This Is England's opening sequence is full television archives from the 1980's. This can be scene in the first scene, where Roland Rat appears, who was a famous TV characterer. Lots of clips contain Margaret Thatcher, who was Prime Minister of England from 1979-1990, so throughout the 80's. There are clips showing her and Ronald Reagan, who she allied herself with during the cold war. Also, Britain's involvement with the Falklands war, Maggie played an involvment in. The Irish Republican Army tried to assassinate Thatcher, leading to more conflict in Northern Ireland and the 'troubles'. These archives are included in the opening sequence to hint to the audience that violence is a main theme throughout the film. Other connotations from the opening include Skinheads and Neo-Nazism and the National Front were big political groups in this era, connoting racism in the country, this is included in the opening sequence as the time was very racist and this hints to the audience that racism will play a big part in the storyline of the film. The location that the film is set looks like a council estate, seen at the title of the film, which were very popular in the 1980's because of Thatcher's whole 'buy your property' schemes, to allow homeowners more freedom. The opening sequence is one big connotation of the daily grind in 1980's Britain for every day working class families who lived under Thatcher's Conservative hold she had over the country. The song, '54-46 That's My Number' by Toots and The Maytals is reggae & ska sounding, which could connote there is going to be a charachter in the film who is of Jamaican decent.
Timeline
00:05: contains the institution company name, film 4 and the UK film council which has probably funded the film, meaning that these are at the start because they are most important and without them, the film wouldn't have been created at all.
00:10: this gives credit to EM media and Screen Yorkshire for their involvement in the production, who obviously helped create the film, and provided equipment and people for use of filming and post-production work.
00:15: Warp productions also have produced the film alongside the other production companies. Warp probably had less involvement in the making, but supported and helped along the way.
00:20: Big Arty productions may have taken a back seat, but also helped a long the way. This company is also owned by Shane Meadows which was cost effective for the film and also is a good way for the company to get noticed in the film industry and kick start its way into the industry.
00:23: Shane Meadows is the writer and director, and the fact that his name is mentioned in the very opening of the credits, connotes he is the most important crew member, and without him there would not be a storyline to the film, as it is based on his own personal experiences. This is HIS film, and nobody else's.
00:35: THIS IS ENGLAND, the first time the title is mentioned/seen. This is positioned before the main actors, as it then helps the audience to establish what they've seen, and be able to relate the archive footage they've seen before the title.
00:42 - 01:05 (Each credit contains one actors name): this connotes these are the main actors in the film and have the most important roles., so therefore the audience can see if they know any actors in the film.
01:05-01:29 (Each credit contains two actors names): these credits connote these actors are important but have less screen time than the others. (e.g. someone's mum that's only seen in 2 scenes.)
01:29-02:06 (Each credit contains three actors names): these credits connote these actors are probably background characters but have at least one line of dialogue.
02:06 - 02:34 (Each credit contains 2 or 3 Film crew job titles): these credits connote these film crew are the less crucial jobs in the behind the scenes making of the film, but they are important enough to get credit for their work, as they do impact what the audience can visually see or hear.
02:34 director of photography: the director is important enough to get his own credit and is in charge of putting together all the camera and lighting equipment ready for filming, he gets credit because without cameras set up there would be no footage and the editor wouldn't be able to edit anything together, meaning they are next in sequence with each other because they need each other. danny cohen's other camerawork can be seen in les miserables and the kings speech.
02:45 editor: the editor role is important enough to get his own credit, as he is the person who puts the film together and gives it a strong hold of continuity which creates the film the audience see. chris wyatt's other films include: shadow of the vampire and dead mans shoes.
02:53: line producer/co-producer & 03:01: executive producers: these producers help the main producer and this is why they are next to each other in the title sequence, they all work in the production grounds of the film making process and are delegated different roles by the main producer.
03:15 producer: the main man who makes sure the running of the film goes smoothly, and the second most important person in the film making process, after the director.
03:25 written and directed by: the most important person in making a film, and the person who has most control, especially in this film as Shane Meadows wrote the film, based on his own life experiences, which means he was in control of every aspect and what he wanted he got. this title is at the end of the credits as it signifies the most important role.
FILM CREW ROLES in order of appearance after actors.
Director- The Director is responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of a
film, including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot,
directing the performances of Actors, organising and selecting the
locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details
such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing
and content of the film's soundtrack.
(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_crew)
This opening sequence has helped me realise how many film crew roles there are to include in the opening sequence of a film, and how to order the importance of each job. This has helped me with timings of each individual credit, and how long they should have screen time for. Also, what production companies we should name, as this sequence did not contain Film 4's Logo, only their name, which can help me have a more professional looking sequence, as apposed to lots of irrelevant images.
 | |||
| There was no Instiution logo for the film so i chose to do the title |
The fact that the title is set on a scene where it establishes the location that the film is going to be set is powerful, as the flats look very run down, and the grass is all overgrown. Connoting the resident familes do not reallty care what their living conditions are, just that they have a place to live is good enough. The typography is white, and bold in the centre of the screen, and it looks like it could be made to look like a stamp where not all the stamp is printed on the hypothetical paper. This could connote the run down lives the people lead in the film, and also connote stamps/pieces of papers giving by the job center/governmental departments when the characters collect their dole money or 'sign on' to the dole. This could prove that the people living in these council estate are poor and the majority are underclass people on the dole.
Timeline
00:10: this gives credit to EM media and Screen Yorkshire for their involvement in the production, who obviously helped create the film, and provided equipment and people for use of filming and post-production work.
00:15: Warp productions also have produced the film alongside the other production companies. Warp probably had less involvement in the making, but supported and helped along the way.
00:20: Big Arty productions may have taken a back seat, but also helped a long the way. This company is also owned by Shane Meadows which was cost effective for the film and also is a good way for the company to get noticed in the film industry and kick start its way into the industry.
00:23: Shane Meadows is the writer and director, and the fact that his name is mentioned in the very opening of the credits, connotes he is the most important crew member, and without him there would not be a storyline to the film, as it is based on his own personal experiences. This is HIS film, and nobody else's.
00:35: THIS IS ENGLAND, the first time the title is mentioned/seen. This is positioned before the main actors, as it then helps the audience to establish what they've seen, and be able to relate the archive footage they've seen before the title.
00:42 - 01:05 (Each credit contains one actors name): this connotes these are the main actors in the film and have the most important roles., so therefore the audience can see if they know any actors in the film.
01:05-01:29 (Each credit contains two actors names): these credits connote these actors are important but have less screen time than the others. (e.g. someone's mum that's only seen in 2 scenes.)
01:29-02:06 (Each credit contains three actors names): these credits connote these actors are probably background characters but have at least one line of dialogue.
02:06 - 02:34 (Each credit contains 2 or 3 Film crew job titles): these credits connote these film crew are the less crucial jobs in the behind the scenes making of the film, but they are important enough to get credit for their work, as they do impact what the audience can visually see or hear.
02:34 director of photography: the director is important enough to get his own credit and is in charge of putting together all the camera and lighting equipment ready for filming, he gets credit because without cameras set up there would be no footage and the editor wouldn't be able to edit anything together, meaning they are next in sequence with each other because they need each other. danny cohen's other camerawork can be seen in les miserables and the kings speech.
02:45 editor: the editor role is important enough to get his own credit, as he is the person who puts the film together and gives it a strong hold of continuity which creates the film the audience see. chris wyatt's other films include: shadow of the vampire and dead mans shoes.
02:53: line producer/co-producer & 03:01: executive producers: these producers help the main producer and this is why they are next to each other in the title sequence, they all work in the production grounds of the film making process and are delegated different roles by the main producer.
03:15 producer: the main man who makes sure the running of the film goes smoothly, and the second most important person in the film making process, after the director.
03:25 written and directed by: the most important person in making a film, and the person who has most control, especially in this film as Shane Meadows wrote the film, based on his own life experiences, which means he was in control of every aspect and what he wanted he got. this title is at the end of the credits as it signifies the most important role.
FILM CREW ROLES in order of appearance after actors.
Script Supervisor -
keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes
notes of any changes between what was actually filmed and what appeared
in the script. They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props,
blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and
scene to scene. The notes are given to the Editor to expedite the
editing process. Works very closely with the Director on set.
Casting Director
- chooses the Actors for the characters of the film. This usually
involves inviting potential Actors to read an excerpt from the script
for an audition.
Hair and Make-up Supervisor
- The Hair Make-up Supervisor is a supporting position that normally
reports to the Key Makeup Artist & Key Hair artist and to assist in
running the makeup and hair department. They typically handle production
matters and generally serve the needs of Senior Artists. Supervisors
rarely do makeup themselves. Their duties can include keeping a record
of makeup & hair continuity, handing the scheduling of makeup &
hair teams and providing for the general needs of the makeup and hair
department. They are expected to be a connection between the makeup
& hair department and the rest of the production departments, making
sure that makeup supplies, hair supplies, production assistants or
electricians are on hand when needed.
Costume Designer -
The Costume Designer is responsible for all the clothing and costumes
worn by all the actors that appear on screen. They are also responsible
for designing, planning, and organising the construction of the garments
down to the fabric, colours, and sizes. The Costume Designer works
closely with the Director to understand and interpret "character", and
interacts with the Production Designer. The Costume Designer will
usually have one or more Assistant Costume Designers.
Production Designer -
The Production Designer is responsible for creating the visual
appearance of the film - settings, costumes, character makeup, all taken
as a unit. The Production Designer works closely with the Director and
the Director of Photography to achieve the look of the film.
Music Supervisor
- The Music Supervisor aka Music Director, works with the Composer,
Mixers and Editors to create and integrate the film's music into the
film.
Director of Photography
- The Director of Photography is the chief of the camera and lighting
crew of the film. They make decisions on lighting and framing of shots
in conjunction with the film's director. Typically, the Director tells
the DoP how he or she wants a shot to look, and the DoP chooses the correct lens, filter, lighting and composition to achieve the desired aesthetic effect. The DoP is the senior creative crew member after the director.
Film Editor
- The Film Editor is the person who assembles the various shots into a
coherent film, with the help of the Director. There are usually several
Assistant Editors.
Line Producer - The Line Producer is the liaison between the Studio or Producer and the Production Manager, responsible for managing the production budget. He or she is the person who is "on the line" on a day-to-day basis, and responsible for lining up the resources needed.
Executive Producer - An
Executive Producer is a producer who was not involved in the technical
aspects of the film making process in the original definition, but has
played a financial or creative role in ensuring that the project goes
into production.
Producer - A
Film Producer creates the conditions for film making. The Producer
initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls matters such as raising
funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. The
producer is involved throughout all phases of the film making process
from development to completion of a project. Producers must be able to
identify commercial, marketable projects. They need a keen business
sense, and an intimate knowledge of all aspects of film production,
financing, marketing and distribution. Producers are responsible for the
overall quality control of productions.
Writer -
Creating characters, crafting dialogue and writing an engaging plot are
all part of a scriptwriter’s job. Essentially, these creative dynamos
form something which acts as the skeleton on which a director can map
their creative vision.
(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_crew)
This opening sequence has helped me realise how many film crew roles there are to include in the opening sequence of a film, and how to order the importance of each job. This has helped me with timings of each individual credit, and how long they should have screen time for. Also, what production companies we should name, as this sequence did not contain Film 4's Logo, only their name, which can help me have a more professional looking sequence, as apposed to lots of irrelevant images.
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