Research : The Importance Of Opening Titles

The set brief for your main task is as follows:

The opening 2 minutes including titles of a new horror film aimed at a teen audience.

We have discussed what codes and conventions are and we have also completed 2 tasks relating to this:

• A post explaining what conventions are and how they are commonly used in horror films
• An essay analysing the ways that codes and conventions are used in the openings of 3 horror films aimed at a teen audience.

We now need to work in class to identify the conventions of opening titles and the meanings and connotations that are created through the ways in which these titles are presented to the audience.

Let's start by watching a film about the history of opening titles from the earliest days of film.

A video titled 'The Film Before The Film can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.

Now let's look at another video which gives a brief history of title design which can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.

Art of the Title (CLICK HERE) is a website that is dedicated, not unsurprisingly, to the art of opening title sequences in both film and television. 

It is a fantastic resource for the task I am about to set but also for any other independent research into opening title sequences that you may wish to do.

Opening Titles For Selected Horror Films

The 2 opening sequences below show different ways in which opening titles can be used:

The Conjuring opening titles

The Cabin In The Woods opening titles

Task

Research : The Importance Of Opening Titles

Create a post with the same title as this one.

In this post, use a mixture of text, image and video to:

• Explain what opening titles are
• Describe the information that is given, conventionally, in opening titles
• List what the titles in a typical opening title sequence might include
• Explain and illustrate the different ways in which titles can be presented to an audience

This task should take about 90 minutes to complete so can easily be done in our double lesson this morning.

If you are away today (Thursday 20th October) or if you don't finish in the lesson, you will need to have this on your blog by Tuesday 1st November.

You could embed videos such as the ones above, include a link to www.artofthetitle.com, take screen shots (cmd+shift+4) of examples from opening titles on Art Of The Title's website, research other information which will help you to meet the requirements of this post.

I have provided some sources below to get you started BUT please remember not to cut and paste text verbatim. (if you don't know what that means, expand your vocabulary and look it up!)

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

Research : Codes and Conventions of Existing Teen Horror Films

Here are the opening of the 3 horror films aimed at a teenage audience which we looked at in our lesson on Thursday 13th October.

I apologise for the poor quality as these are filmed from my iPad.

I will explain a task for you to complete during our lesson today.

The opening to 'Dead Wood' for you to analyse.



The opening of 'Dead Mary' for you to analyse.



The opening of 'Wrong Turn' for you to analyse.





Please find below the title of the essay you need to complete by the start of our lesson on on Wednesday 2nd November. 

This essay will be valuable for your planning and evaluation.

• This essay should be done as a post to your blog. You can, if you wish, punctuate your essay with screen shots from the openings.
• The essay should analyse the use of codes (technical and symbolic) and conventions in the 3 film openings that you have already made notes on.
• Post images of your notes at the end of your essay. The word count should be no less than 1000 words. 
• You should select appropriate examples from the openings to illustrate the points that you make. 
• You do not have to write about everything that you see and hear.

Analyse the codes and conventions of horror films as shown in the openings of 'Dead Wood', 'Dead Mary' and 'Wrong Turn'.

Once you have posted your essay you must read through it and make a judgement of your work against the marking criteria which have been posted below.

Post a comment beneath your essay in which you explain which level you think your essay falls into for each of the 3 marking criteria. 

In order to show that you are using some higher order thinking skills you should also try to explain why you think your essay fits into each level you have awarded.

This comment will form the start of our learning conversation.

Your essay will be assessed relating to each of the following 3 areas:

1.      Explanation / Analysis and Argument (out of 20)

2.      Use of Examples (out of 20)

3.      Use of terminology (out of 10)

I will do this by referring to the mark scheme below. 

It is possible to award marks from different levels to your essay. The overall mark is then determined by adding the 3 separate marks together to give a final mark out of 50.

General Mark Scheme

 Level 1 

Explanation/analysis/argument (0-7 marks) 

Shows minimal understanding of the task 

Minimal understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.

Of minimal relevance to set question or a brief response (less than 750 words).

Use of examples (0-7 marks) 

Offers minimal textual evidence from the extracts

Offers examples of minimal relevance to the set question. 

Use of terminology (0-3 marks) 

Minimal or frequently inaccurate use of appropriate terminology. 

Some simple ideas have been expressed. There will be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar, which will be noticeable and intrusive. 

Level 2 

Explanation/analysis/argument (8-11 marks) 

Shows basic understanding of the task 

Basic understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.

Some relevance to set question. 

Use of examples (8-11 marks) 

Offers some textual evidence from the extracts

Offers examples with some relevance to the set question. 

Use of terminology (4-5 marks) 

Some terminology used, although there may be some inaccuracies. 

Some simple ideas have been expressed in an appropriate context. There are likely to be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar of which some may be noticeable and intrusive. 

Level 3 

Explanation/analysis/argument (12-15 marks) 

Shows proficient understanding of the task 

Proficient understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.

Mostly relevant to set question. 

Use of examples (12-15 marks) 

Offers consistent textual evidence from the extracts 

Offers examples which are mostly relevant to the set question. 

Use of terminology (6-7 marks) 

Use of terminology is mostly accurate. 

Straightforward ideas have been expressed with some clarity and fluency. Arguments are generally relevant, though may stray from the point of the question. There will be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar, but these are unlikely to be intrusive or obscure meaning. 

Level 4

Explanation/analysis/argument (16-20 marks)

Shows excellent understanding of the task.

Excellent knowledge and understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.

Clearly relevant to set question.

Use of examples (16-20 marks)

Offers frequent textual analysis from the extract.

Offers examples which are clearly relevant to the set question.

Use of terminology (8-10 marks)

Use of terminology is relevant and accurate.

Complex issues have been expressed clearly and fluently. Sentences and paragraphs, consistently relevant, have been well structured, using appropriate technical terminology. There may be few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Research : Conventions In Horror Films

We spent some time in class looking at codes and conventions in horror films.

Homework

You need to produce a post for your blog titled Research : Conventions In Horror Films.

In this post:

• Explain what conventions are.
• Identify expected conventions within the horror film genre and explain how these are used.

You should have notes from the lesson to help you with this.

Deadline : Wednesday 19th October

Preliminary Task : Editing and Evaluation

You have all completed your filming for your Preliminary Task.

Every person must now produce an edited version of the Preliminary Task which meets the set brief.

I will place your group's footage in the MidSenSharedRes folder / Media Studies which you can access from your desktop.

The completed task does not have to have music or titles.

Once you have completed your edit you need to export it, upload it to Youtube and embed it into your blog in a post with the same title as this post.

You should then, beneath the embedded video, complete an evaluation of your Preliminary Task.

The slide below shows the 5 things which must be covered in your evaluation.

Homework

Your completed Preliminary Task edit and the evaluation must be available on your blog for assessment by the start of our lesson on Wednesday 12th October.

Your evaluation will be formally assessed.

Preliminary Task : Filming

Write a post with the same title as tis one in which you explain your role in your group's Preliminary Task filming.