me to understand the amount of films which have been made since 1940 which fall into the noir category. It is quite considerable as these films started to be produced during world war 2 and were made on a relatively small budget.

http://americanfilmnoir.com/afn.html
As well as giving me the ability to contrast between British film noir and American, the website has a series of videos which feature different femme fetales which appear in past noir movies which gives me some insight into the different representations of the icon and how I could present mine own interpretation into my opening title sequence.

http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html
Lastly this site provided me with deeper insight into the style/genre via a article which goes into explicit detail and reinforces my own personal view on noir iconography.

Plotting a Film Noir

To further our understanding of constructing a plot suitable for a film noir together as a class we arranged various narrative points into something which would make a conventional noir film. Personally I gained some information about the nature of each type of character. For example I can build a much better typical femme fetale than before as I now know that in the majority of films they are disposable and often die during the narrative. Furthermore my knowledge of anti-heroes has also been solidified and backed up