Opening Credit Analysis

    Opening credits are a very interesting and important part of films, because it lists components such as the title of the film, the production company, and other influential members of the production, some examples being the lead cast, supporting cast, casting director, costume designer, and more. The opening credits are a significant part of a film, as it introduces the film to the audience for the first time. A good opening credit scene contains an interesting appearance, mainly one that relates to the film and what it's about. Opening credits are also made to contribute to the overall mood/feeling of the film, connecting with the emotions of the audience. I personally love watching good opening credits, as the combination of the music used visuals used is very interesting to me. I will be analyzing five different opening credit analysis from different genres of film, and the unique elements of each. 

1. Money Heist (La Casa De Papel)

The first opening credit that I chose for this blogpost was from the show Money Heist on Netflix. At first glance, the intro of the show seems to just be a showcase of a building, which the audience will later learn is the Bank of Spain. However, when looking closer at smaller details that the opening credit shows, it is clear that it was made to enlighten the audience on important elements of the show that become significant later on. If and when the audience looks deeper into the elements of the opening credit, they will be able to gather a feel for the mood of the show and learn more about it. The intro starts by "uncovering" the Bank of Spain, taking the audience through each corridor of the building. The cast's names are shown in red with a more bold font, showing more of a dangerous, violent, powerful feeling. As more of the building is shown, the audience can see what seems to be blueprints projected against the floors and walls of the building. As the show is about a heist, it makes sense that the director would include blueprints showing possible data, weapons, plans, routes, and more that may be revealed later on in the show. Another important scene in the opening credit is at 0:35, where mugshots can be seen being crossed out and more. These elements add onto the overall mood and feeling that the intro conveys, showing to the audience what the show is about. One of the most interesting parts of the intro to me is that the same rooms and areas of the bank that are shown are also the same rooms that are used in the show, conveying connection between the opening credit and the show itself. This opening credit does a great job at exhibiting the atmosphere that the show has. 

2. Greys Anatomy

Another opening credit that I chose to analyze is from the show Grey's Anatomy. This show's opening credit is very popular, and both the intro and song is well-known. The most interesting component of this opening credit scene is the constant use of match cuts to show contrast in the atmosphere of the show. This opening credit interchanges between a more hospital, work-like feeling to a more romantic, feminine, social feeling. An example of this contrast would be the change from showing surgical tools being laid out onto a table, transitioning to a women curling her eyelashes. These two clips clearly do not coincide, and this contrast can help show the audience that the show is both about a hospital environment and romance elements that may come alongside with it. This opening credit also uses multiple match cuts to emphasize contrast. The first match cut is when a woman's dress being zipped up is shown, and then the scene changes to a scrub being tied. Additionally, the second match cut shown in the opening credit is an IV bag dripping liquid switching into a scene showing a drink being poured into a glass. There are many different examples of contrast that are shown in the intro that show the balance that the show has with the two different ambiances that it embodies. 

3. The Big Bang Theory

The opening credit for Big Bang Theory is very different in contrast to the other examples that I chose to show. Unlike the other options, this opening credit is very fast and simple, and doesn't use many deep or hard to find elements, as the feeling and mood is more direct. Right off the bat, the "I" in Big is shown as an atom, already giving off a more scientific vibe to the show. The intro itself focuses on a timeline of events from "1 Billion Years BC" to "2020", highlighting different moments from these different times in the world, showing everything since "the Big Bang". The slide show of these events give of a historic and scientific vibe, which matches the show's overall character. Towards the end of the intro, we see a group of characters sitting together having a more casual get-together, showing a more social, sit-com vibe to the show as well. The opening credit of the show ties together the overall mood of the show, emphasizing that it is more of a casual, humorous, light-hearted tone that the audience can enjoy and laugh with, while also understanding that there is more of a scientific side to it. 

4. Black Widow

The Black Widow intro is one of the longest opening credits that I have ever personally watched, however I believe that Marvel did a fantastic job at compiling different elements and sections fo film to create an introduction to the movie that the audience can both understand and enjoy. For starters, the opening credit uses a lot of slow motion and elliptical editing to create a story that the audience can see and begin to understand. The opening credit includes dialogue between some of the major characters, shining light on them and their possible importance in the film. The use of dim lighting and high contrast with a mix of slow motion techniques allowed the intro to gain a more serious, dangerous, and hectic tone to it, allowing the audience to feel what the characters were feeling in these scenes, allowing the audience to further connect with the film. Without describing what is happening word for word, this opening credit does a great job at giving backstory to the film that the audience is about to watch, sharing a story through camera angles and acting. The opening credit also uses lots of dynamic editing to give it a more hasty and fast-paced feeling, allowing for the audience to be more engaged with the film and what is to come. The music chosen for this opening credit also is very well chosen, as both the lyrics and the beat of the song goes hand in hand with the shots being shown. The text is also shown in a more tech-like, futuristic way. 

5. Stranger Things

Stranger Things is a very popular TV show on Netflix, and regardless of its immense popularity, the opening credit is fairly simple and to the point at first glance, not including any names or mentions and strictly just stating the title of the film in an innovative way. The music of this opening credit has a huge impact on the overall vibe of the intro, as the music gives the intro a more eerie and mysterious feeling, which matches the show's overall vibe. The main component of this opening credit, however, is the font and color used when showing the title. The title is shown through large, bolded letters that are accompanied by a deep, dark red color with a glow. This creates an ominous feeling, as the combination of the music and the colors used in the misc en scene show the audience the overall tone of the show. The words in the intro also move in a very slow paced manner, and some clips dissolve into others to emphasize the feeling desired to be created.