Producing a Credit Scene

I decided to produce a film about a runner’s life and the physical/mental struggles that come with the sport. In drama films, credits are integrated into the opening very subtly, without hindering the plot, as I mentioned in previous blogs. That being said, I plan on to include the credits into matching with the visuals and whole narrative of the scene.  

One way I want to merge the credits in is by close up shots of the actor’s feet bouncing off the ground as he runs, making the credits appear beside the legs or on the pavement. Avoiding bold credits will create a emotional and serious tone, allowing room for the audience to focus mainly on the runner’s conflicted journey and struggles. 

I began to research three well-known, iconic opening credit scenes that apply to the drama genre which will guide me into the right direction and influence me majorly.  

I first desired to analyze: Catch Me If You Can (2002). The opening title sequence is playful, animated, and unique, demonstrating Frank Abagnale Jr. traveling across a map-like atmosphere. The background jazz music by John Williams gives a sense of cleverness, and the neat, subtle font allows for the visuals to mainly tell the story. This type of sequence showed me how to integrate a character without revealing action, just by visuals and music. This shaped my idea to use objects or movements (footsteps) in the space to mention the persona of my character before the story begins. 

My second influence is the Graduate (1967), while Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” plays, the credits overlay over blank visuals. The quiet, sophisticated motif constructs a slight gloomy tone, contrasting the character’s ambiguity. I strive for the way simple music can make the audience sense the feeling of the emotional theme instantly. For my credit scene, I’m going to experiment with a deep and faint background music and pacing for the viewers to connect emotionally to the character(s), before conflict. 

Finally, the movie Se7en (1995) introduces deep, dark, gritting visuals featuring distorted text and eerie music by Nine Inch Nails. This is a perfect example of how the font of the text, illustrations, and sound can disseminate tone and emotion before any actors appear in the picture. The opening immediately conveys a tense factor, foreshadowing the film’s theme.  

Overall, researching many credit sequences aided me to realize how much the opening can do to set a tone for the film and suggest the characters personality. This inspires me to use objects or props in the space, music that creates a sentimental pitch, and a font that matches with what I’m trying to reveal. My goal is to produce a credit sequence that feels realistic and natural for connection with the viewers. 

Catch me if you can. Catch Me If You Can │ Exclaim! (n.d.). https://exclaim.ca/film/article/catch_me_if_you_can-steven_spielberg