eliot's media blog: Graphics Research EA, SL

The opening credits are crucial and must be exactly as we want them. There are a variety of different ways in which they can be displayed and I would like to show a few examples of opening credits to give light on a couple of ideas I would like to use.

Dexter:

The opening to the series Dexter is intense, it is very ambiguous and suggests multiple different meanings. However I would like to focus on the written graphics of this introductory sequence and highlight its strengths and weaknesses.

The idea of using a simple text is good because we need the audience to not be overloaded by the text and the video at the same time. This is important because if the audience is taking in to much information then they will find it hard to understand or follow the introduction. This means that using simple text such as Arial will be good because it will give the viewer a clear text which is easy to read. The text is in red which is a good idea because it is obvious symbolism for blood, however there is a lot of red in the video which means that the audience may not be able to focus on both at the same time. For this reason I think i would like to use a more standard colour such as black or white because it makes the text easier to read.

Skyfall:

The credits for skyfall are very strong because they are so simple and have such a high contrast to the film. This is desperately needed because there is so much going on in the video that if the text was not very visible or too powerful then a lot of effect could be lost. The text is in a simple format; white colour and a simple font. The text is sometimes displayed at angles to suit the artistic side of the video, the titles are still very central because they do need attention. Even though they are very central it does not steal the attention as the video and titles work in tandem, the video tends to tone itself down when there is something to read. This is a good technique as it guide the viewers on what to focus on. I would like to use the video contrast between the colour in the video and the text to our advantage during our piece as it is a good way of presenting the titles.

-EA

The title sequence will commence as Margot gets out of bed and starts to go about her day. Graphics should hover around her in different corners to of the screen, so as to be noticeable but not the main attraction. The font should not be garish in anyway, but instead minimalistic, in white Bell MT font. The font is simple and straightforward, but still somewhat feminine with it's soft curves.

The main titles of Dreamcatcher (2003) and Red Lights (2012) also have a simple concept and font design, but manage to blend and compliment the background whilst not being a tangible part of it.

I also like the tinged colour palettes of both sequences as they suggest a darker substance for the film.