Title Research: The Conjuring 2

    As a fan of the director, James Wan, and his films, I was very excited to see the second entry of The Conjuring series. The first film was very good and to this day, I still place it in my top 10 horror movies of all time. Both films claim to be based on a true story and for this reason, many people go to see the films and decide whether the story could be real.

    How many titles are displayed during the opening of the sequence to the film?

     In total, the opening sequence consists of 34 titles. These include the director, producers, screenplay, etc. Compared to the previous two title sequences I reviewed, this has more titles.

    What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

     Although this film has more titles introduced in the opening sequence, the producers used them nicely. As the titles appear on the screen, photos of the family the story is based on appear next to shots in the actual film. I found this to be very creative and exactly why I along with many others enjoy these movies. They do a very good job of almost re-creating the actual events of the story.

    What connotations do the images carry?

     Well, the images make the audience feel that the film is authentic. It shows that the story, which they claim to be real, is that exactly, REAL. The shots of the "possessed" child next to the shot of the actor in the same position are almost jaw-dropping. It shows the audience that the movie will most likely be pretty disturbing and that they should ready themselves.

    How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

     Clearly, the horror genre is reinforced, as the title sequence is disturbing and creepy in itself. The photos of the actual events of the storyline appear onscreen, as a slow-building, ominous score plays behind it. The images are very bleak and low contrast, making them look even more realistic.

    How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

     The title sequence of the film doesn't give away too much of the story. Instead, the audience is left wondering what will happen to the main characters of the story and whether what happens in the story could be true. Additionally, the photos of the actual event next to the stills of the film aren't too much of a spoiler as they are just still shots.

    What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

     The film uses a creepy score to go along with the stills of the actual event. The target audience, in this case, would mainly consist of the people who went to see the first film. They were drawn in during the title sequence because of the real images of the case of the Warrens. The audience knows that The Conjuring series is based on a true story going into the viewing of the film, and therefore were more encaptured when they saw the stills displayed with the titles in the opening sequence.

    How has technology been used effectively?

     The title sequence used technology in a number of ways, believe it or not. First, the producers went able to track down real photos of the case that the Warrens were involved in. This in itself is amazing. Additionally, titles during the opening sequence faded-in and out during the sequence. Over the titles appearing a score plays as well. The transitions between photos in the title sequence are very smooth as they almost seamlessly fade into one another.