Title Sequence

 

Title Sequence 

"To be a princess you have to believe that you are a Princess.

You've got to walk the way you think a princess would walk.

So you gotta think tall, you gotta SMILE and wave, and just have fun."

-Princess Diaries

Our title is significant in that it gives a true insight into the theme of our film. Essentially that a teenage girl, Rachel, has mastered the art of smiling in which she fakes a smile when she is truly in pain and suffering so that no one can see her vulnerability. Therefore, our film is titled "The Art of Smiling". Finding the perfect walk to highlight the title was a challenge that was worth overcoming since the title is so significant and crucial to the entire film and its opening.

We had initially decided that we wanted the title to be displayed across the main character's eyes as she is practicing her fake smile in a time of sadness and ache. In the editing process Alexa had attempted to cast the title across the eyes of the character which proved harder than we anticipated, but eventually (after hours of wanting to strangle iMovie) Alexa was able to figure out how to place the title in our desired location. But... the battle wasn't over yet...

A picture of Desiree on facetime with Alexa when she finally figured out how to get text in the right placement!

Now it was time to figure out which title design we wanted to use. Alexa and Lucia designed three title designs using Canva. We had three options as follows:

1. A rectangular title box filled with a colored gradient ranging from pink to blue with black text

2. A circular/oval-shaped title box that includes a gradient transferring from pink to purple with white text

3. Lastly we have a black, rectangular title box with pink lettering

Once again we have three design choices, showcased above

We all agreed that the first option was likely the prettiest and was a high contender to be the final title choice since it matched the energy and vibe of the film's opening being that it is vibrant and brings a light and happy mood. Furthermore, it incorporated pink and blue which are two significant colors throughout the opening(ended up not being the winner nonetheless). Moreover, the second option was nice in that it stands out from the rest of the choices but we felt that it looked awkward and just didn't fit with the look we were going for. Lastly (my personal favorite), the black, rectangular box with pink lettering was the winner. Desiree and I were the main advocates for this title in that we felt it was the most meaningful and appropriate for the opening and the context of the title. 

The Black acted as the perfect match to indicate the dark and depressing undertones of the film thus far but also incorporated the pink as symbolic of Rachel in the midst of the darkness. The other options established too happy and bright of a mood when the nature of the film is actually quite dark and intense, so the last option is the most suitable for the title sequence.

So now that we had chosen the design for the title sequence all that was left was to add it to the footage, or so you'd think. Turns out we hated it! So although he liked the concept of the title being over Rachel's eyes to really add emphasis to the fake smile Rachel is giving, and although he liked the design of the title, the two together were just simply not working. We didn't like the way the scene and title sequence looked, so we went in a different direction...

Still incorporating the black and pink, we decided to give the title sequence its own shot and revise the design so that it is visually appealing. Lucia actually design the title sequence herself and it turned out amazing! 

Above showcases the movement of the title sequence when included in the film's opening. It acts as the final shot that the audience is left with before the opening ends.

After decision and decision, and challenged after challenge, and work and more work, we finally completed the title sequence and successfully added it to the film's opening. We were all more than happy with the outcome and felt it fit perfectly with the rest of the opening! The title sequence was intended to give meaning and appropriately showcase the context of the film's opening and that's exactly what it does. I could be happier with how it turned out!