Art of the title sequence notes

In preparation for our own  title sequence we watched the movie 'Se7en''s and took notes about it. I was surprised of how many shots were incorporated in it due to such a small space of time. After taking notes on it it taught me that a title sequence is important in an opening, and that it can show a lot to an audience about the genre and what the film is actually about quite quickly.

These are some screen shots from the opening of 'Se7en' and from these its quite easy to understand that the genre is going to be something like a thriller or a horror by the low key lighting. The font of the titles also hints at the horror genre by looking very messy, implying that it could be a mad man's writing emphasising the genre further. By all the writing, books and pictures etc it does look quite complex as well emphasizing the idea of thriller and also that the story could be something to do with the police or a detective story. The dirty/bloody hands in the picture also emphasis an idea of horror suggesting the character is a murder or something perhaps.

I didnt completely analyze the title sequence but i did analyze a fair amount, which gave me a very good idea of what a title sequence should be like, and all the connotations and conventions that were in 'Se7en''s as well. It also gave me a better idea of what we should do in our own.

Below i will state my notes on it -

. Music starts (abstract)  begins straight away
.Book unfolds slowly.
.Production company name appears in sharp white font (4 seconds in) font distorts and 5 seconds in it blurs.
.Writing of Chalk board writing  distorts and mirrors. It then goes back to normal and to a black screen.
.Low key lighting (shadows)
.Graph paper with two sketchs of comparisons of disgruntled hands.
.Film creator's name blurs over this and fades as shadow moves across the screen.
.Blooded hands (dirty nails) working with machinery then cuts fingers (draws blood)
.another actor's name appears in the same font then fades to black.
.Green liquid with "D3-15" in black marker on it, possibly poisonous
.Same hand holding a razor examing a metal object with writing on it.
.Another actors name appears in the same font.
.Tea bag put into water.
.Picture flashes up of a disfiguerd man (autopsy like) then cuts to tea bag again.
.Production name appears then greatly blurs.
.Document is opened by some one and the blooded hand writres on it.
. Supporting actors appear in a similar font with no black background.
.Upside down disstorted writing.
.Red transparent photo of an odd looking person is shown, then white scratches appear.
.More characters names appear
.Negative film slips being cut
.Book cut up
.Covers fingers and puts sellotape on something
. Variety of newspaper,documents and baby photos cut up
.Dollar bills cut up
.More names appear in similar font
.Picture of disfigured man in water (red room)
.Pages unfolded
.Crossing out words in a document