OTS Zombie Films
We looked at different opening title sequence to see the difference and common things used in opening title sequence for the sub genre of zombies.
This opening title sequence start off with pitch black and sound of wing, which gives a fear of isolation and vulnerability. Scenes of car driving down the road. The red writing signifies danger and warning you to stay away. Radio transmission is voice over throughout opening title sequence. This shows its the only communication to talk to people and revive information.
Dawn of the dead starts with red writing draining away like blood. Your instant though is danger and warning to tell you something has happened and blood will be spiller. It shows images of zombies with blood in there mouths. This instantly tells you this is a blood thirsty zombie movie. There are radio transmissions questioning the new disease about it being contagious and dangerous. Use of screaming, labs and tv broadcasts shows that something has gone terrible wrong, it's spreading quickly and everyone is in a state of panic. Fires in this opening title sequence also shows wide spread panic and no control of the situation.
World War Z uses a piano and credits to help build tension. The white writing suggests purity and everything being perfect before something went horribly wrong. They use sunsets and clouds to show everything at peace and doing everything as normal in everyday life. They use radio transmissions and to transmissions to almost say that all these things were everyday life. They showed things that don't normally happen like dolphins coming up on shore. Masks on people faces shows an illness has began to spread which is contagious.
All these Opening Title Sequences have common is that they have red titles, background music and zombie sound effects, news reports, military, scared crowds. Transition from each scene is very quick and almost showing the change of a channel which represents panic. All these opening title sequences are non linear as the story is not in order.