Preliminary Research: Title Cards

During the editing of our chess film, one aspect that didn't seem quite right to me was the title. Both in the way it looked and also the way it was introduced. My initial thoughts about titles were that they were there to just let you know the piece of media you were watching. However, as I kept watching films to get a better understanding of the other aspects of editing, I saw that titles were very intricate and felt as if they had more meaning. 

"Start Making Better Titles with a Few Basic Tips" by Film Riot

The first key point brought up in this video was the choosing of a correct font, This was one aspect of the edit of the chess film that I struggled heavily on. My main concern for the title was to just make it as legible as possible for the short time it would be shown on screen. I also initially used a thinner font that made the movie seem more serious and professional than the light-hearted tone we were looking for. The video explains that when selecting a font it should not only fit the tone of the film but also the context of the film. The font you choose gives you some insight into the general feel of the film. 

Furthermore, you want to make sure that the title should contrast against the background. This way the text is easy to read for the audience. This was something I struggled with as well and overcompensated by just making the text appear very big. Although size is a way to create contrast, it can also be done by using color. Having a contrasting color from the background of the text allows the title to pop out without taking up most of the frame. Size can then be used to create meaning for each individual line of text.

Opening title sequence from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

 A film that immediately came to mind when I thought about stylized intros was that of Scott Pilgrim vs The World. The font used is very unique and matches the overall aesthetic of the film. It uses the musical elements from the scenes before it to create the first line of the title, spelling out the character's name. It then gets continued by a different font which helps distinguish that the story revolves around Scott Pilgrim. The title is also very bold and animated which is the overall feel you get from watching this movie.   

After watching the Film Riot video and the opening sequence of another film, I have a better understanding of film titles. The main thing I learned was the role that a title plays within the film and the elements that make up the title. Titles are supposed to make the tone and feel of your film very apparent from the get-go. This is mainly reflected in the font choice for the title and these are available on numerous sites that you can access. Other contributions can come from the color and size as well to add meaning to the title and enhance the tone it creates. Finally there is the way you introduce the title. After looking at Scott Pilgrim and Joker, I saw that their titles appear right after a sequence that encapsulates the feel of the film. In Joker's case, it comes in right after Arthur is beaten up and lying on the ground which is symbolic to the entire film. In both films, it also acts as the end of a scene. The edit of the title coming in should feel like a natural part of the flow of the film and its positioning in the timeline should make sense.