Title Research: The Reaping

 The name of the film in which this title sequence comes from is The Reaping. We got this title sequence from a website called “watchthetitles.com”

What titles are displayed during the opening sequences? The titles displayed show the director of the movie, who the screenplay and story are by, the producers, executive producers, the director of photography, production designers, editors, who the music is by, the co-producer, visual effects supervisor, the costumes designer, and the main actors within the movie. The production companies, such as Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures, are shown as well.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? The images of eyes are shown several times throughout the title sequence. Eyebrows and eyelashes are also displayed a few times throughout the opening sequence, but eyes seem to be what is shown the most throughout the opening sequence. Along with eyes, leaves and splatters of blood, liquid, or other objects are seen as well.

What connotations do these images carry? These images carry a scientific and investigative connotation. It makes it feel as though something related to crime will occur at some point throughout the story that is investigated by the FBI, as various, what look to be random objects are shown throughout the opening sequence. The images of the leaves in particular look as though they might be used as evidence for something, helping to create the investigative feeling attached to the image. The closeup images of eyelashes and splatters of liquid, among other images, also look as though they were taken underneath a microscope, adding to the scientific feel.

How does the film establish a feeling of the genre from the outset? The film establishes the feeling of the genre with the mysterious objects used, dark or low-key lighting, and suspenseful or serious fonts. The mysterious objects used hint at the fact that there may be suspense somewhere in the story with the liquid splatters in particular, because they look as though they are blood. This already establishes the genre, because the blood splatters seem as though they may have been caused by a murder or accident, adding suspense as the audience is not sure who would have done such a thing. The low-key lighting is one of the conventions of the thriller genre, already establishing the genre of the movie. The font of the titles are rigid and stoic, not fun and flirty as seen in other movies associated within the genres of romance, for example. The serious fonts added to the seriousness and suspense associated with the thriller genre, establishing the genre from the outset.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? Some strategies that are used to appeal to the film’s target audience are the use of fast-paced graphics and serious/suspenseful music that enhance the title sequence being shown. The graphics are suspenseful and feel almost scary, especially towards the end with the clips of bugs and bug legs being shown. The speed of the images being shown also add to the supenseul feel, and target audience, because they leave the audience focused on the what is being shown, not bored and day-dreaming. The music is also suspenseful, adding to the images being seen, and targeting the audience as those that are watching are most likely looking to enjoy a suspenseful and exciting film. As the film’s target audience is those that are interested in suspenseful, horror films, the fast-paced and scary graphics appeal to the audience with the images and enhancement of those images with the sounds accompanying them.

How has technology been used effectively? You want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques. 

Technology has been used effectively with the use of editing. The dissolving text, for example, shows the effective use of technology by making the text disappear after the name the text is displaying is no longer needed. This editing technique makes it feel as though just as the audience was able to grasp what the text stated, it dissolved. This feeling or movement is associated with suspense in situations involving characters and the real world, and just by the disappearance of the text this was able to be accomplished, establishing the thriller genre. The quick paced transitions establish this feeling as well, demonstrating the effective use of technology.