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Indie Film Opening Titles Are The Worst In Film

Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC

Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC

If you follow Sheri Chandler on Google Plus and LinkedIn, today she made an interesting post about Indie Filmmakers have the worst opening titles of anyone. They neither understand the importance nor take the time to make attractive opening titles.

Reading posts of some of the people here on their attitudes on opening titles just because some film festivals may not understand the importance as well is something that needs to be corrected.

Two of my former colleagues who made a film that I was an associate producer on made a 16 mm black and white film that won nothing in film festivals got them a lot of work making opening titles for other productions for several years after their film was seen in festivals.

So, let's stop this nonsense that opening titles aren't important. They are. They may not be important to film festivals. But, they are important to money people.

Every now and then, I get emails from TV Networks with job openings for editors and visual effects artists who can make titles that can "Wow" a network.

Don't put people down here who are interested in making opening titles that are great. Encourage them instead to make something spectacular.
 
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Do you mean opening titles, or do you mean their ProdCo logo?

I've never seen a post on Indietalk says that opening titles don't matter - although it's obviously an artistic choice as to whether you go with big, splashy opening titles rather than either discreet text or no titles at all. Clearly there are a lot of films for whom a big opening titles sequences would be tonally and stylistically wrong.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
Reading posts of some of the people here on their attitudes on opening titles just because some film festivals may not understand the importance as well is something that needs to be corrected.
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You are making the classic straw man argument. You set up a non
existent issue than then you tell people to stop putting people down.
No one here on intietalk has ever put anyone down who has expressed
interest in making opening titles great. Never.

Many people (including me) have suggested to the makers of short
films that they not spend 15/20% of their running time on opening
titles listing name after name of people no one knows. Many people
(including me) have suggested to the makers of short films that if they
feel they need to have all the credits up front that make the title sequence
interesting.

You say you have read posts of some of the people here who have put
down people interested in making interesting titles sequences. Can you
link to more than one?
 
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Now that someone has provided me with the forum, I can say what I really believe..

Opening titles suck. They are pretentious and time wasting. I hate them in ANY FORM!


I put them in my first serious attempt at a short film, and I feel like an idiot for it! Though, they did come out awesome.
 
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wheatgrinder said:
Now that someone has provided me with the forum, I can say what I really believe..

Opening titles suck. They are pretentious and time wasting. I hate them in ANY FORM!


I put them in my first serious attempt at a short film, and I feel like an idiot for it! Though, they did come out awesome.
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I agree. I think an opening title sequence in a short film is unnecessary. Too many times, you'll end up losing the audience's attention before you've sucked them in.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
Need I say more from the last two posts?

If nothing more, an artistic animated opening title and animated logo can get you work with the money people.

Every part of even a short film is important. Nothing should be overlooked.
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Whats wrong with putting this info at the end of a film instead ?
I don't have a logo or even a production company name
 
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For my feature, the only opening title was the name of the movie, which came after the opening scene.
We put everything else at the end, because we thought (and I still think) that the most important thing was to get right into the story.
 
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The reason they generally suck is that it's an entire discipline in and of itself. To do them well you need someone skilled in motionography, often working in conjunction with an experienced graphic designer. These people obsess over fonts the way people here obsess over camera technology. If you're trying to do them yourself and you don't have that kind of background they're not going to look that great, which is a significant problem if they're the very first thing your audience is going to see on screen - you'd probably be better off without them at all.
 
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Short films don't need opening titles at the beginning, unless they are an essential part of the story... ever. Grab them immediately with a story, then keep them watching until your hopefully short ending credits. As far as features go, I think the same applies unless you have some great Seven/Catch Me if You Can magic up your sleeve.
 
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ChimpPhobiaFilms said:
Short films don't need opening titles at the beginning, unless they are an essential part of the story... ever. Grab them immediately with a story, then keep them watching until your hopefully short ending credits. As far as features go, I think the same applies unless you have some great Seven/Catch Me if You Can magic up your sleeve.
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Also when it comes to shorts, no one really cares which No-Name actors are being billed as the leads.
 
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ItDonnedOnMe said:
The reason they generally suck is that it's an entire discipline in and of itself. To do them well you need someone skilled in motionography, often working in conjunction with an experienced graphic designer. These people obsess over fonts the way people here obsess over camera technology. If you're trying to do them yourself and you don't have that kind of background they're not going to look that great, which is a significant problem if they're the very first thing your audience is going to see on screen - you'd probably be better off without them at all.
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Exactly! One of my friends who caught the eyes of money people has his degrees as a graphic designer.

These two guys had years of work designing animated titles afterwards, until they got tired of it and stopped doing it to pursue other interests.

Good logos and animated titles happen to be considered part of a corporation's identity. I know this from working for a global corporation for a long time. That is why they are willing to pay millions for a good logo and title. That is why TV studios are looking for editors and visual effects people who can wow them.

Again, don't overlook the importance of a good title and logo.
 
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ChimpPhobiaFilms said:
Short films don't need opening titles at the beginning, unless they are an essential part of the story... ever. Grab them immediately with a story, then keep them watching until your hopefully short ending credits. As far as features go, I think the same applies unless you have some great Seven/Catch Me if You Can magic up your sleeve.
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I have first hand experiance with this one. Shorts just put the Title up front if needed, everything else at the end.
 
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It's time to learn to work them into the production design to make them part of the look of the film. A good title should work with the whole look of the film. The logo should represent your production company's identity.
 
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Good logos and animated titles happen to be considered part of a corporation's identity. I know this from working for a global corporation for a long time. That is why they are willing to pay millions for a good logo and title. That is why TV studios are looking for editors and visual effects people who can wow them.

Again, don't overlook the importance of a good title and logo.
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You're really working under the whole "Production Value" banner. Production value is often a matter of opinion where on the totum pole its value really is... and what resources you have available to you.

Some productions don't like to use titles up front, others do. Does that make one right and the other wrong?

When used right, and in the right place, for the right story, under the right circumstance, you're correct, great looking titles can enhance some films. It doesn't matter how nice the titles look, if they're wrong, inappropriate, they're going to do more harm than good.

There are lots of focuses and areas of specialty in film. This is just one piece of the puzzle. I'd personally rather have a great story than great titles... You may have a different opinion of what is more important.
 
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I'm with MDM on this one, on both of his points!

First, yes there seems to be an anti-opening-titles sentiment on this forum, as evidenced in this thread. That's fine, you're welcome to your opinions.

Second, I'm an ardent believer in opening title sequences, when appropriate (and that obviously means different things to different people). I LOVE opening title sequences!

For me, though I'm sure there are many reasons to use them, my main intention is to use it to set a mood. Foreshadowing can be a nice thing, as well.

I don't think it's even slightly pretentious. Furthermore, with my debut feature, I get all sorts of compliments and constructive criticisms. I've made enough films that I think I've become pretty good at sorting through the compliments that are sincere vs those that are just polite. And you know what? A lot of people really love Antihero's opening title sequence. As they should, because it's awesome, and it serves a purpose! :D

Again, I don't mind that people might disagree with that. This world would be a boring place if we agreed on everything. But I, for one, keep finding myself begrudging Hollywood for eschewing the opening title sequence. Most recently, Cap 2 has a BADASS title sequence. But it comes at the end of the movie. WTF?! It so should've opened the movie (
right after the pirate-hostage-rescue
).

Confession: I haven't even written my next feature script, but I'm already considering the opening titles.
 
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In the restaurant biz, there is a clear difference between people who eat out, and those who dine.

Those who eat out sit down, perfunctorily choose an entree and a drink, maybe they'll get a first course, maybe not. Regardless, they progress through each step of the process damn-near as fast as possible. Sit, order, eat, leave.

Those who dine take a more relaxed approach. Before they even think about food, they want an appertif (a cocktail that is specifically designed to make them hungry). Only after they've had time to enjoy their drink do they even look at the menu. Before entrees, they absolutely must have a first (and maybe second course). They appreciate taking each step of the process on its own, and don't feel rushed to get to the end.

Between people who eat out and people who dine, there is no question that the people who dine enjoy themselves more.

In the restaurant biz, the customer chooses how their experience unfolds. In filmmaking, it is the chef who decides. The opening title sequence is the appertif, and chef Joseph feels no shame in forcing my customers to dine, not just eat out.

:D
 
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Cracker Funk said:
In the restaurant biz, the customer chooses how their experience unfolds. In filmmaking, it is the chef who decides. The opening title sequence is the appertif, and chef Joseph feels no shame in forcing my customers to dine, not just eat out.

:D
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actually no, it's called fast forward.
and i use it liberally with opening credits

and since i no longer go to the theatre, it's not an issue for me there either.
 
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