Annie Frances Tom Adam AS MEDIA : 3 Thriller Title Sequences

Example 1 - Angels & Demons (2009)
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery

The title fades in from a distortion. The font of the text matches the type of film, the font also seems quite Gothic-like which matches the title of the film. All the institutional names and film title use the same transition which distorts and fades out and each of the first few names link to each other, as one distorts and fades out a small distort is left and creates the next transition. This matches the mystery which is what the film is about because of the fading in and out of focus and the distortion. When the institution names appear the background is blurry and out of focus, however when the last institution name distorts into the title the background shifts into focus, this shows the significance of the film title. The institutions names come first, then the title of the film.

The sound is non-diegetic and is mostly consisting of violins at first, it then changes so heavy drums start with choir voices creating suspense. It then stops silent for a brief few seconds, then resumes similar to what it was like near the beginning before the drums. The music matches the Thriller genre because of moments of suspense which can build up and then end abruptly which is what the music does, builds up then gets to a climax, then returns to normal. This music happens during the institutional names are shown and then quiets down when the black background changes to the blurry gold background. The music and the black background matches the Thriller genre because like most Thriller moments you often don't see it coming which explains the black background match.

This is the transition from one name to another.

There is institutional info:

Columbia (appears twice)
Imagine Entertainment (appears twice)
Skylark Productions

Example 2 - Bad Boys (1995)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller

The title in this film happens near the end of the opening sequence. The size and text font is large and matches the film. The font looks similar to the font used for The A-Team TV series title so it suggests what type of film it is. The title and all the other text appears on screen and doesn't use any transitions or effects. The only effect is used on the title when the title flies into the middle of the shot with the origin of the movement being in front of the camera and reducing in size before stopping on the screen. The institutions names come first, then the actors names, then the title of the film. The title appears after the fight because it matches with the action. If the title had appeared before the fight, the audience would've expected a fight at some point. However, having the title last means that the audience don't expect the fight and then the title explains that this sort of thing will happen later.

The sound starts with electric guitars and a xylophone type sound before changing to an upbeat tune. It then quiets when dialogue is spoken. When it goes quiet it sounds like it is coming from the cars speakers and then gets louder to enhance what it being played, this is suggested because the tune is constantly played throughout the opening scene either loudly or quietly in the background so it could be diegetic sound but also non-diegetic because of the timing with the build up to the fight. The music builds up until the two men get punched and then it settles down after.

There is institutional info:

Columbia (Appears twice)
Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer (Producers)

It then moves onto actors:

starring Martin Lawrence
Will Smith

Example 3 - Red 2 (2013)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0ExLLYzbY0
Use the link to watch the video, somethings wrong with the embedded one.

The title fades in after the institutional names and actors. The title is displayed in the bottom right corner of the screen. The title is red which is the name of the film and the text font is a small size and is in capital letters. the font used for actors names is similar to the film title except the font is white and some of the lettering is covered. The title is displayed in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen because the whole left side is filled with a trolley wheel which is being pushed by the main character (Bruce Willis). When the actors names are shown there is a series or graphic images suggesting what the film is about with glass smashing and guns mostly. When Cathrine Zeta-Jones' name is shown after the title it suggests that she is not a main character or not as involved in the film as the other actors are.

The sound is non diegetic, it sounds like something out of a Bond film. While this is playing there is cartoon graphics of gun shots glass smashing etc. When the opening scene changes from cartoon to the actual location (Costco) the music changes to diegetic and it is relaxing and quiet, mostly what is played in supermarkets and it matches with where the characters are. The music change is very quick and dramatic, ti goes from loud and intense to quiet and smoothing very fast, this is to do with the film as it is an action film. The smoothing music is contradictory to what the film is about and is mostly used to set the scene.

Near the end of the opening it then lists the costume designer, the editor, production designer, director of photography, the executive producers, the producers, who created the characters, the writers and the director.

The institution names appear first, then the main cast, then the film title, then Cathrine Zeta-Jones, then the producers, editor etc.