The Importance of Opening Titles

Opening titles are a string of visuals that are shown before the film begins, stating (and showing) who the films producers are, the main cast, director, and other people who contributed greatly to the film. They frequently show matching imagery relating to the film alongside the names of all those previously mentioned, whereas those who worked on the film with lesser importance have their names shown in the credits. An opening title can also give hints as to what may happen in the film, or could be completely contrast the movie's main aesthetic.

Crimson Peak

The standard order of how the titles are given is usually;
1) The name of the studio - The studio that distributes the film, but has not always produced it.
2) The production company - The company that did make the film, (or at least funded it).
3) The director - The person given primary credit for the film, usually followed by the main writer if the director did not write the script.
4) The main actors - These names may also be shown first depending on wether the production team wants to advertise the fact they have a famous actor involved, or keep it orderly.
5) Then lastly, the films title! Films may also include the names of the casting director, music composers, visual effects producers, the editor, production designer and director of photography.

Hannibal

Coraline

Godzilla

There are many different elements that contribute to making a visually appealing opening title. They have to relate to the genre most importantly, have high quality and intrigue the viewer into watching more. For a high quality film, there might even be a whole team dedicated to picking the right typography, colour palette, and method for the perfect opening.