What I have learnt from looking at the opening title sequences

After analysing five different title sequences I made several observations and noted differences between the Hollywood Blockbusters and independent films. 

All films (both blockbusters and independent films)

•  Credit the production companies
• Credit some actors

The Hollywood blockbuster films tend to:

• Credit several actors’ names before we get the title of the film
• Credit the director’s name nearer the beginning of the opening title sequence

This is usually because these bigger budget films have large production budgets. This budget enables the production companies to access high-profile actors. These high profile actors can create a ‘pre-sold-audience’ because of their fans. The actors being a key reason as to why the public may chose to watch this film can mean that they’re credited early on.  It can be noted that the ‘biggest’ actors or the actors with the most credits themselves are mentioned first. Well-known award-winning directors such as Steven Spielberg are often credited early on as they too are ‘big names’.

 Independent films

•  Credit several organisations who have provided funding
• Credit several different smaller production companies who have helped in the production
• Credit the writers (this is not usually key in blockbusters)

The reason that several production companies are credited rather than one conglomerate is because independent film producers will have to look outside of their production teams for editing professionals, for example. Whereas media conglomerates such as ‘Marvel Entertainment’ own multiple subsidiaries under their name to help in the production meaning that only one name is credited.