What Titles

The tiles in a film are used to show the different people who have contributed to the film and their roles in the film such as:

• Director - the person who directs the film.
• Lighting Director - tells the people where the light should be and the levels of light.
• Actors
• The film Title
• Producers
• Executive Producers
• Casting Director - chooses the actors to play certain roles.
• Costume Designer - who designed the clothing for the film to fit a mood or an era.
• Music - who directed the music or decided what type of music was to be played.
• Director of Photography - the person in charge of the shot types and the camera position.
• Written by ... - the person who adapted the idea for viewing in the cinema/on television.

Or it shows which companies have paid for the film to be produced such as:

• 20th Century Fox
• Metro Goldwyn Mayor (MGM)
• Hollywood Pictures
• Spyglass Entertainment

What Does A Title Sequence Look Like?

A title sequence helps to show the audience who produced, edited and acted in the film. The last section of the opening sequence titles is the film title. This is normally presented in a unique way such as 'Momento' where it appears as the background fades from black into the first shot of the film. The mood a title sequence creates depends on the genre of the film, a thriller films title has non diegetic sound accompanying it which helps to set the mood for the rest of the film, calm the audience down and helps to present the film.

Thrillers - Opening Sequences Vs Trailers

Opening sequences and media trailers are different.
A trailer gives an overview of the story or the plot of the film and shows the 'good bits' of the film with a voice over telling the audience the details of the film. A trailer also tells the audience who is acting in the film which creates hype about the film especially if there are a lot of famous actors. It doesn't give away the key information in the film otherwise there would be no reason to see the film. A trailer uses lots of shots edited at a fast pace to create a montage about the film to promote it. The point of a trailer is to persuade audiences to go and see the film where as an opening sequence is used to calm down the audience in preparation for the film.
An opening sequence also establishes the setting for the film and helps the audience to familiarise with the setting and introduces them to the main characters through the titles and by using slow paced shots of them which also helps to establish the mood of the film and creates an atmosphere. This atmosphere also helps the viewers to feel engaged within the story hooking them and grabbing their attention. The point of an opening sequence is o settle down the audience and to get them engaged in the story so that it can have more of an impact on them.