Opening Credits

 For our next film opening research we had to pick three different films and analyze the credit sequence. Credit sequences are important because they highlight the most important cast and crew, showing the audience the masterminds of the project. How you show the credits is just as important, as the way the credit sequence is presented sets the tone for the rest of the film. For my portfolio project, my group and I are still deciding what we want to go for, but we know we want a more light-hearted tone and will keep that in mind when figuring out how we want to display our credits.

                                            Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

The film opens with a black screen with only the sound of a typewriter working as the names of all the actors are shown one after the other. The opening credits are simple, with a type writer font to allude to the fact that the main character is writing to someone, this creates a more personal tone which shows the audience this film will delve deep into the main character and his personal journey. Throughout the credit sequence, a montage of a highway at night is the only thing that is visible other than the credits displayed in the middle of the screen which gives the film a cozy feeling and focuses on the actors who play the characters, highlighting that the characters are the main driving point in the film. A soft song plays in the background of the sequence, further creating an intimate mood before the main character is first shown narrating a letter he wrote to someone, the music fading away and the film beginning.

                                                             Superbad (2007)

The 2007 film Superbad, directed by Greg Mottola, takes a more creative approach. The opening credits are the main actors dancing on the screen with a "funky" song in the background. Only the characters silhouettes are visible as the different credits pop up on the screen in a bold and brightly colored font. The backgrounds change color throughout the dance number with everything in bright and saturated colors. Although the opening credit sequence doesn't reveal much about the plot of the story, it creates a tone for the film. Superbad is a coming-of-age comedy which focuses on humor and doesn't take itself seriously at all. This playful tone is set with the credit sequence, with a catchy and fun song and bright visuals to draw the viewer into a funny and sort of non-sensical film. For our project, we don't plan on making any drawn credit sequences but I found it interesting how the film's tone was set using color and sound and thought my group could do the same.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

For the final film I wanted to do an opening credit sequence that was more focus on a certain visual aesthetic than a vibe. The credits in Moonrise Kingdom are small and in a pretty cursive font in the corners of the screen. This causes the viewer to focus more on the visuals, watching as the camera moves from room to room in the house and introducing the characters daily lives. The credits are cohesive with the aesthetic of the rest of the film, setting a tone and a vibe for the film while not really introducing much of the story but rather the characters and their behaviors. The sequence also overlaps audio, mixing the sound of the radio with classical music which adds to the overall aesthetic of the film.