Title sequences

Dexter

What titles are shown?
- The main title, production and actors are shown through this title sequence.



How do the titles fit in the narrative?
- The title is simply the name of the person being shown throughout, it is shown on a kind of fabric canvas where it shows the red title on its complementary white background- it therefore stands out a lot. The use of a blood like smudge effect fits the narrative perfectly as it is about crime and murder in which blood splatters relate such as a crime scene would show.



How is typography used?
- The typography for 'Dexter' is shown again as a kind of blood splatter effect, as if it is on a piece of fabric that is smudged, this connotes such things as murder and crime and relates a lot to the narrative.

How is camerawork, editing, sound and mise en scene used in the title sequence?
- The camera shots are mainly close ups and extreme close ups, this adds a sense of mystery as it leads up to showing the actual character. It also adds tension, relating to a thriller genre through it's carefully framed shots, showing little of the character 'Dexter'. The editing used is mostly simple jump cuts, these cuts are quite quick, causing the shots to be quite jarred, leading to depictions of chaos and danger. The sound used throughout is non diegetic, the music is quite mysterious but yet mischievous, again relating to a investigation kind of depiction but with an oddity, makes the audience feel that something is not right. The mise en scene is very carefully chosen, although most of the props used in the opening title is of a normal household standard, it is manipulated to be used in a quite sinister way; the use of sharp objects such as knifes is used a lot, the extreme close up him shaving is manipulated to be quite ambiguous, the hand placement symbolises a 'strangling' look. Also with the knife cutting through the packet of meat, the audience do not know exactly what meat it is and could be misinterpreted as a more sinister way - murder.

How does sequence indicate genre and suggest narrative?
- The sequence shows a lot of symbolism relating to blood and blood splatter - scenes where he is cutting the orange, shows the splatter of the juice or when he had cut himself during shaving, the blood drips on the sink. Also it shows a lot of red, again connoting death and so suggesting a narrative of a crime sort of show, blood splatters could relate to a crime scene investigation etc. The genre is also shown through this as with the symbolism's of crime suggests a crime/thriller genre.

How does the sequence engage your interest?
- The sequence engages interest by keeping you guessing, the extreme close ups and close up shows little of the person involved in the sequence and so adds mystery, leading you to want to know more as the sequence continues. Also with a lot of ambiguous shots, We are lead to be manipulated in thinking what the show is actually about and so again leading you to watch it to find out. The clever editing also shows graphic match in some shots and so emphasises actions which are normal in daily life and makes them seem more sinister and leading it to be more interesting.