Title Research: Watch the Titles Website

While continuing the research on title sequences, we came across another website. This website was called "Watch the Titles". I learned how to navigate the website and where to go to find title sequences. This website was very similar to the "Art of the Title" website that we discovered. It had various title sequences from different movies. However, they included interviews from famous actors and included title sequences created by students. They also provided examples of title sequences used in video games. One cool thing about this website was they they provided title sequences from french cinema. On my free time, I watched those videos as well because I was interested to see what they were like in France. My group members and I have been researching title sequences so that we can create on for our film. On this website, we watched title sequences that were in the mystery genre. We utilized this website so we can get more examples of title sequences. I saw that many movies used sound and visuals in the title sequence to make the sequence more interesting. They also included the names of the cast members, production team, and etc. Now that we watched many example of title sequences and how they portray the genre of the film, we are excited to create one on our own!

Title Research:Art of the Title Website

The other day, we came across a website called "Art of the Title". On this website, it had a variety of title sequences from hit movies. They included movies from certain studios. For example, pixar animation studios. I realized that the website organized top ten movie title sequences through the years. For example, they had the top ten title sequences from 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Not only that, they also included title sequences from binge-worthy tv shows. One thing I liked about the website is that they included movies from different genres. While exploring the website, we watched multiple title sequences. Most of the title sequences were very interesting. The visual effects that were used added Title sequences are the opening sequence of movies and tv shows. Often they would include the title, key production, cast members and etc. They would utilize cool visuals and sounds to make it more engaging. I learned that the editors of the film will use music and titles that will help the viewers infer the genre. As for the mystery genre, we realized that the music would be suspenseful. The website was very beneficial because it gave my group members and I and idea of how we want our title sequence to be.

Genre Research: Now its time to be a "Maze Runner"

The Maze Runner is a movie about young men who are trapped in a maze and have no knowledge how they got there so they work together to escape. At the beginning of the scene there is a black screen and all you hear is the sound of movement of a lift/elevator. The use of this diegetic sound is very effective because it creates a tense mood because there is no visual on what is happening. Low angle and high angle shots were used in order to make Thomas look weak and the surrounding characters superior. The POV shot used further on in the scene is effective in building tension. From Thomas’ point of view we see the speed of the elevator cage rising faster and faster, building more tension as the speed increases. This allowed the audience to see things from everyone’s perspective. Wide shit was also used to establish setting and emphasize Thomas being isolated from everyone else. The use of diegetic sound makes the film seem more realistic as the sound that is created both the audience and the characters can hear, such as when Thomas and the boys could hear the creatures from outside the maze. This allows for the audience to be able to relate to the characters surroundings and engages them further. Also, it makes the mood more tense and further dramatizes what is happening in the scene. 

When Thomas and few of the boys went inside the maze and got stuck in there for the night, low key lighting was used to make the maze appear dangerous and to build up suspense. Tracking shot was also used to follow Thomas as he was running around confused and did a 360 turn. A very wide shot was used throughout the movie to show everyone entering the maze when they had a chance. A two shot was used to show Thomas and his friend sitting at the campfire having a conversation. The lighting that was used was three point lighting, key point and also low key lighting. The transition between all three helped create mood for the feelings the characters were portraying. An example would be when Thomas ran into the maze, the lighting changed from three point lighting to low key lighting as the creatures came out to hunt. This effect gave the feeling of fear and horror during this part of the scene. Also, natural lighting was used the most through the movie because most of the scenes where outdoors. The Maze runner used scenes of nature as their Mise en scene. 

This movie was a great example of a mystery movie. Actually paying attention to the camera angles and movements create a deeper understanding of the movie. I understood why each aspect was used. This made me see the movie even clear. However, there were a couple of things I disliked about the movie. The use of low lighting was too dark that I sometimes couldn’t see anything. During our filming, I hope we film during the day so this doesn’t happen to us. We wouldn’t want to make a great project but its too dark for viewers to see. I did like the use of diegetic sound. It created a connection between the viewers and the characters.

Genre Research: Time for your "Happy Death Day"

The film Death day is a top example when it comes to the mystery genre. This film utilizes many of the conventions that we see in the mystery genre now. One of the many conventions that the film utilizes is the camera shots. In this particular film they use close ups to capture the emotions in the character's face. These emotions range from happy to fear. The movie also utilizes another camera shot convention called a two-shot. This shot will help portray the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist. The protagonist in fear while the antagonist comes off as violent towards the protagonist. Not only is the two-shot and close up convention used in this film, but they are the most used conventions in this film. Another convention that this film uses is the camera angle convention. This film does this by using an Ariel shot in order to show the girl being followed to her dorm from the party. This shot was used in order to produce suspense and engage the audience more with the film.
This film also utilizes the movement convention. It does this by using a tracking shot. This is shown in multiple scenes. These scenes include when the girl was running away from the killer in the street and  on the stair case, when she was running to find the killer, and when she chased the killer. These scenes were used to enhance the film and show the transition of her fear throughout the film. She went to just being afraid, then to trying to figure out what is going on, and then chasing after the killer in order to learn the truth. The film also takes part in using the sound convention as well. This sound includes the dialogue that is used to figure out who the killer is. They show scenes of her speaking to students around the campus and her friends going through their connections to find out who the real killer is. Suspenseful music is also used throughout the film. The director utilizes this music in order to enhance the scenes where something is about to happen. This is used to engage the audience more aggressively.
The props in the film was another convention that the film matched. The props in the film that was used was a mask that the killer wore throughout the entire film to hide his identity. This enhances the film by adding more mystery to the killer of the film, having the audience have more interest into the film wanting to know the identity of the killer. The killer also uses a knife to kill the main character. The costumes that everyone wears are causal clothes. The natural lighting that is utilized in the film is also meeting the convention as well by the dim light. This film was amazing and the plot kept me on my seats throughout the entire movie. The only problem that I had with it was in the middle of the film a lot started happening at the same time that threw me off. In our film we will not have so many things happening at once in order to make it the best film.

Genre Research: Then there was "Us"

The movie "Us"is another prime example of a great mystery movie. This movie includes most of the conventions that we found as we researched the mystery genre. The movie Us has the usual camera shots represented in a mystery movie called a wide shot. It shows the back ground of the scene. This happens when the family is at the beach. The shot shows the sand, beach towels, and beach umbrellas showing that the family is at the beach in the beginning of the movie. The movie also follows the conventions with the camera angles. In the movie there are multiple close up angles showing the faces of the tethered. This was in order to create intensity in the film. When the tethered first showed up the camera angle went into a close up to show one of the main mysteries of the film. They also used the close ups in order to instill a little bit of fear and interest in the audience in order to keep them engaged with the mystery of the film.
Another camera angle that the film used to go along with the conventions was the Ariel shot. The Ariel shot was used when showing the house the family was running to when being chased by the tethered. This established a sense of location as to where the family was headed. Us continued to meet conventions by using tracking shots in their film as well. The tracking shots showed all of the characters in the film running away from the tethered. This shot was used the most because of the amount of running in the film. Not only did the film meet conventions by camera angles and movements, but they also met it by the costumes. The film had the tethered in prison uniforms which matches the genre precisely because in most mystery movies the mystery that they are trying to solve is murder and some of them take place in a mystery. Not only was the prison costumes a good match to the conventions, but the casual clothes as well. This is because the costume convention ranges from casual clothes to detective uniforms.
The lighting was another convention that the Us film captured. They used natural lighting for the film. This made some of the scenes dark and some of the scenes light because of the time of day. This is done in most mystery films in order to enhance certain parts of the film and in order to show that time is flowing in the film. The props in the film also match the conventions because they used knifes, scissors, masks and other killing tools. They used these in many scenes trying to kill the family and killing different people. The settings in the film match the conventions as well by some of the scenes taking place in the woods, dark places and everyday places as well. The film also used jump cuts between the tethered chasing the family members to show what happened in each of the scenes affected the other. The film also meets the conventions with the sound used in the film. The film uses a low scary sound in order to put the audience inside the movie and keep them on their toes for whats to happen next.
I love mystery movies like this. They keep me engaged with the movie and have me thinking I am in the movie as well. After watching it another time I was really able to analyze what was happening in the movie and the different shots, movements, camera angles, lighting and effects they were using to enhance the movie. I love how the movie had such a unique plot, because this plot was different from other plots I have seen before in this genre. However, I dislike how much information this movie left out at the end. It left me on so many cliff hangers to the point where I was kind of confused, saying what the point of all the twists were. For our project we will be sure to keep the plot good, but not too complicated to the point where we get our audience confused.

Genre Movie Research: Its time to "Get Out"

Movies similar to our genres are easier to spot being that a mystery genre typically has a plot of solving a mystery.Some noticeable camera shots in the specific movie is the use of close ups . When a film maker use close shots it makes the audience focus on that subject.One of the films i focused on was "Get Out " Produced by Jordan Pelee.  A example in get out of a close up shot is when Chris face is zoomed when being hypnotized , this gives audience the ability to feel his emotions . Another camera shot Jordan Peele uses is the point of view shots . When we take the place of Chris eyes and see the Gardner running towards him . This also makes the audience focus on the gardener and have a curious mindset on what will happen next. Another aspect of this film is the use of low angles . Such as when Chris explains his concerns about him being uncomfortable and Georgina responds . This is also used to emphasize the emotions of Chris concern. However Movements in mystery genres tend to vary , However in this movie they're a lot of tracking shots. Such as when their in the car driving to their parents house . It made the audience feel as if they were driving along side of them. Another movement was the zoom as They closed into Chris face it felt as if we felt his emotions and hurt more and more.

Movies such as Get out tends to use the same editing strategies.One editing strategy i took note of is the jump cuts .Such as when the camera cuts away when Chris looks at something . During the scene of the Gardner running away the camera cuts away as he turns . Which emphasize the curiosity of why the man is running . Another editing strategy i saw was the insert of the pictures during his hypnotism . They inserted the pictures to show his memories . The sound of the movie had typical scary movie music . Which included the taunting sound of having the audience believe that something is happening .
It wasn’t many customs in the film . They were just everyday clothing and job attire . However the lightening played a significance in this film such as the darkness during the hypnotism which made us connect the dots during the hypnotism . Also the actors even tho they were plan regular people if the Maid and garner didn’t act in such way we wouldn’t have been curious of the workers. The close up of the maid showed the audience her make up which made the audience question her character. Another aspect of the film was is the props being used such as the axe or even the tea cup during the hypnotism. The setting made the movie which every different idea was in a different science which made us connect all pieces of the story together .
I love mystery movies , it keeps me on the edge of my seat . Get out especially kept me on the edge of my seat with the different camera shot tactics. Being that i learned about all the reasons why movie producers use different angles and shots it made it more easier after watching it another time . The movie became clearer as i understood the emphasize of the angles, movements , and sound and editing . However there are somethings that i dislike about this genre . I dislike how a mystery genre tends to have the same plot . I also dislike how the conventions tends to be a dark setting rather than a a sunny or lighter . Alot of mysteries happen during the day so for our project we will hopefully twist the conventions a little.

Finally chose a Genre

Previously, my group members and I researched three genres. These genres were Crime, Mystery, and Musical.  After researching all of those genres we decided to go with mystery. We went with mystery because when we were brainstorming ideas for the genres mystery was the best idea out of all. Not only was it the best idea, but the idea was rational. We have the tools and means capable of doing this idea more than the others. We also liked the different clamps and conventions in this genre as well. The movies that we watched that fell under the mystery genre fit well with our movie idea.  In the mystery genre, they use close-up shots and naturalistic lighting. We felt like mystery was one of the best genres that engages with the audience. As people watch our film, we do not want them to get bored.