Opening Credits Deconstruction

As we get closer to finishing filming and starting to edit our 2 minute opening, we need to research and decide on what to have credit-wise in our opening. We have been advised to think carefully about the credits and try and be creative as this will help us get as many marks as possible. For research I looked at The Exorcist 1973, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and The Conjuring openings. Although The Exorcist is a fairly old film I believe that it has such an impact and is the most well-known possession film because of how good it is. So for this reason I included it.

The Exorcist

• Sequence begins with Warner Bros company logo and sequence, as pictured. Then the logo goes grey and a more sinister non-diegetic music plays which sounds like wind instruments which continues on into the actual film. The sound is quite typical of a horror film as it makes the audience feel on edge and anxious
• Then a fade transition is used (editing) which is quite slow and house is seen through an establishing shot of the house. The shot is mainly low-key lighting with a few lights by the front door
  
  (ambient lighting). The house itself is made to look grand and later became an iconic location. The shot is also at a slightly low angle, making the house appear larger and more frightening. Along with the non-diegetic sound mentioned before, it makes the house seem very sinister. 
• A panning and tilt shot show the audience the pretty busy street and diegetic noises of cars and people walking and talking can be heard by the audience, to show the realistic atmosphere that the film is set.
  
• Another fade transition is used to an extreme close up of a statue of the Virgin Mary, this is a possession film convention as religious symbols are often used to convey the supernatural element.
• The non-diegetic sound comes to a climax and turns very screechy and string instruments can be heard here, meanwhile a black background with red writing shows the credits, including the director and film title. The red on black has connotations of evil and the devil which ties in with the supernatual element again.
• The font itself is serif and all capitals, which is conventional and seen in many other horror film titles.
  

Evaluation of this - We could use an establishing shot of a house in our piece if we find one that is sinister enough. However, we'd have to think of ways to light the house which would be difficult as we do not have suitable lights. The simplistic credits are quite good when teamed with a screechy non-diegetic sound, but we'd have to source that.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - up to 1:19

• Begins with production company, Screen gems and Lakeshore company, meanwhile a building non-diegetic music plays, string instruments, sinister, like The Exorcist. Makes the audience feel nervous.
• Black background with slow fades of text. White writing. Slowly expands and then fades out. Includes production companys and 'THIS FILM IS BASED ON A TRUE STORY', makes the audience feel more scared as they believe its real.
• Non-diegetic sound of what sounds like an exorcism goes on in the background, so screaming and different languages, sounds quite distressing to the audience but helps them understand the genre of the film.
  
• Fade transition into a barbed wire fence with grey sky in background and the title in red. The font is serif again includes different sized words e.g. The and of are smaller than 'exorcism' and 'emily rose' - makes the main words stand out more. Quite spaced out to again highlight the bigger words. 
• The non-diegetic sound - someone calls 'Emily?' in a distressed tone and a loud growl is heard. This gives the audience an idea about what the film will be about and gives them a background to the plot. The non-diegetic music goes back to a string instrument sound as the title is shown.

Evaluation- This is slightly more modern and so probably more appropriate for our type of film. I particularly like the non-diegetic sound of the possession going on in the background. However it would be hard for us to recreate something like this as we do not have professional actors or proper sound editing skills and so it might sound too amateur. The font though is reproduce-able and I like that the most important words stick out as this is what will stick with the audience after.