Title Research: Trapped

To further my genre research, I watched another movie opening from my genre. The movie opening was from the movie “trapped”. I watched it on the website www.artofthetitle.com

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film? In the opening sequence, a total of 31 titles are shown. It ends with the creator of the movie and the title of the movie. Its duration is one minute

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? The pictures in the title sequence are close-ups of dead bodies and the lethal wounds that led them to death. It also shows the location of the movie which is in the ocean due to the fact that the movie's setting is on a boat in the middle of nowhere.

What connotations do the images carry? The pictures are shown to tell the viewer how the movie is going to go. It does this by displaying these images that consist of foreshadowing and setting. It uses graphic and action matches to switch between the 2 types of images, in turn, making the titles more exciting.

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset? The thriller genre is reinforced here by the suspense within the images. It also alludes to the genre being a thriller by showing a dead body but not the killer leading the viewer to create suspense in the story and make it more exciting.

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset? The outset in the film is used to set up a kind of tension or surprise inside the viewer's mind. As well as giving the target audience these interesting images without rationalization. This tactic makes the viewer need more and end up extra invested in the film.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? What was said previously also applies here. It leaves the viewer with questions that could only be fulfilled in time within the movie. It appeals because the target market would be thriller/mystery fanatics and how they continually want to solve what's happening earlier than the film suggests it. To do this you have to be absolutely attentive towards the movie. This is why the strategy is so effective.

How has technology been used effectively? There were many different technologies used. These consist of low lighting, ominous music, close-ups, establishing shots, action matches, and graphic matches. The low lighting and ominous music add to the mysterious tone of the movie which also helps the thrilling side. It makes use of close-ups when it is displaying the body parts of the dead body. It makes use of establishing shots to expose that the setting is in the ocean. It uses the graphic/action matches to interchange between the establishing shots and close-ups.

Title Research: www.watchthetitles.com

To further research movie openings related to our genre, we took the time to look through the webiste, "www.watchthetitles.com." Our teachers told us that this website consists of several movie openings from a variety of genres. They said hat it would give us a great idea of how we want to begin our final project.
          Our main goal in researching is to end up resembling one of these famous movies' openings into our final product. If we take the time to assess both the pros and cons of each film's openings, we can definitely find a way to incorporate these movies'  best features into our project. This will not only help us perfect our final project, but it will make our movie opening more appealing to those who view it.
          After watching a few openings from the thriller genre (our genre), I realized that both title fonts and music help set the mood for the movie depending on what genre its categorized in and what its theme/message is. In fact, because of genre is thriller, we want the components of our opening o resemble the elements of our genre. This includes suspense, tension, and excitement.
          Special effects are also important in a movies' opening, especially one associated with the thriller genre. After watching more thriller openings, we realized that effects play a big part in making openings more appealing/attractive. Openings that incorporated more editing seemed to look like they would be better than those who didn't at all or not as much. It would not only help us set the mood for our opening but to attract larger, more diverse audiences.
          Overall, this website gave us a general idea of how we should structure our opening and what elements we should focus on. Surprisingly, it also reminded us that the credits are also a major part of properly/professionally ending an opening/trailer.

Title Research: www.artofthetitle.com

In order to understand more about our genre and films in general our teachers assigned us a task. To research the titles used in films of our genre. In order to do this my group and I will be using a website call www.artofthetitle.com. What this website does is takes a movie that you searched and shows you the titles.
The reason our teachers have assigned us to do this is for our benefit. In researching titles we further understand the elements that go into our genre, thriller. My group and I now understands the components needed to a good title transition in a movie. For a typical thriller movie, the titles will happen just before something extremely important. The reason for this is to leave the audience on a cliff hanger so that they stay engaged even though they now have to go through the not so engaging titles.
However, having said that the titles are boring, film producers are constantly trying to make the titles more engaging. They are accomplishing this by having titles that have a meaning to the movie. In many thriller titles the film will show something of significance in the background. Whether that be the main character of the antagonist it keeps the audience guessing and engaged even though titles are going on.
So overall, the title slides are very important because they give credit and also illude to the theme of the film. That is why it is important that we research them and use the tricks the pros use when we film our short movie.

Title Research: Godzilla: Final Wars

To further my genre research, I watched another movie opening from my genre. The movie opening was from the movie “Godzilla: Final Wars”. I watched it on the website www.watchthetitles.com.

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
During the opening sequences of the film 20 titles are displayed.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
Images that are prioritized in the opening sequence is a nuclear blast, Godzilla destroying buildings and things, and Japanese people and police being terrified of this monster.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images connote Godzilla’s metaphorical significance. The first image of a nuclear blast represents how the Japanese are as scared of a large dragon with atomic breath and they are of an atomic bomb.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The genre is reinforced because the outset establishes tones that are found in the thriller genre. By seeing images of people running scared, we know the movie is a thriller filled with suspension and action.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The outset establishes and enigma by using jump cuts and showing partial clips. In the outset we only see people running and screaming. We know it is from Godzilla but it leaves the audience with an enigma of “how did Godzilla escape?” “is Godzilla defeated?”
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
Strategies the film uses to appeal to its target audience is keeping main characters, having the same score/theme song, and franchising. This movie is one of the Godzilla franchise which means that they kept their target audience by franchising and giving the audience the same content just in continued movies.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
Technology has been used effectively throughout this entire film. It is mostly used through editing. Godzilla doesn’t exist and they edited a big monster which is the antagonist of the film. The editors edit buildings being destroyed and fire coming out of its mouth.

Title Research: Skyfall

With the intentions of learning more about the genre we will be filming about I decided to to watch and study another film. The film I have chosen is Skyfall. I chose this film because of its unique filming techniques that really grasp the audience. I'm using www.artofthetitle.com. to help research the film.
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
32 titles were displayed in the opening sequence.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The images displayed in the opening sequence are clips of the main character drowning.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images in the opening sequence connote that maybe the main character has lost his touch and is not as good as he was.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The film shows guns and graves which hints towards death in the film which adds to the thriller in the movie.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film provides the audience with clips of the main character dying which makes the audience question if it is the last movie.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The directors' used strategies that are dark and gloomy to make the audience have a sense of anticipation.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
The opening scene is made up of clips of the main character. They have a subtle fade editing from clip to clip which adds to the tone.

Title Research: Code 8

To further my genre research, I watched some movie openings from my genre. I watched the opening of the movie Code 8 from www.artofthetitle.com.
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
32 titles were displayed in the opening sequence.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The images displayed in the opening sequence are clips from news articles and broadcasts.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images in the opening sequence connote wicked and powerful effects of science and technology on society.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The opening of this film shows very alarming media broadcasts this allows the viewer to pick up on the thrilling aspect of the movie. Also, the way the media broadcasts are displayed as glitchy contributes to the suspense of the opening scene.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film provides the audience with small clips of the main conflict in the movie but cuts to the next clip before the viewer can discover the cause or outcome.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The directors' used strategies such as a feeling of suspense and the use of social media to draw in younger audiences.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
The opening scene is made up of clips so the director used technology to ensure the clips were properly edited together and in a way that would provide a feeling of suspense. In addition, the clips were edited to have a glitch effect which would also help the viewer feel on edge which is the effect the director is going for.

Genre Research: Taken 2

         To further explore the thriller genre, I watched and payed close attention to the movie, “Taken 2.” I picked the second movie specifically because I’ve never seen it before. It’s weird because I’ve seen the first one several times.
       
To get back on topic, here are some common camera angles, movements, and shots found in this movie:
High Angles: Used mostly to establish chasing scenes in this movie with a wider, more full view.
Dutch/ Candid: Used to add suspense to some important, intense scenes.
Tracking Shot/ Pan: Mostly used in chasing scenes as well. Also used, however, to establish the main idea of the movie (that he is looking for his ex-wife).
Zoom: Adds suspense to the film. Mostly used on the main character, Bryan Mills, to emphasize/ intensify the idea that he is serious and will do anything he can to find his ex-wife.
Close up: Mostly used on the main character to intensify the suspense of the film.
Here is common mis-en-scene associated with this film:
Costumes: In this film, there were no differences in clothing between the antagonist and protagonist. Both character groups wore suits.
Lighting: Used mostly ambient light to capture the idea that the main character of the movie was traveling around the world trying to find his ex-wife.
Actor: The main character/actor in this film was Liam Neeson who plays Bryan Mills. He is known because of his skill set and intelligence.
Make-Up: Mainly used in fighting scenes. Injuries, scars, bullet wounds, etc.
Props: Most props revolved around violence as there were many knives, guns, other weapons present in the movie.
Setting: The setting of Taken 2 was Istanbul, Turkey. The antagonist group was from there and his ex-wife had happened to be vacationing there when she was kidnapped.
Common editing found in Taken 2:
          The editing found in this movie ranged depending on the situation at hand. However, general editing transitions used in this film can be described as fast, random, and rapid. This is mainly to maintain the suspense associated in the thriller genre. One editing technique that was used a lot were jump cuts. This was mainly to build upon the suspense of the movie with the constant change of direction/ plan of the main character. Flashbacks were also used a lot, but not for the same reason. Because his ex-wife was taken, another theme of the movie revolved around their lost relationships. Flashbacks were implemented to show the audience that he loves and misses her.

Common sound found in Taken 2:
          Loud, intense, and upbeat music was mainly used throughout this movie to build upon its suspense and keep the audience on their toes. It was probably the driving force of the film. However, some other sounds were implemented. For example, lots of dialogue was used to establish the movie’s situarion/ the idea that his ex-wife was kidnapped and that he would do anything to find her. Diegetic sounds were even used to portray the idea that kidnappings happen in real life all the time.

Elements of the Movie in Comparison to the Elements of the Thriller Genre:
         Taken 2 is definitely categorized under the thriller genre because of the suspense associated with the movie. The audience is overwhelmed by the idea that Bryan Mills may not find  his ex-wife or will die in the process. Taken 2 is also told from the point of view of the protagonist which is typical in most thrillers. It is also clear that the antagonist in this film (which is the Turkish group) has a plan/scheme. This is common in most thrillers and also helps build the theme/ purpose of the movie.

To wrap up this blog, I am going to talk about the elements of this movie that I liked and disliked. To start, I liked how the storyline revolved around a man trying to find his kidnapped ex-wife. I feel like it made his journey more personal and subsequently connected the audience to film more. To be real, I don’t think I disliked anything about this film. I genuinely thought it was good. However, if I had to criticize something it would have to be about the antagonist group. I feel like the movie company could have kept the audience engaged more by making the antagonist group originate from a different country/ethnicity. This is because subtitles sometimes distract audiences. Some people don’t even read them.