The Poster

The Poster

We decided to create a poster for our film.  Posters are important because they help potential customers understand what the film is and what it could be about. The poster has to represent our film, so I decided to look into posters for other action/thrillers. Below are some examples of posters from various action/thriller movies.

     Poster conventions

I can see from these posters that there are lots of conventions for action/thriller movie posters. Here are the things I noticed:

• Dark electric blue colours
• Dark colours
• Occasional dashes of red/orange
• Lots of shadows
• Includes pictures of main character(s)
• Title in red or white
• Action shots
• Often creates an idea of excitement and mystery
• Generally fairly simple (e.g. just a picture of one man)

     Ideas for posters

We decided to come up with a few ideas of what our poster could look like. The first one is a picture of one of the main characters with the symbol of Arc Death projected over the top of them. This could work because it would be dark and shadowy, and would create a sense of mystery. However, it may look quite horror-esque, which is not the feel that we are going for. The other idea is of a hooded figure with squares instead of a face, creating the idea of a hidden or concealed person. The squares are all some shade of black and white except for one, which is red with the symbol of Arc Diath inside of it.

We decided to go with the second idea, as it creates the idea of a 'veiled facade', a hidden and unrecognisable person. Below is a sketch of what our poster could look like:

The Title

The Title

I decided to look into different film titles to find ideas for what we could call our film. The name of our film is really important, as it needs to sum up the film, give a clue as to what sort of film it will be, and encourage people to watch it. Most action thriller movie titles fall into certain categories. Below are the categories, and examples of movies in those groups.

     Titles relating to character

• The Bourne Identity
• The Dark Knight
• Mad Max: Fury Road
• Sherlock Holmes

     Sophisticated words relating to plot

• Memento
• Inception
• Prisoners
• Psycho
• Taken

     Words relating to a place/organisation

• Casino Royale
• Spectre
• Everest
• Shutter Island
• Fight Club

     Ideas for our title

We decided to brainstorm ideas for titles for our film, focussing on the areas highlighted above. Since our story beyond the opening is very vague and unknown, we decided not to use a name for our title but instead focus on words. We thought of words that might relate to words in our film, used a thesaurus to find more complex synonyms for them, and even tried translating a few into different languages. Below is our brainstorm:

We decided to base our title around the word 'hidden' coming up with words such as 'veiled', 'private', and 'cover'. Crystal then took the best words and started trying out different variations of them to see what titles we could come up with. Below is the refined list of titles we have come up with:

     The title

After a discussion in our group and a small vote, we decided that the best, most intriguing and most suitable title for our film is 'Veiled Façade', as it has an air of mystery to it and creates a sense of suspense. It also sounds like a title for a professional action thriller film.

Research into Symbols

Research into Symbols

As part of our film, we need a symbol to be left by the assassin that links to the organisation he is fighting. I decided to research into symbols in order to create one that we can use in our film.

     Potential Symbols

     Some Ideas

Here are some early designs for our symbol. Most of these are based around the Jupiter symbol, as it has many relevant meanings, plus it looks quite good.

     The Symbol

We chose some of these symbols and added them together to create our symbol, which we have called Arc Diath.

The symbol is a combination of Aries, a circle, and a diagonal thick line. The symbol represents ambition, determination, potential, beginning, strength, tension, and uncontrolled energy. These traits very much represent our evil organisation, and shows what they stand for and their aims. The name was a combination of all the names of the symbols, and we have decided that it will be the name of the evil organisation.

Dos and Don'ts for a Successful Final Piece

Dos and Don'ts for a Successful Final Piece

I looked at some examples of final pieces from previous years in order to create a list of tips/rules for creating a good final piece. I looked at these 3 samples:

1. Level 4 piece
2. Level 4 piece
3. Level 2 piece

Here are the things I discovered.

     Do:

• Use suitable music that relates to the genre (e.g. tense, crawling music in example 1 to create suspense)
• Create suitable colour schemes, both in filming and editing (e.g. the dark tones and colours in both examples 1 and 2)
• Use a suitable and interesting variety of camera shots and angles (e.g. the depth of field shot with the vodka at 0:30 in example 2) to show off skills and create an enjoyable opening
• Use suitable fonts and colours for titles (both example 1 and 2 use simple clean, white fonts in accordance with their thriller-type genre openings)
• Obey all of the filming rules, such as 180 degree line and match on action, so that the viewer is totally immersed in the opening and is not jolted out

     Do not:

All of these points can be seen in example 3 at some point.

• Have moments of silence without there being a valid reason - for example, a short moment of silence could be used for suspense - but if there is no reason it should not be used
• Break the fourth wall at any time (e.g. 0:45)
• Use unsuitable titles with unsuitable animations (0:0 to 0:13), or ending it with rolling credits like the ending of a film - it's an opening, not a short film
• Have a confusing plot with bad continuity (e.g. the disappearing snow and muddling story line)
• Break the 180 degree rule (when the man is standing there and calling)

The Target Audience

The Target Audience

We believe that the target audience for our film would be young adults of any gender. We think this because action/thrillers are generally fast-paced films that are more suiting to a younger audience. Generally, action films are more suited towards younger people, especially teenagers, as they prefer excitement and fast-paced action. However, thriller films are more targeted towards older people as they require more thought and often intellectually challenge the audience, therefore drawing a more mature strand of people. By having a film that is a combination of these two genres we believe that our audience will be quite diverse - it will attract the thrill-seeking younger people whilst having enough intelligence to attract older people, without having too much of either side so as to put anyone off.



An example of this would be Skyfall, a James Bond spy movie with similar themes to how ours will be. A report from Box Office Mojo stated that on the opening night 'the audience was 60 percent male and 75 percent were 25 years of age or older'. This shows that males are slightly more likely to watch this film than females, as expected. The action/thriller film attracted mostly over 25s, suggesting that the audience is more likely to be adults; however, younger people still made up 1/4 of the audience, showing that it is still enjoyed by the younger generation. Similar to this is the data for Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. Another report states that 'the audience was 61 percent male and 65 percent over the age of 25', which is similar to the Skyfall data and so further backs up our claims.

Although these films suggest that most of our audience would be 25 and over, as our rating is a 12 we can expect our audience to be a mix of people over 12. Most action/thriller films are rated either PG (Mission: Impossible, Bourne Identity) or 12 (Skyfall, Batman Begins). This shows that the minimum age for action/thriller films is quite low, suggesting that our film would be suitable for a pretty large range of people.

Our Idea

Our Idea

Our idea is to show a spy returning to his house to find that it has been searched, and his objects strewn around the room. He picks up a poker and rushes to a file on his table, where he desperately searches for something. He sees a mysterious symbol on a piece off paper, and as he bends down to pick it up, a dangerous assassin is revealed behind him. After a brief struggle, the assassin kills the spy, and leaves a strange symbol on the dead spy. The symbol then burns into the credits, showing the title at the same time.

Here is a record of some of the things we discussed when planning our film idea:

Below is a mood-board made by Samuel to show the atmosphere and feel of our film. It creates an idea of the suspense and mystery that we wish to create, and suggests elements of action whilst not being completely full of car chases and fight scenes.

In terms of an age rating, we have decided that it would probably be a 12. This is because although it contains some violence and suspense that would not be suitable for young children, there is not a huge amount of intense blood, gore or suspense.

Todorov's Narrative Theory

Todorov's Narrative Theory

     The Theory

Todorov's theory is a theory about the way films are structured. Most films follow this structure, although not all of them do. The theory is like this:

1. The film starts with everything being good, balanced, or normal.

2. This normality is disrupted, as something goes wrong

3. A character/characters realise that something has gone wrong, and decide to right it

4. An attempt, or attempts, are made to right the wrong

5. Everything is resolved, and life goes either back to normal or into a new version of normal.

An example of a film that fits into the theory is Up:

1. Carl lives a normal life on his own

2. Carl harms a worker and flies his house to Paradise Falls

3. He lands in the wrong place, and decides to walk his house to the right place

4. He walks across Paradise Falls to put his house in the right place

5. His house ends up in the right place, but he flies away and cares for the little boy he meets on his adventure

Another film that follows the theory is The Truman Show:

1. Truman lives his life, oblivious to his fake world

2. He realises that his world is all made up

3. He decides to escape and leave his 'world'

4. He attempts to escape, first by driving away, then by rowing away

5. Truman is allowed out of his fake world, and goes to live his new life

However, Memento doesn't fit into this structure, as it starts with the problems being resolved, and works backwards. The ending shows the same thing, and just before the ending, we see the beginning.

Frequency of Cuts in an Extract

Frequency of Cuts in an Extract

I looked at the frequency of cuts in Casino Royale to analyse editing speed. Below is a graph showing my findings:

From this graph, I can see that the highest frequency of cuts occurred during the flashback scene when James Bond is shown fighting a man. This is because the scene was very action packed, so fast cuts made the scene seem confusing and panicked. The slowest frequency of cuts occurred when the man was walking to his office, and when he was talking to James. This was probably because there was little action, as nothing much was happening.

Shot Composition

Shot Composition

We learnt about shot composition and the effect they have on the audience. Shot composition is about manipulating and setting the scene so that the viewer looks at a certain subject. We took pictures to test out and demonstrate these skills.

     Framing

Framing is used to draw attention to a certain subject. This can be to show the importance of something, or to make a scene more interesting. There are 2 types of frames - man-made (a frame made by humans, for example an archway) or natural (a frame that occurs naturally, for example the mouth of a cave). They can frame a human or a non-human subject. Here are some examples of pictures we took, using man-made and natural frames, with human and non-human subjects.

     Leading Lines

These are lines that lead the viewer's eyes to a certain subject or point. The lines do not have to be straight or obvious - it is more about the subtle manipulation to make the viewer see what is most important.

     Rule of Thirds

This is when the image is divided into equal thirds, both horizontally and vertically. This technique is more about making shots look more pleasing to the viewer. It is generally recommended to line up subjects or backgrounds with the third lines, as this makes the shot more aesthetically pleasing. The places where the shots intersect are called 'hot-spots', and placing subjects on these 4 hot-spots means that the viewer will look at these places first.

Analysis of BBFC Ratings

Analysis of BBFC Ratings

The BBFC stands for the British Board of Film Classification. They are an organisation that gives films age ratings to allow people to know whether a film is suitable or not. There are several age ratings, and the content of the movie determines its rating. However, the guidelines are not especially strict, and are generally only enforced in cinema viewings and DVD sales. The movies someone watches is entirely up to them or their parents/guardians. Here are the guidelines for age rating movies:

     U

U stands for Universal, and can be watched by all. Most films with a 'U' rating are made for young children, generally under 4 years old. It may include:

• VERY mild language (such as damn)
• VERY mild sexual behaviour (such as kissing or hugging)
• VERY mild violence and threats, and a good outcome is always assured
• No dangerous or anti-social behaviour that a child might copy
• Rarely any reference to drugs

     PG

PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means that most people should be able to watch it, but some scenes my be unsuitable for young children. It suggests that parents should review the content of the film before showing younger children. Although the films are generally suitable for children, they may not have been expressly made for children. A PG film may include:

• Mild language, although generally infrequently, and with little or no aggression - it depends on context
• Mild sexual reference/behaviour, if any at all - again, it depends on context
• Mild violence or threat
• Some dangerous or anti-social behaviour may be shown (for example bullying) providing it is portrayed as wrong or unpleasant, and not glamorized
• There may be references to drugs, although these are not focused on, and are portrayed as negative

     12 and 12A

12 and 12A are very similar, but are used for different reasons. Both mean that the content should be suitable for people aged 12 and over. 12's are used for DVD ratings, and only people over 12 can buy them. 12A is used for cinema releases, and means that under 12s can enter if accompanied by an adult. A 12/12A film may include:

• A pleasant tone, as if a film includes the things needed for a 12, but has a dark or unpleasant tone, then it may be given a higher rating
• Strong language, although like the PG rating, it depends on context and frequency. Mild/moderate language may be used and is generally more acceptable
• Sex, nudity, and sexual behaviour may be allowed if it is used briefly and discreetly
• Moderate violence is allowed, although details of violence (such as gore) should be minimal.Occasional strong violence may be permitted if it can be justified and makes sense in the context
• Some dangerous or anti-social behaviour may be shown, providing there are no/few details, and they are presented in a way that children are unlikely to imitate. Discrimination should not be shown unless it is clearly condemned
• Drugs may be used, but they should not be glamorized or shown in a way that instructs the viewer on how to use them

     15

15 films are made for 15 year olds and higher. They include things that are not suitable for children or younger teens. 15 films may include:

• Strong language, as frequently as desired, and occasional uses of the strongest language. However, aggressive or frequent uses of the strongest language may not be permitted
• Sexual behaviour and nudity is allowed, although details are not to be shown, and especially crude references may not be allowed
• Strong violence can be shown, although there are still some very strong violent acts that are not permitted
• Dangerous behaviour may be shown, although details should not be dwelt on
• Drugs can be shown, although they should not promote drug-taking. More accessible substances (eg. legal highs) should not be shown

     18

18 films can only be seen by adults. They are not suitable for children or teenagers in any way. They may include:

• Any language - there are no limits whatsoever
• Sexual behaviour is permitted as long as the film is not a sex work (a film whose purpose is to arouse). There are a few things that are not allowed
• There can be as much violence and gore as desired
• Although most things are allowed, extreme dangerous behaviour that may have a negative effect may not be allowed
• Drugs can be shown providing the whole film does not encourage drug misuse

Although these are the general rules, context plays a huge part on the rating a film is given. Most films generally fit into the 12/15 categories, as this allows more people to access the film. The guidelines for ratings changes with society as things become more acceptable and normal.

Action Thriller Genre Conventions

Action Thriller Genre Conventions

Our group decided that we wanted to do an action thriller opening, as it is a genre we are all familiar with, and one that has many conventions. We looked at some action thriller openings see what these conventions are. We looked at the openings for Bourne Identity, Casino Royale, and Memento, and found that there are many similarities between the openings.

     Sound

We found that the music in the openings was often instrumental, using mainly string instruments. This is used in scenes where tension is wanted. When there is action (eg. end of Casino Royale clip) or things are getting dramatic (eg. end of Bourne Identity clip) the music becomes faster, and more instruments are added. Diegetic sounds are heard as well, although the music normally comes first. This can be speech (Casino Royale and Bourne Identity) as well as weather, or objects hitting each other.

     Shot Types & Camera Movements

The shot types used most often in the openings were long shots, close-ups and extreme close-ups. The long shots help establish the setting (Casino Royale) and/or atmosphere (Bourne Identity). The close-ups show emotions, and the extreme close-ups, which often focus on objects, show the importance of the objects (Memento). The movement in the openings are quite basic - they generally all only use camera movements to follow a person or object. Bourne Identity and Memento both use shaky movements, whereas Casino Royale is much smoother until the fight scene at the end.

     Editing

The editing was relatively slow. In Memento, the first minute or so is one continuous shot, with the editing remaining fairly slow throughout the opening. The other two both also have fairly slow editing, even in Casino Royale during the fight scene. This slow edit pace creates tension in the viewer, even in the fight scene where the pace makes the viewer feel more nervous.

     Locations

In terms of locations, they differ greatly. The Bourne Identity opening is set in the ocean, on board a fishing ship and out in the water itself. Casino Royale is set in an office in Prague, and in some toilets. Memento is set in some abandoned and neglected building. Overall, there is no linking theme, apart from the idea that they are all quite isolated areas.

     Colour Schemes & Titles

The colour schemes in the clip were generally quite dark. The colours were occasionally stylized, for example the Casino Royale opening was entirely in black and white, with it becoming quite bright later on. In Memento as well, black and white is used for when the time skips back into the past. In Bourne Identity and Memento, the colours are quite dim and muted. Other than this, again, the colours vary greatly. Bourne Identity uses blue and yellow colours, Memento uses dark colours, and Casino Royale uses greys.

     Content

There are themes of violence and death in all three of these openings. Guns also feature in both Memento and Casino Royale. The main character is also seen in all of these, even if only in the distance (Bourne Identity). Bourne Identity and Casino Royale both take place in a foreign country or place, and none of the openings seem to take place in character's homes.

Movie Genres

Movie Genres

I decided to look into movie genres to help me decide what genre to make my opening in. This is what I found out:

ACTION - films filled with action, often including chases, stunts, fights, and destruction. They are quite fast, and generally have simple, easy to understand plots, designed to allow the viewer to escape reality.

COMEDY - films made to make people laugh. They once again have simple plots, with often exaggerated characters or situations. There are lots of different types of comedies, including slapstick (physical comedy), parodies (which make fun of something else) and dark (satirical comedy).

ANIMATIONS - films that are animated. They can be hand-drawn, CGI, or claymation, amongst others. The stories vary greatly, and animation is sometimes incorporated with live action. However, animations are more commonly used for children or family films.

ROMANCE - films based around love, and two characters falling in love. They are generally quite light and easy to watch. A sub-genre branching from this is rom-coms, which are about characters falling in love, but with comedic elements and problems.

WESTERN - films set in the desert, or in the wild west. They are based around cowboys, and often include bad guys, shoot-outs, fights and adventures.

HORROR - films made to scare people. There are different types, but they generally involve a group of people being attacked by a monster/supernatural being/psychologically unstable human. They also often include violence, gore, and jump-scares.

THRILLER - films designed to keep audiences at the edge of their seat. They often include plot twists and tense situations. Thrillers are generally attached to another genre, for example action-thrillers. This means that the films involve themes from one genre, but are more tense and have more complex plot-lines.

SCIENCE FICTION - films that include futuristic or alien technology, places, or beings. They often cross over with other genres, including action, horror, and fantasy. They are quite imaginative, and their plots can range from simple to complex.

FANTASY - films that are full of imaginary places, beings, creatures, technology, and worlds. They are very creative, and the plots range greatly. However, they commonly include quests and evil vs good.

CRIME - films that involve gangsters or criminals of some kind. They often show the activities or lives of these people. There are different kinds, including stylish ones, comedy capers, or gritty ones.

FAMILY - films that are designed to be enjoyed by all members of the family, from young children to old people. They generally have simple plots and light-hearted stories, where a happy resolution is always reached.

HISTORICAL - films based in the past. They generally focus on a character, either factual or fictional, and their life, which can be ordinary or extraordinary. They are also sometimes based around past significant events, such as a war or a rebellion.

MUSICALS - films that incorporate song and dance as part of the story. The stories are often quite emotional, and generally end quite well. The plots are quite simple, and often end with 2 characters falling in love.

Opening Credits Analysis

Opening Credits Analysis

     Superman (1978)

GENRE - Superhero/Action

SOUND - There is an non-diegetic orchestral soundtrack playing throughout. We hear drums, strings, and horns, to name a few instruments. The music is quite upbeat and exciting, creating an epic mood, and the idea of something incredible taking place. It seems to sweep the viewer off their feet and insert them into a thrilling story. The sound is quite loud and immersing right from the beginning, showing that it will be an exciting caper throughout. The only other sound heard is the whooshing of the names as they fly towards or away from the viewer.

VISUALS - The opening starts with a black and white theatre film of a boy reading a comic, which sets up the movie and shows that the film is based off a comic book. During the names, the main background is a film of space, showing stars and galaxies. This  tells the viewer that there will be themes of sci-fi, in that Superman is alien. There are also images of fire and sparklers, creating a mood of excitement and danger. These images create an epic and excited feeling in the viewer, and makes the film seem out of this world and extraordinary. The text flies in front of this, creating the idea of flight, which reflects Superman in the film.

FONT - The font is an outlined electric blue colour. It is quite big and blocky, without serif, which make it seem cosmic & out of this world, and like it's come from space. The glowing outline makes it seem as if it is made of light, adding to the idea of the film being big and epic. The mood created is one of something awesome, an amazing story that is like nothing ever told before.

GENRE CREATED - From the opening, the movie seems like it's an epic and incredible story, that will leave it's viewers gasping for breath in their seats. However, it does suggest that it is set in space, and that it is an action sci-fi film, which it isn't really.

     Skyfall (2012)

GENRE - Action/Spy

SOUND - The only sound we hear is a non-diegetic soundtrack. It starts simple and quiet - a single piano, and then a woman's voice. Her voice is haunting and mysterious, creating a feeling of mystery in the viewer. The sounds then builds up, as more instruments are added. The overall sound is quite dramatic and mysterious, creating this mood in the viewer. The music also has the traditional James Bond theme incorporated, telling the viewer that it is a Bond film, so they should expect the normal themes of mystery, action and romance, amongst others.

VISUALS - The footage is not from the film, but relates to it. The main colours are dark blue, which is mysterious, and red, which suggests violence. Orange fire is introduced later, and then a stylish black and white sequence. These suggest the atmosphere of the film - mystery, violence and death, plus a certain stylishness and class. The sequence is also rich in symbolism. There are lots of things that symbolise death, including graves, skulls, bulletholes, guns and knives. There is also a lot of blood and shadows. There is also lots of symbolism for physical things, such as the house they visit and the chinese dragons that suggest they are going to China.

FONT - The font is very simple, yet also very stylish and clean. It is white, rounded, and without serifs, which creates an impression of style and class. The font also looks very professional and smart, reflecting the atmosphere of Bond films.

GENRE CREATED - The opening credits create a mood of mystery and of style, but also of action and fighting. This successfully captures the genre and themes of this Bond film.

     Coraline (2009)

GENRE - Animation/Fantasy

SOUND - The sound is non-diegetic and starts quite quiet, never becoming particularly loud, although building up past the quiet beginning. The sound is a non-diegetic soundtrack, and sounds quite creepy. At the beginning, the sound fades in from complete silence, and we can hear strings and high piano solo. The sound of a chorus of indecipherable children's voices is heard, creating a creepy atmosphere. These sounds are the main ones used throughout, along with an indecipherable lower male voice. This is quite creepy, and puts the viewer on edge, but later on the sound becomes more wondering and magical, hinting that it won't be entirely dark, and there will also be a mood of intrigue and wonder.

VISUALS - At first, the background looks like it's made of leather, with the text sewn on top of it. This establishes the theme of sewing and textiles used throughout the film with the dolls. This is used to introduce the production companies and main actors. After this, we then see an animated film that acts as an establishing prologue, showing robotic, spindly pincers disassembling then reassembling a cloth ragdoll. The actions are quite vicious and violent, which puts the viewer on edge and creates an atmosphere of unease. This introduces us to the character of the mother, and to Coraline through the doll. The colour is quite dark, grey, and desaturated, hinting at the creepy, dark atmosphere to the film.

FONT - The font is an old-looking classic font, with swirls underneath that make it seem slightly gothic. It is slightly faded, creating a creepy and uneasy atmosphere. This creates an idea that the film will be quite dark and slightly mysterious, and almost gothic in nature. The font is a grey-white, adding to the dark and mysterious mood.

GENRE CREATED - Overall, the genre created is one of dark yet intriguing mystery, with gothic tints. It also seems quite creepy and scary.

     Aladdin (1992)

GENRE - Animation/Adventure

SOUND - The opening is a song, which at first seems like a soundtrack, but at the end seems to have been sung by a turbaned arab man. The music is quite basic at the beginning, with only a few instruments and the singing, but builds up midway through. It starts with an arabic-sounding pipe and some drums, introducing the film as taking place in Arabia. The arabic sound continues throughout the opening credits song. The beginning creates an atmosphere of mystery, which changes to an atmosphere of excitement and adventure once the sound builds up. We also hear other diegetic sounds, like the thud of the camels footsteps.

VISUALS - The first thing we see is a picture of fire and purple smoke. This creates a feeling of mystery and wonder. Images are then shown of the fiery, desolate desert, showing the setting, and how removed and empty the desert is. The majestic palace is then shown, creating a mood of wonder and amazement that the viewer associates with the palace for the rest of the movie. The image then swoops through the streets, showing crowds of people and a street entertainer. This creates a mood of excitement and adventure, and shows what an exciting, busy place the city is. Overall, the viewer gets an atmosphere of wonder, magic and excitement.

FONT - The font is a gold colour, which hints at treasure and also creates an idea of wealth. It also matches the arabic font used, which helps establish the setting of the film. It helps to show the exoticness and mystery of the film.

GENRE CREATED - Overall, an atmosphere is created of mystery, excitement, adventure, and a touch of magic. It also establishes the arabic setting of the film.

     A Shot in the Dark (1964)

GENRE - Comedy/Detective

SOUND - Both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds are used in the opening credits. A soundtrack is used, which sounds quite jazzy. It creates the idea of someone creeping along, showing the mystery, but it also sounds comical, showing the light and comedic side of the film. There are 2 breaks from the soundtrack at various parts; the can-can when some detached legs dance along the screen; and a romantic violin tune during the sound credits. This suggests themes of sex and romance in the film. Diegetic sounds are also used. The main sounds are comical gunshot sounds, which show the action and danger, but also the comedy of the film. There is also an exaggerated shriek and a whistle-blow, but no speech.

VISUALS - The opening credits play over a cartoon of a comedic-looking detective with a massive chin wandering around and getting blown up. This shows that it is a detective film, but also creates an atmosphere of humour and slapstick. The colours are vivid and quite blocky, showing that the film will not be very serious, an will be quite bright and funny. There is very little symbolism in the opening credits, only visual gags and slapstick.

FONT - The font for the main title and any important names, such as the actors of the main characters, is very mixed. The letters all seem to be different styles, including western, newspaper, simple, and pretty, plus a target board. This creates an impression of the film  and the main character being slightly messy and funny. It also seems comedic, showing the comedy of the film. Less important names and titles use a much more simple font, creating an impression of smartness and cleanness.

GENRE CREATED - The opening clearly establishes that the film is a comedic detective parody, which can be seen in the comedic slapstick and hints at detective mystery films.