Research into Coming of Age films

Famous Opening Sequences:

Almost Famous

Opening sequence - These are the production companies and the names:

• Columbia Pictures
• DreamWorks Pictures
• A Vinyl Films Production of
• A Cameron Crowe Film
• Untitled
• Billy Crudup
• Frances McDormand
• Kate Hudson
• Jason Lee
• Patrick Fuqit
• Anna Paquin
• Fairuza Balk
• Noah Taylor
• Zooey Deschanel
• Jimmy Fallon
• Bijou Phillips
• and Philip Seymour Hoffman

The first text was large, white coloured and centred on the screen. The rest of the texts was shown close-up and handwritten on a lined paper.

Camera

Close up shots showing someone hands writing the names. After the production name has been written, the camera shots a drawer being opened; the drawer were full of stuff like books and miscellaneous, which suggest that the character is a teenager. In between names, the camera show close up – moving shots showing several of personal stuff and collection. The writing and the books indicates that the character is a writer or a journalist.

Sound

Diegetic sound from the hand writing names and background noise of a non-diegetic sound; a simple, calm, fun music, which suggest that it’s not a very serious film and it was aimed for any age.

Boyhood

Opening sequence – These are the production companies and the names:

• IFC Production Present
• A Detour Filmproduction
• Boyhood

Camera

Black screen at the start, and it starts to show a blue sky. In the middle of the sky background, there’s an animation of writing the production company, followed by the title. The camera then shot a boy starring to the sky, which suggest that he’s daydreaming – the shots starts from up close shot and slowly zooming out. And it changed to shot the mother –moving shot, and shots both of them having a conversation – still a moving shot from the right side. After that, the camera shots both of them from the right in a moving car having a conversation.

Sound

It start off with a non-diegetic sound of a song called ‘Yellow’, and it starts to fade away after a diegetic sound of walking heels starts, followed by the conversation. The music fades/stops when the scene changes to both having conversation in the car.

My Girl

Opening sequence – These are the production companies and the names:

• Columbia Pictures Presents
• A Brian Grazer/Imagine Films Entertainment Production
• A Howard Zieff Film
• Dan Aykroyd
• Jamie Lee Curtis
•  Macaulay Culkin
• Introducing Anna Chlumsky
•  My Girl

Camera

Start off with a full screen Columbia Pictures. Next, it shows a black background, with a large font white coloured text of the production company names. Followed by the actor’s names – in a large font and white colour. After the names, the camera shots this girl’s head from the front. Nd it chang to a more wide shot, showing the girl and the father in the kitchen. The last, it shows the title in the same large font in white black background.

Sound

Non-diegetic sound of a light, peaceful music throughout the names introduction. Next, diegetic sound of the girl talking to the audience and when the camera shots both of them; the father and the girl talked to each other. This suggest that the film was aimed for family and children.

  

Dazed and Confused

Opening sequence – These are the production companies and the names:

• Gramercy Pictures
• Gramercy Pictures Presents
• An Alphaville Production in association With Detour Filmproduction
• Dazed and Confused
• Casting by Don Phillips
• Costume Designer Katherine (K.D.) Dover
• Editor Sandra Adair
• Production design John Frick
• Director of Photography Lee Daniel
• Co-producer Anne Walker-McBay
• Produced by James Jacks, Sean Daniel, Richard Linklater

Camera

First, it shows an animation of Gramercy Pictures, followed by a medium font, white text of the production name at the centre of the screen. Next, the camera shots this moving yellow car from a distance and follows it. Then it changes to show the bottom part of a woman’s face, licking a paper roll, and changes the view again – from behind, to show the girl’s hands rolling the paper roll.

                  That suggest, this film was not aimed at children, but young adults and adults. The camera then shows short clips of school environment.

Sound

A non-diegetic sound of a rock music throughout the opening sequence. In the middle of it, there are some diegetic sound of people doing their things.

Clueless

Opening sequence – These are the production companies and the names:

• Paramount
• Paramount Pictures Presents
• Clueless

Camera

It starts with an animation of Paramount Pictures, and it changes to this un-matched colour background with the production name in the middle, followed by the title with the un-matched colour choice, which indicates some sort of confusion. The camera then shots a panning shot of the car from above, changes to show the main character’s life – having so much fun. Then the camera follows her around, showing what she’s doing.

Sound

Non-diegetic sound of a music called ‘kids in America’ and in some parts, as the volume of the music is reduced, there are some diegetic sounds of people laughing, followed by a non-diegetic sound of the main character talking. Near the end, diegetic sound of a conversation between the father and the girl.

An Education

Opening sequence – These are the production companies and the names:

• BBC Films Presents
• A Finola Dwyer Productions/Wildgaze Films production
• In association with Endgame Entertainment
• A film by Lone Scherfig
• Peter Sarsgaard
• Alfred Molina
• Rosamund Pike
• Dominic Cooper
• Olivia Williams
• Cara Seymour, Sally Hawkins
• Ellie Kendrick, Amanda Fairbank-Hynes, Matthew Beard
• Emma Thompson
• Carey Mulligan as Jenny
• An Education
• Casting Director Lucy Bevan
• Line Producer Caroline Levy
• Music Supervisor Kle Savidge
• Make-up & Hair Designer Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
• Costume Designer Odile Dicks-Mireaux
• Music by Paul Englishby
• Editor Barney Pilling
• Production Designer Andrew McAlpine
• Director of Photography John De Borman BSC
• Executive producers; James D. Stern, Douglas E. Hansen, Wendy Japhet
• Executive producers; David M. Thompson, Jamie Laurenson, Nick Hornby
• Based on a memoir by Lynn Barber
• Screenplay by Nick Hornby
• Produced by Finola Dwyer & Amanda Posey
• Directed by Lone Scherfig 

Camera

On the screen, it shows a black background and an animation showing what looks like ‘subjects’ that are taught at school and some other school-play activities. And after a while, it shows clips of the students activities while at school.

Sound

Non-diegetic sound of fun music throughout the opening which suggest that this film was aimed for children, family or any age.

Submarine

Opening sequence – These are the production companies and the names:

• 4 Film
• UK Film Council, The National Lottery
• Film 4 and the UK Film Council Present
• In Association with The Wales Creative IP Fund and The Film Agency Wales
• In association with Optimum Releasing and Protagonist Pictures
• In Association with Red Hour Films
• A Warp Film Production
• Submarine
• Prologue  

Camera

Start off with 4 Film animation and followed by the UK FILM | COUNCIL animation. It then changed to a blue background with a large spacey white text of the production companies’ names. After the text the camera shots a panning shot, in the bedroom. In the middle of the panning shot, there are some text (the production company names). After the panning shot, it shows pretty views of the seaside and the title was shown in a large white text – with a background of the ocean.

Sound

Just a non-diegetic sounds from 4 Film at the start. And a diegetic sound of seagulls, followed by another non-diegetic sound of a boy talking in the background. After he stopped talking, a non-diegetic sound of a calm music.

                  This suggest that it aimed at teenagers or family, and the film might a sad film.

Stand By Me

Opening sequence – These are the production companies and the names:

• Columbia Pictures presents
• Stand By Me 

Camera

Starts with a black background and white large text of the production company names, followed by the title in the centre of the screen. Next, the camera shots a long distance shot of a car, and get close and changes the point of view to showing a man in the driving seat. The camera then show a glimpse of a close up look at a newspaper, and back to the man. After that, the camera zooms in to the man’s face slowly, and changes the image to a close up shot of a boy taking a magazine. The camera changes the view again to shoot a boy coming out from a building – camera took panning shots.

Sound

Silence at the start, and a diegetic sound of chirping bird’s starts, followed by a non-diegetic of calm, peaceful music plays throughout the opening; and fades. And as the music fades, another non-diegetic sound of a man talking in the background starts.

Garden State

Opening sequence – These are the production companies and the names:

• A Jersey Films/Double Feature Films Production

Camera

A back background with a white medium text of the production name at the starts. Followed by a moving shot of an intense moments of an airplane that looks like having a major problem and about to have an accident – in slow motion. After that, it changes to showing a white bedroom, with a man lying in bed – looks like he’s having trouble sleeping.

                  This suggest that his film wasn’t aimed for children.

Sound

A non-diegetic sound of people talking and in radio, followed by a non-English music – quite dramatic, which makes the audience think that it’s going to end badly at the beginning. After, a diegetic sound of a ringing phone sound and there’s an old man talking on the phone.



What I have learnt

During this task, I have learnt how the structure of an opening sequence is structured. It always starts with the name of the production company, followed by the names and so on; sometimes they don't include the names. I have also learnt that, different shots angle, lighting, sounds can effect an opening sequence. How it can give the audience different feelings or can give them an idea of what the film is going to be; sometimes it can confuse the audience as well.