Title Research Split

For my second title research movie I decided to go with the M. Night Shyamalan movie Split. The first of the movie series which includes "Glass" as its sequel. Through looking at some other horror movies and ones that came up when I searched Get Out Art of the Titles provided me with the title sequencing and intro of this movie. Art of the Titles is strictly based on showing just the openings of movies and for this movie it was about one and a half minutes long. 

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
The opening minute and a half  of this movie included twenty two different opening titles including that of producers, actors, music supervisors and more.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

Unlike that of Get Out, this intro was rather short and didn't focus mainly o and clear aspects, more motion (as in walking) features through a hallway. If anything the most prominent and most repeated feature was that of a black screen to project names, producers, directors, casting agents, music supervisors etc. There was another scene that was repeated which was the walking and, as if someone was looking up at lights, in a dark/ gloomy hallway at a hospital or underground tunnel/ basement.

What Connotations do these images carry?

The main connotation I got from this was soothing rather literal as it was shown through the opening. What I had seen and what was "given" to me was a girl almost as if she was knocked out on a d=bed or a stretcher being rolled through a hospital hallway. It seems as thought that person taking her had bad intentions because through the haziness you could tell the person wasn't wearing typical nurse/ hospital attire. The end of the opening also shows her waking up laying down and seeming lost as if she was taken there against her will. The very beginning also shows a man with a mask over his face reaching to to grab someone in the passenger seat of his car. This helped me to understand that it was most likely the girl being taken in the bed and waking up in a mysterious place.

How is the Genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
For one the dark and gloomy almost orange yellowy lighting suggest a feeling of danger and misery or sadness. Not the bright happy colors you would typically see if something good is going to happen. As well as the music in the background is very high pitched and solemn. The music is also echo in a sense as if it was to never go away. This alludes and introduces a type of queasy feeling viewers are going to get watching this movie. The intricate expression of sounds also alludes to complete silence and quietness. The wheels of the stretcher going along the ground and the heavy breathing for the person moving the stretcher.

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

Again, the dark and gloomy almost orange yellowy lighting suggest a feeling of danger and misery or sadness. Not the bright happy colors you would typically see if something good is going to happen. Some mysterious questioning aspects begin the the first seconds of the movie when a character seems to strangle or grab someone agains their wishes. This scene then cuts to a blanc screen beginning to introduce movie studios etc. leaving the viewer confused as to what had just happened. Also the fact that the end of the opening sequence is the a girl waking up in a. mysterious, rather dark room, opening her eyes slowly as if she didn't know or feel that she was asleep, or possibly knocked out. The girl seemed extremely confused and at a loss of memory looking around trying to figure out where she was and how she had got there.

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

It keeps with the theme of what genre the movie is which falls into a more horror/thriller aspect. Things that are mysterious, scary, out of the ordinary, and sometimes on events or people you are typically wanted to stay away form during your years of childhood and development. The opening sequence of the movie does a very goos job and contrasting and falling into many of those things as it is something that in rather out of the ordinary. A girl being attacked, knocked out, and taken on a stretcher into a place that set not familiar with by a person she doesn't know is a min aspect of making this movie mysterious and enticing the viewer within the first few minutes.

How was technology been used effectively?
The use of camera movements helps to really portray what happening to the person who the camera is focusing on. For example, the very beginning is a POV shot of someone sitting in the passenger seat of a car looking over to see someone launch at their face. The camera does a good job of portraying that speed the head as it movies and it's backing away as the character comes closer. As well as some low angle shots when the girl in on the stretcher being dragged. These shots show the person behind her pulling the stretcher taking it "farther into the darkness'. This does a good job and showing the power and authority this taller figure has and how they have the control in this situation.