Research: The Purpose of a Title Sequence and Film Opening

What is the purpose of a title sequence and film opening?

The main-title sequence of a movie can be considered the most important piece in a film. Other than trailers and marketing elements, they are the first images the audience sees when the lights go down. On the surface level, the primary purpose of title sequences is to accurately credit the cast and crew, or even more simply, to give the film’s title. But if we dig a bit deeper, title sequences offer much more than that. In some ways, the function of a title sequence is very similar to the cover of a topic. It not only gives the title and relevant authorship information; it also attracts the curiosity of the audience, encouraging them to open it up and start reading.


Effective title sequences engage and excite the audience by hinting at some of the topics, themes, and, in some cases, the challenges that characters will be facing. The intention is to build anticipation, sometimes revealing some of the main character’s traits and possibly setting the stage for questions that will be answered later in the movie. Successful title sequences create an emotional reaction from the audience, leaving them glued to their seats, waiting for more.

Effective title sequences foreshadow themes of the movie without overshadowing the movie itself: They anticipate what will come later in the movie but do not give away key plot points. Title sequences shouldn’t summarize the plot of the movie or give away a perpetrator’s identity that is supposed to be revealed only at the ending.

Example:
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Studio: Paramount
Sequence Designer: Kyle Cooper
Year of release: 2011

Sometimes a title sequence can be designed so ingeniously that it adds additional meaning, or, even better, exposes some details that are missing from the movie or could go unnoticed. Maybe the scenes that contained the specific details got cut; maybe the script wasn’t developed enough, so the title sequences need to clarify a confusing detail; maybe the movie was taken in a different direction in the editing room; or maybe details were intentionally omitted in order to let them thrive in the titles.

The aim of any film opening, of any genre, is to hook the audience into watching the rest of the film. Although the techniques for this is varied with genres and personal preference. Opening are usually either unclear and mysterious or they jump right into the film. The reasoning between the choices of the two relies on what genre your film is and who the target audience are.

Film titles always incorporate the logo of a company that has helped them. This advertises the company and is why there are so many recognisable company logos. They can also establish an expectation for the audience as to what the film would be like.