Analysis of opening title sequences 1

This is the original Opening title sequence of the series 4 of American Horror Story. I chose these opening titles as it is similar to those used in Film Noir. For example, the use of shadow and lighting displays the sense of danger that is typically displayed within Noir films. It also includes the use of camera and composition with techniques such as canted angles that is associated with disorientation. Again this is commonly used in Noir films, mainly by the use of mirrors. Therefore I found this Title to be appropriate to analyse and deconstruct. This knowledge will later relate to my future Noir opening titles and will apply to conventions that are used in title sequences similar to my genre.

      

TV title: American Horror Story Freak show

Date of Release: October 8th 2014

Production Companies:
Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision
Ryan Murphy Productions
20th Century Fox Television

Distributioners: 

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

The opening sequences are 1 minute 5 seconds long in length, made up of disjointed shots of characters and location. It also features white font type of actors such as Sarah Paulson over the top of stop motion animation and CGI (Computer Generated Imagery . However, the first queued titles of the opening 'American Horror Story' is written in black. This could be used to emphasise the name of the series or to make the title stand out against the background. The most important companies such as FX are presented first before the actors again showing the importance of it and who it was brought to you by.

As mentioned, the way that the opening flows is very disjointed. This could symbolise the theme of freak show as it gives the effect of being viewed by a kinetoscope typically found in shows and performances such as circuses and freak shows. This opening also involves a lot of symbolic iconography which relates to both the theme of freak show and the genre such as clowns displaying fear and horror and the use of broken toys like the dolls. The music in the title remains intact albeit with an added carnival-like soundscape created by a metallic rhythmic instrument. This is very horror based giving the audiance a foreboding effect and drawing them into the title sequence

Throughout the title sequences vague hints of important plot elements and events that compose the season. However it does not include the characters used but gives hint as to who is in the series. For example two bodies skeleton relates to the characters that are in the series (Dot and Betty the two headed girls). It does not reveal much of series but includes features that are related to the theme of the program such as the characters and props - spinning wheel foreshadowing the future episode involving this prop 

Noir Photo shoot

As part of our film noir project, we did a photo shoot in the style of a noir genre, rewritten fairy tale or film. I was part of Adam and Harley's shoot in the style of The Three Little pigs . Here are a few examples of photos we have done.

What is the 180° rule?

The 180° rule is a basic guideline regarding the regarding the on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character or object within a scene. The camera itself generally stays on one side of the axis of action but occasionally can be used in the middle of the opposing angle. 

Continuity Task

We were set a continuity task to record a short clip with the following;

• A Person opening a door, turning the handle and walking into a room in three different shots. 
• A conversation. 
• Pulling out a chair and sitting down. 
• Not breaking the 180° rule. 
• Shot reverse shot. 
• An action match. 

We made our clip a Noir genre using a black and white filter, Royalty free music and a voice over.
This was used this to practice including specific features and practice continuity. The 180° rule also helped to maintain continuity by ensuring that the actors didn't move within frames. We used this to convert the traditional noir story into a short clip. our shot reverse shot editing technique was used to to show a connection between the characters and an action match on myself when opening and closing the door.

Continuity task from lilypotterxo on Vimeo.

The British Board of Film Classification

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), also known as the British Board of Film Censorship, is a non-governmental organisation, founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films within the United Kingdom who are funded by fees charged for those who submit films and video works for classification.

They classify films, trailers and advertisements on behalf of local authorities who licence cinemas. Their Classification Guidelines follow extensive public consultation, in order to practice applying and pay attention to changes in public's taste, attitudes, concerns and changes in the law to apply age ratings to the above.

The main roles in which the BBFC aim to achieve are, to protect children and vulnerable adults from potentially harmful or otherwise unsuitable media content and to empower consumers, particularly parents and those with responsibilities for children, to make informed viewing decisions.

When taking films into consideration, there are a number of general factors that the BBFC have to refer to when making a classification decision:

Context - The contexts is central to the question of acceptability of film and video content; taking account of issues such as public expectations of a work's audience in particular. The issue of sex, language or violence is presented within a film or video and depending on how strongly each topic is applied a classification is then applied.

Theme - the theme of a work will also be taken into consideration, but will depend significantly on the treatment of the theme and the sensitivity of its presentation. The most challenging themes such as drug misuse, sexual violence, racial hatred or violence are unlikely to be appropriate at the most junior levels of classification.

Tone and Impact - The overall tone of a work may also affect the classification decision. While the presentation of specific issues such as sex and violence may not be problematic at a particular category, a work with a dark or unsettling tone may receive a higher classification.

Discrimination - Potentially offensive content relation to matters such as race, gender, religion, disability or sexuality may arise in a wide range of works, and the classification decision will take account of the strength or impact of their conclusion of which the context of the content which may appear also to have a bearing.

Drugs - No work taken as a whole may promote the misuse of drugs and any detailed portrayal of drug misuse likely to promote the activity.

Works which normalise or glamorise drug misuse are likely to receive a higher classification than works which show drug misuse while emphasising the dangers.

Imitable Behaviour - Any detailed portrayal or criminal and violent techniques, and glamorise of easily accessible weapons, such as knives. Works which portray anti-social behaviour such as bullying and likely to receive a higher classification.

Sex- The portrayal of sexual activity can range from kissing to detail of unstimulated sex. Sex works will normally only be passes at the adult categories. However those which only contain sex will be passed at 18.