Evaluation Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In our opening sequence we only use one actress; an attractive young, female. She is seductive and invites the audience to come and join her but she does this in a distrubing manner. This may emphasise the idea that women are sexual objects and there is allure the men and is there to be desired. Even though the actress is acting seductively her facial expression contradicts her body movements; this contradicts the belief that she may be a tart or self obssessed. This challenges the idea, value and belief that perhaps every woman is seductive and alluring.

She is dressed in very expressive clothing; The white dress suggests purity, innocence and maybe the belief that she is naiive and easily influenced (possessed). The other dress she wears in much more contemporary, patterned to show that she still is in touch with her childhood.


She is always alone suggesting maybe she is loner; but she is not as the audience may think an emo. Our title sequence brings forward the ideology that women are mainly the victim being naiive and easily influenced.

The actress has light hair suggesting the common ideology that she dumb, unable to think for herself as she is blonde. in some ways we contest this ideology as in some shoots she is portrayed as strong but she is mainly shown to be possessed and weak.

During the title sequence there is alot of suggested and visual anger. The shots of the burning baby suggest a tortured maybe unhappy childhood which many people can relate to, this again backs up the ideology that she is weak and finds it hard to cope on her own.


Our main character is portrayed as very troubled, lonely a type of person that many people can relate to and recognise the feelings and emotions the character is going through.

Evaluation: Question1 In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Upon starting our task of making a title sequence our main aim as a group was to both challenge and conform to a number of media conventions, we also wanted to create a title sequence that was proffessional and could successfully be processed in the mainstream film industry.

While researching we looked at both title sequences from both horror and non-horror films; we could then look at the defining elements of a horror opening title sequence.

After looking at videos of many opening sequence The first Media convention that we noticed was common to most opening titles was the standard order credits displayed in a title sequence.
In almost every film we watched the titles were as follows:

The production company
The maker of the film (e.g a Steven Spielberg film)
Main Actors
Title of film
More actors
Casting
Music composer
Costume designer
Cinematographer
Editor
Production designer
Executive Producers
Producer
Screen play writer
Director

This order can be seen here in the opening titles of the film 'Catch Me if You Can'.




Our original idea was to make stalker/ slasher film, similar in style to Scream or Fatal attraction. But after carrying out our research we found out that the number of these type of films that were being produced had decreased. A particular opening title sequence that as a group that we really liked was the 1961 black and white film " The Innocents". We also noticed that films with a supernatural/ paranormal edge are enjoying a surge of popularity at the moment; so we were keen to use this idea in our final product. After discussing as a group we finally decided to conform to the current trends in the media world and opt for a supernatural horror rather than a stalker film.

By looking at title sequences from current and older horror films we could look at the forms and conventions used effectivly allowing us to adhere to the norm, but also but our own spin onto it.

Texual Analysis

This is the opening sequence to the 1995 thriller film "Seven". Seven was directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. The story follows a retiring detective (Morgan Freeman) and his replacement (Brad Pitt), jointly investigating a series of ritualistic murders inspired by the seven deadly sins.

The opening title sequence to Seven is very dark, its starts with a book being opened which suggests that the audience are going to be taken on a journey filled with twists and turns.
The title sequence uses very quick shots, this makes the audience feel disoriantated but makes them intrigued and want to see more of the film. Alot of images are flashed at the screen making the viewer feel confused and it is slightly unsettling.

The music used again is very eerie and disoriatating, it keeps the audience alert and making them to want to know more. The shots being very short make sure that the audience dont know too much and it leaves many things unanswered. Towards the end of the opening the music picks up starts to begins to make a climax

There are alot of shots overlaying eachother again adding to the pace of the piece and adding more dramatic tension. Images of peoples faces being crossed out are seen which suggests that the film will have a disturbing nature to it.

We never see a specific person only there hands this suggests that the identity of the person will be unknown throughout the film.
The book becomes very significant towards the end of the piece, we see the figures sewing things into it more images suggesting death and violence are seen.The flashes between shots make it hard to focus on one particular element suggesting to the audience that the film they are about to watch is not what it seems

Textual Analysis

This is the opening sequence to the 1992 horror movie "Candy man". After watching the title sequence i will know look at the elements used in the opening and evaluate them.



Candyman is a 1992 slasher film starring Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd and Xander Berkeley. It was directed by Bernard Rose and is based on the short story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker. The plot is centered around the urban legend of "The candyman" and how it is now being reality. Candyman was not a mainstream film so the opening credits are quite simple, but really effective in the way they draw the audience in.
The pace at the beginning of the opening sequence is quite slow using one continuous shot,The slow pace and apparent tracking of a vehicle creates and uncertain eerie effect this puts the audience at ease and also they can relate to the setting as it is a typical scene (main road); this connects them straight away to the film. The journey of the the car represents the journey the audience is about to take with characters in the film.
The tunnel, brige and water bellow and the complexity of the road junction, creat imagery of a tunnel with illumination of learning something
the fall form a tunnel, the bridge and its water below and the complex road junctions. The water represents the sub- conscience and represents the strength of the characters in the film, and how their presence is greatly important.
The music used in the opening sequence is non- diegetic, We are presented with a combination of the stactic radio and gothic cathedral-esque eitha with a choir or organ. This gives it a dark era which is relative to the folkore premise and the story like realism of the film.

Finals Hours of Editing

We have spent hours this morning editing to which we can be satisfied with to a very high standard. The music will be inserted tonight by John as the music in which he has composed is on his computer at home. We will then have the final piece tomorrow by 4 o clock.


We have now completely finished our main task, which was to make an opening title sequence. The music goes well with our piece and we are all very satisfied! As ive posted the music certainly does compliment the footage that we have capured and has given it the theme and feel we wanted to achieve. The footage is effective and to the satisfaction we required our piece to be like. 'The Cursed' is chilling and ghostly, which represents her past and I feel the opening title sequence in which we have created significantly proves that.

Structure of our Opening Sequence

After watching various title sequences on Youtube we tried to find the standard order in which credits appear. The clips we watched included 'Catch me if you can' and 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'. In both these clips the structure was as follows:
The Name of The Film Studio
The Name of the Production Company
Who Makes the Film e.g A steven Speilberg film
Main Actors
Name of Film
More Actors
Casting
Music Composer
Costume Designer
Cinematographer
Editor
Production Designer
Executive Producer
Producer
Screen Play Author
Director

Change of Music

The Cursed | Upload Music

After nearly finishing the editing process, as a group we then decided our current music John had composed did not have a quick enough tempo and this slowed the pace of our opening, which meant it did not cause as much tension. John has now composed a a new piece changing the structure and tempo of the piece, by using this new piece we hope it will increase the audience's anxiety during the opening sequence which will prepare them for the rest of the film.