Telling titles

The title sequence relies heavily on typography and lettering, to the extent that some sequences are entirely typographic. Temporal typography, as it appears in title sequences, forms a bridge between the reality of production (in reference to the cast and crew), and the fiction of the film itself. It achieves this connection by treating typography as a cinematic subject, which is capable of performance and pictorial communication, as will be explored here. The title sequence may share core motifs with other promotional material, and therefore forms part of the branding of a film. It helps to reinforce the visual identity of the film’s brand, and to establish a connection between the brand and the narrative that is the core of the film. Since the title sequence serves several purposes, the typography itself must be equally complex, and often exhibits transformation between picture and image to facilitate connections between the film and its brand, and between production and content (fact and fiction).