Goodfellas - Opening Scene - Titles

Goodfellas - Opening Scene - Titles

Starting off with what sounds like a highway in the background the production company is introduced. The background sound foreshadows the actual sequence which occurs in the opening scene. The titles have an effect of speeding through and stopping as if at a pit stop just like racing track/highway, coinciding with the sound. I'm guessing as the movie was released in 1990 technology wasn't advanced enough for actual high way sounds so the next best thing was a race track.

After the two production titles it is made known to the audience, that don't know, that the film is a classic (or at that time bound to be a classic) as it's a Scorsese film. 

Next coming the actors. This is irregular as it starts with Robert De Niro who isn't the main character/star of the movie. However of course De Niro is De Niro and deserves recognition due to being the biggest star in the film, and for this you can tell it was a contrived happening. Ray Liotta, whom the film is actually based on, is next. Followed by the other main actors.

Next is the information that it's based on a true story. This lures the audience in knowing it's a real mob story, also fitting the genre. 

After the hiatus caused by some visuals the setting is shown to the audience through the title of New York and the era of the movie 1970. 

After the opening sequence the title for the movie 'Goodfellas' comes through the racetrack 3 times before stopping, this is for emphasis and to stand out among the titles. Also the title is blood burgundy going with the genre.

Followed by other main contributors to the movie. These follow the same white title on black background colour scheme. The last title being the most important in the director which stands out until the actual film starts.

Overall, the titles are white on a black background. The titles are regular, they hold a two second space in order to be clearly read by the audience. The order is by importance. The fixation is always in the middle in order to stand out as much as possible. The only irregular title is 'Goodfellas' as it's the most important.

Opening Scene - Clockers - Titles

Opening Scene - Clockers - Titles

Starting with the famous universal logo/emblem and title, staying true to always starting with the production company. Then going again after the screen black out to Universal Stuidos in yellow. The title is on a body with a bullet hole in, showing the both the genre and feel of the movie.

The next title is a production company, it's over a bloody handprint and dead body. The next title, being Spike Lee's signature stamp on his films 'A Spike Lee Joint' shares the same background, being a testament to the humble Spike Lee as he doesn't have a separate background for himself. 

After comes to actors, however this is not as regular as the production companies as it uses the metaphor of crime scene taping and zooming in on the crime before the actors name (being the title present) is revealed.

After Mekhi Phifer (Who was only last due to this being the movie that launched him into the hollywood stratosphere), the screen zooms out to see the movie title of 'Clockers'. This follows the same yellow colour way, however this time incorporating red.

This is another rare occurrence, as after the movie title it goes back to the actors. However as it reaches the less significant people, that have to be named for attention (Eg: Sticky Fingaz - because he's a rapper) the titles are in a set of triplets, being a six on the screen for a spilt second before fading away.

After the naming of actors on the titles it goes to the crew consisting of those contributing to the film.

Oddly a main contributor and renown name in Martin Scorsese is put as one of the producers at the end in a set of three, as if to lose his name amongst the titles.

Overall, the titles span from regular to random irregular happenings in that sometimes it will be fluent then will wait for some shots to be sunk into by the audience then a title will appear. The yellow colour scheme is regular throughout and only changes for the movie title.

Credits / Titles

 Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Opening titles

Production Companies
Actors
Casting
Music
Costume designer
Editor
Producer
Director
Executive producers
Any story line relations - credit to that based on true story / author
Screenplay
Written

For further research I saw Spider Man 3's order of credits which included more. The list is:

Production companies
Film studios
Name of film
Actors
Casting by
Visual effects supervisor
Original music themes by
Score by
Costume designer
Film editor
Production designers
Director of photography
Executive producers
Executive producer
Produced by
Based on
Screen story by
Screenplay by
Directed by

I also researched Zombieland:

Production Companies
Main Actors
Casting
Costume
Music
Editors
Production Designer
Director of Photography
Executive Producers
Producer
Writers
Director

Opening Scene - Titles

Zombie Land - Opening Scene - Titles

starting from 0.15 to accompany the action exaggeratedly satirical feel of ZombieLand comes the slow motion throwing of prison sniper from his roof by a jail inmate. The title is then ran through as if it's a finish line by man thrown off the tower to give an exciting interactive feel.

This imploding and gradually scattering of select letters of titles is a film throughout the opening scene title sequence as the next title (0.24) shows us. As the zombies throws up blood it intrudes the fixation of the title sequence again giving an interactive feel.

at 0.29 the title is in the background on the wall and to the left, however still in main sight. This is done as this mention is not a main contributor to the movie and thus doesn't need the validation of the previous companies, therefore placed on the sideline. Again the theme of letters breaking away is present.

at 0.34 Woody Harrelson's name is present in the middle underneath the hobo's ironic sign. This is of course as Woody Harrelson plays a main character in the movie and is a veteran actor, thus taking the middle screen spot for his title. The theme of the letters being touched by something and breaking off is still present, as well as slow motion.

at 0.39 Jesse Eisenberg's title is present to the left however still the front of the screen so the viewer can tell he's a main character, in this instance the actual main character. This title is only fixated at the left as if it was in the middle it would intrude action and give an unnatural feel, potentially veering the viewer's point of interest away from the action. Again following all the previous themes.

0.44 Emma Stone's title follows in the same sequence on the right to show just like Jesse she is a main character. Her title is on the right to the opposite of Jesse's, foreshadowing the story as they become lovers at the end. Her title too follows the same theme principles.

0.49 The other main character gets her title at the bottom right of the picture as she is the least prominent of the characters and also not to distract the viewer from the action. The theme does not change for her either.

0.57 After one more scene without titles the main title appearing in the middle boldly to of course remind the viewer of the movie name. This is put in the middle for emphasis and is so big as it's the most important title of them all. It again follows the theme of slowly breaking away and being interactive as it is hit with a crow bar through glass.

Overall, the titles are regular with a five second showing for them. They all follow the theme of being interactive and in slow motion as the actual sequence is too. All titles are the same font and size except the actual name of the film as that's the most important title.