Open Title Sequence

An Opening Title Sequence is the beginning of the film, including credits and/or a piece of film to introduce. It has to have credits and the introduction of main character(s). It introduces the film, the plot, the characters and it is to set the scene and style and hook you into the film. It benefits the audience to help them understand what the film is about and give them first impressions about what they think of the film/characters.

I watched the opening five minutes of four different films, these were 'Saw', 'Number 23', 'Donnie Darko' and 'Son of Rambow'. For each film I have written a few sentences about first impressions I recieved.

Saw (18): Very dark, after two minutes the lights come on. Whilst it is dark you can hear screaming and other noises, this makes the audience scared and want the lights to come on so they can see what is happening. The OTS introduces the first few characters, and sets up anticipation because you want to know why the characters are there.

Here is a hyperlink to view the opening title sequence of 'Saw (18)'
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Saw+1+opening&docid=1122287419983&mid=C622A449C4C88ACFA902C622A449C4C88ACFA902&FORM=VIVR2#

Number 23 (15): It has very long credits which take up about two in a half minutes. The credits, have the number '23' in it alot, like typewrited and lots of blood splats everywhere, this makes it ghory. The film starts in a town which looks dull and quite dead. It shows a man at work, however this man is Jim Carey. I think this is the wrong actor for this type of film because most people can't take him seriously for all the films he has done in the past.

Here is a hyperlink to view the opening title sequence of 'Number 23 (15)'
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Number+23+opening&docid=1213564387581&mid=2431B8CFCC9A5AFBF1922431B8CFCC9A5AFBF192&FORM=VIVR2#

Donnie Darko (15): Whilst the credits are on you can hear the sound of thunder, dark night. The camera zooms in to somebody laying in the road with a bike next to them, maybe they had fallen off their bike? There then is music whilst the boy is riding his bike, we then visit his house with him and see his family.

Here is a hyperlink to view the opening title sequence of 'Donnie Darko (15)'
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Donnie+Darko+beginning&docid=1101785989582&mid=7781595958ECFE3C95CC7781595958ECFE3C95CC&FORM=VIVR1#

Son of Rambow (12): There are no credits at the beginning, first there is a bit of film and then the credits come. We are intorduced into a boy's life, he is reading from a bible, he is a good boy? We then meet another boy, who has been smoking in the back of the cinema, he is a naughty boy? The music played adds to the atmosphere and we want to know why he is smoking and being rebelious.

Here is a hyperlink to view the opening title sequence of 'Son of Rambow (12)'