Title Research: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

1. What titles are displayed during the opening sequences? 

During the opening scene, the title of the movie fades in and then flashes out of the screen. The names of the film director, the people who did the screenplay, and the screen story were shown after the movie title. Then the series which the movie was based on and the creator appeared quickly after. Next were the names of the co-producers, executive producers, photography director, the production designer, the costume designer, the editor, and the music supervisors. Following the people involved in the production, were the names of the actors in the movie. Shown alone was the name of the person who picked out the actors. This is the first opening sequence I saw where the casting director was not on the list of the other people involved in the making of the film. The parent company, CBS Films, and the subsidiary company, Entertainment One were displayed on the screen together. Rolling Hills, Starlight, A Hivemind /1212 Entertainment, and Double Dare You were the production companies in association with the film and were shown directly after the other companies. 

2. What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

Since the opening sequence does not show any of the setting or characters, no images are prioritized within it. The only thing which is displayed throughout it is a visual animation that has the characteristics of a forest. The forest is bright red in color while the surroundings are in black. 

3. What connotations do these images carry? 

The visual carries a negative connotation since it gives off a dark, spooky, and eerie vibe.

4. How does the film establish a feeling of the genre from the outset? 

The film establishes a feeling of the genre from the outset by utilizing the colors red and black. These colors are both powerful and represent things that are known to be scary. A few examples of these would include vampires, demons, the devil, and hell. This can cause people to already be fearful when they see this color combination. The color red is usually associated with anger, passion, or danger. The color black represents darkness, evil, and despair. By combining red and black together, the film successfully established a dark and tension-filled mood.  

5. What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? 

The strategy that was used to ensure the film appeals to the target audience would be the incidental music. Since the opening sequence does not include any information regarding the storyline, the mysterious music is one of the features which could reach a particular audience. This sound was important because it helped grabbed the attention of the audience and created a dramatic atmosphere for what is to come in the movie. 

6. How has technology been used effectively? 

Technology has been used effectively in regards to the visual animation used throughout the duration of the opening sequence. This visual created a suspenseful mood without even giving any hints toward the plot of the storyline. I think that utilizing technology in this way was advantageous, successful, and unique. This was the first time throughout my research that an opening sequence did not show the characters or the setting. It was very different to observe but nice since the audience was able to focus more on the titles in the sequence. 

Website: Art of the Title