Opening Credits and Title Sequence (in relation to films)

In Films, the 'Opening Credits' are shown at the very beginning. The credits are a list of the most important members of the production, the purpose of this is to commend the people involved in the film visually for the viewers to see. 

However, a 'Title Sequence' is a sequence which is separated from the main action of the film for example in 'True Blood'.






Many films have used opening credits, but one great film which has clearly demonstrated this is 'Superman', this is shown below:


A 'cold opening' is another form of sequence where the film doesn't have an opening credit.

An 'Opening title sequence' is when both the opening credits and the title sequence are both incorporated into the beginning of the film.

Sometimes film break the normal conventions of a traditional opening for a more elaborate abstract title sequence.

In an opening sequence different editing techniques, sound techniques and animations can be used. For example, sometimes non traditional transitions such as wipe are used in opening sequences but not in the film itself. Diegetic and Non-Diegetic sound is tend to be used along with soundtracks or the theme tune which we associate with that film or series with, for example 'Star Wars'.

The film opening is very important because it sets the scene and shows the viewer where the it is based and what roughly is going on in the movie or what happened in the past and how we got to where we are now. An establishing shot presents to viewers the setting of the film.