Dexter Title Sequence Re-Edit Evaluation

I was in a group of three with Mahalia John and Harry Kettenis. Our task was to complete a re-edit for the opening sequence of Dexter, a US crime drama series. We were supposed to place, style and edit titles into a video template without any reference to the original title sequence. The role of the title sequence is to present the key institutional information along with representing the concept of the programme.

What were the conventions that were most important to this task?

It was of most importance to credit prominent names in the crew. The placement of the titles is also important so they don’t detract from the video sequence. The sequence should establish the setting, characters, genre and themes. The titles should generally be synergistic, fitting in with the brand of the programme. The titles are usually placed in different areas of the frame so the eye moves around to focus, thus engaging the audience. Titles can also be 3D and combine with the background. Sometimes events in the narrative impact titles e.g. contact of a running person with the title can lead to an explosion of the letters. The sequence would also be accompanied with a music soundtrack to connote the genre.

How did your group plan to edit the title sequence?

We first watched through the opening to obtain a sense of the narrative of the video. We then made notes on suitable shots to place the titles. Since we had a limited time frame, we couldn’t do the realistic number of titles. We took turns to edit each title. When we had determined a frame to place a title in, we discussed the options for the properties for the title. We carefully thought about the alignment, sizing, and timing of the title compared to the shots.

What were the creative decisions made by your group?

I liked the way we arced the words for the Sound Mixing title. This allows the title to fit over the coffee maker. Another example is the title for music. We decided to have the blood on the tissue soak over the red credit, therefore enabling the title to have a 3D effect. We chose red so it stands out from the white tissue and so it also becomes camouflaged in the blood. We chose this sizing so the title would not dominate the frame and also allow the blood to be noticed.

How does your re-edit compare to the original?

I prefer the typography seen in the original opening sequence however most titles had short durations. Our titles were predominantly white while all the original titles were red, being synergistic of the colour scheme. While our re-edit titles were in the lower case, all the original titles were in block capitals. Our second title is placed in the same part of the frame in the original however our title appears for longer than the original. Another title is placed away from the soaked blood tissue whereas ours is placed so the blood overlaps it. Overall half of the time, we placed our titles in similar areas of the frame and the duration of each of our titles was longer.

 

Evaluation of Art of the Title Grid Activity

In our teen rom-com, the three girls catch sight of the new guy which leads to them fighting for him. Synopsis of the film: Three best friends compete for the attention of the school’s new heart throb. We aimed to establish the characters, setting, relationships, genre, the title and credits through our film opening. 

The title is styled in blocked capitals. The typography resembles a textured college stamp. The block shapes of the letters connote the concept of the American high school. The shots feature high key lighting. 

Humour is created through the exaggerated reactions of the stereotypical characters such as the “girly girl” fainting at the sight of the boy. As the opening is clear, the audience should feel that the plot of the film will be based on the conflict between the characters and their competition. The audience would question if the girls’ friendship will survive hence they become more curious about the nature of the characters.

The master shot was placed first to establish the setting of the film. It features a long stretch of corridor and lockers. This immediately demonstrates the bright high school setting. The placement of the characters next to each other shows that they know each other. This was crucial for our opening sequence to create an understanding of the situation for the audience.

The slow reveal of the new guy enables the audience to understand that this character will be the driving force of the story. There are different shots of him: the close up of his shoe; the mid close up of his midriff; the mid close up of him posing and the mid shot of him smirking. The span of shots features the point of view of the girls. It is effective in the opening sequence to build up curiosity from the audience as they anticipate the identity of the heart throb. 

The close up of each of the girls created a comic effect. Thus it caused the audience to be focused on these characters giving them importance and agency in the plot. This creates the vital opportunity to credit the names of the actresses. This helps the audience understand the summary of the characters. 

In hindsight, we would involve extras in the master shot to make the setting at the school more realistic. I also would cast different people to make their appearances more contrasting. The characters could be more stereotypical e.g. making the character of Juliette blond. 

I think our film opening is effective as it puts across the genre, setting and concepts clearly. The colour scheme is bright and vibrant displaying the characteristics of a light hearted high school comedy. I also think that our titles fit in well with our shots and the comical reaction intended for the audience was successful. Furthermore, I think our range of shot types and angles made our production satisfying.

Film Opening Analysis: To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) — Art of the Title

The film I will discuss is called To Kill A Mockingbird (1962). Adapted from a novel, this is a crime drama directed by Robert Mulligan and produced by Universal International Pictures. Set in 1930s Alabama, this film follows the two year journey of a young girl learning about racism when her lawyer father defends a black man. The opening that I will discuss has duration of 3 minutes. 

The film opens to the production company graphic. This fades black to an opening with piano music and the sound of a young girl, the protagonist humming. The first object shown is a close up of a box. A hand is then seen opening the box to reveal items including crayons, keys and coins. The audience get an impression that the box is full of keepsakes. The first actor credit is displayed over this shot. The camera then zooms in to the box and fades to the angle of a crayon being picked out of the box. This clip fades to a big close up of the beginning of the title which is being formed as a crayon drawing. The camera returns to close up of the movie title. 

The camera then tracks the movement of the crayon drawing in big close up framing. This fades to a big close up of the pocket watch. Credits of other actors start to appear over these shots. Other pans are seen of other from the box. Coins with the year “1900” and “United” of United States, establish the setting of the film after which flute music starts. There are numerous close up shots of the protagonist drawing on lined paper with crayons. A rolling marble is then tracked by the camera building up to the “Introducing” of cast members.  After a child’s laugh is heard, the drawing is ripped. The credits end with the appearance of silhouetted branches on a low angle mid shot of a tree.

The notable technical aspects of this opening sequence include the domination of close ups. This allows the audience to focus on small visual details that hint at the protagonist. Also there is camera movement to keep the audience engaged by the point of view perspective. The child’s humming and laughing suggests to the audience that the girl has an innocent character. Her drawings cause the audience to infer her young age. I also noted that most transitions were fades which significantly slows down the narrative pace and are linked to the drama genre. It also creates the impression of looking into the past or memories of a character. 

The events in the opening sequence are fully connected however they encapsulate one moment over a longer period of time. The events seen here do not directly lead into plot, they are rather foreshadowing of the plot. Other characters’ appearances and involvement is deliberately withheld so the audience can focus on the main character. Only the hands and arms are seen of the protagonist here, causing enigma to build up. 

For my own film, I think the audience need a further understanding of the setting. I could use a similar style with introducing a character from the objects that are associated with him/her. I could use slow camera movement in conjunction with close ups to project a character’s point of view onto the sequence although I would cross cut these shots with wider framed shots to give the audience a sense of physical space.