Here, I have done an analysis of the title sequence to the Thriller film, The Stepfather.
The film starts immediately and the text is discreetly superimposed into it. The title text is simple and minimalistic. This may be because the filmmakers do not want our attentions drawn to it. The background music is tense and suspenseful.
There is a low, rumbling drone when the camera pans down to the yellow, highlighted box saying 'CANCELLED' - the yellow colour and bold, capital text draws our attention to it and the drone lets us know that it is of significance.
The camera pans past a collection of hygiene tools. The music is dark and foreboding, building up in order to collect tension. The camera moves neatly across in a near perfectly straight line and the props are neatly laid out, clean and shiny. These facts suggest an uncanny perfectionism, or some sort of OCD. Additionally, the camera panning vertically across often suggest that it is leading to a point of significance.
The Main character walks into focus. As we see his face, there is a drone and the title creeps onto the screen. Because of this, we know that this character is significant.
The music continues as the character goes through a montage of changing his appearance. This includes dyeing his hair, shaving off his beard and applying contact lenses. The camera watches from awkward angles, making the audience feel as if they are spying on him. The camera often goes into big close-ups of his face and hands so that we can see his expression and actions.
At one point in the montage, the character cuts himself whilst shaving. There is a small percussion shimmer as the red, foreshadowing blood drips across his chin. There is a reaction shot of his face, but his reaction is unemotional and cold, suggesting that he is perhaps used to blood or pain and generally painting him as a cold, unemotional character.
