Editing Process

I used imovie to edit my film. After shooting my movie for the first time, I got home and realised that the majority of the footage was unusable, because the wind was too loud and the dialog was impossible to hear. I tried for a while to over dub the voices with my friends, but that proved too difficult, so we filmed again the next week.


The first thing I concentrated on was getting the shots the right length in my film. Cutting them is easy on imovie, because you just move the little T bar thing and press apple T, which will cut the footage in half wherever the bar is. (First picture is scene in full, second is scene cut in half.)




Once I was happy with the length and flow of the scenes, I started focusing on the audio. I wanted music that would be appropriate with both the lyrics and the "feel" of the song, so I looked up domestic violence songs in google. My first two choices were Bad Wisdom by Suzanne Vega and I'm okay by Christina Aguilera. It took a while for me to get a hold of these songs, so in the mean time I used Turning Tables by Adele to fill in for both songs.

Once I got both the songs, I realised that Turning Tables actually fitted the ending of the film better than I'm okay. I liked the dramatic sort of feel it had, it seemed to drive the point home of my character being abused. The lyrics are also appropriate for the subject matter. "So I won't let you close enough to hurt me." Bad Wisdom talks about a girl going to the doctor's because she's been acting oddly and her mother thinks she's sick, but in reality she's been sexually abused. The music, by contrast is almost peaceful, which suits the beginning of the film which is innocent as my character bikes up her friend's driveway.

I wanted the music to fade at the right moments, so I went in the audio part of imovie and controlled the volume there. The volume is represented by little lines that move up for louder and down for quieter.

I found that in some of the scenes the volume was too low for the speaking. As you can see in two scenes in the picture above I doubled the audio to solve this problem.

Finally I decided on the freeze frame at the end of my film because I envision the next scene following Sarah's character at school, where she can't stop thinking about Molly. I think the freeze frame works because it leaves the viewer to see how Molly is feeling. Even though she acts angry at Sarah and blames here, she's really just scared. In the full length movie this would be the last time we'd see Molly for quite a while.

I also think the shot works well because of the framing in the background of the two trees.

I'm  annoyed about the camera work in this scene, because my tripod got stuck when I was filming it, which is why the pan upwards is incredibly shaky. We didn't have time to fix it though, because my grandma's gardener arrived just after we filmed this shot. 

Film Evalution

The first time I tried to shoot my film, the sound did not work because of the unusual amount of wind on that day. At first I was really annoyed, because I envisioned myself spending hours attempting to do voice overs with my friends, but once we decided to just re shoot, it ended up being a great opportunity to revise camera angles and improve on the acting. The second shooting had much better camera angles than the first, especially because I used more depth of field and shifted the focus rather than just having it looking at the scene in general the whole time. I ended up using the biking footage from the first filming anyway.

I think the shots were quite well done for the most part in my film. I liked the symmetry behind the trees in my Grandma's back yard, and they framed the people well. My over the shoulder shot could have been done better, because I didn't have the steady cam function on, whcih made the camera quite shaky. The issue with the steady cam functiuon though is that it uses up the battery at twice the speed.

Exam Evalutaion

I think the exams went okay. Andby okay I mean I probably passed, which is okay by me. I felt prepared for the genre essay, though I probably should have done more study for it. The representaions essay I found a bit more difficult, because I felt like we had only covered one part of the topic. I spent about a half hour- 45 minutes on each one, because I always finish super early in all my exams, and it's lame.

I need to do mroe work on memorising quotes and dates for my externals. Yeah. This should be longer, but it's not.

Various Tasks.

Task 4: Crew and Talent
Sarah: Georgia Scott
Mrs Samuels: Alison Budge
Molly: Deanna Stoddart

Task 5: Production Schedule
On the 6th of August I will be filming my movie at my Grandmother's house all day. I have already checked with her that this is okay, and my actors have all said they should be free.

Task 6: Art department
The costume used in my movie will be simple clothing that the actors already own. I will ensure that Deanna's character wears her hoodie. The only necessary prop is a pair of sunglasses that Deanna already owns.
Deanna will do her own eye make up.

Task 7: Locations, Permissions
I am filming the entire thing at my Grandmother's house. She has given me permission to do so. She lives in an oldish house with a river aorund the back.

Treatment

      Sarah is biking up a long driveway. The camera watches the wheels go past with a low angle shot. She reaches the end of the driveway and puts her bike down, resting it on its stand. The camera follows her over her shoulder to the door to a house. There is a shot of her hand knocking on the door. Molly's mother answers the door, and the camera avoids her face, shooting over her shoulder at Sarah's face. Mrs Samuels says "Sarah, we haven't seen you in a while. How are you?" She replies "I'm good thanks, Mrs Samuels. I was wondering.. Is Molly around?" The camera shoots over Sarah's shoulder and shows Mrs Samuels' face in shadow.
      Mrs Samuels says "it's not a good idea for you to see her at the moment. She's... got a lot of homework to do." The camera returns to filming from over Mrs Samuel's shoulder, before cutting to filming from outside the house, looking at Sarah's profile. Sarah says "Oh, okay... Well... Will you tell her I came 'round?" Mrs Samuels begins to close the door and says "Yes, I'll do that. Have a nice day." Sarah replies "You too..." in a manner that suggests she thinks the conversation is unfinished.
      She waves uncertainly and walks out of the door alcove. She begins to walk back down the driveway, but stops suddenly. A high angle shot sees her looking over her shoulder to see if Mrs Samuels is there, and then she walks quietly around the side of the house. The camera follows her through a rose bush covered path. She walks into the backgarden, that has a river down the front. An establishing shot from behind Sarah shows us the back of Molly's hooded figure sitting throwing sticks into the river. Sarah walks carefuly down to stand beside Molly. The camera films them sitting beside eachother.
     Sarah greets Molly. "Hey, Molly!" Molly doesn't even acknowledge that she is there. She sits looking forwards. She is wearing a hoodie jacket and dark sunglasses. Sarah says "You weren't at school yesterday." Molly replies in a monotonous voice "I was sick." The camera films Sarah from the front as she awkwardly sits down beside her. "Are you... feeling any better?" Sarah asks. "I'm fine," Molly replies. She still hasn't looked away from the river.
     Sarah attempts to put her arm around Molly and asks "How are things with your Dad?" Molly shoves her arm off angrily and says "He's not my Dad." Sarah looks away and throws a rock in the river. "I know, sorry... Does he... Does he still..." Molly turns and looks straight at Sarah. "Does he still what? Does he still beat me?" Sarah looks down at her feet. "Look." Molly takes her glasses off and reveals a black eye. The camera jumps from a close up of Molly to looking at the two of them straight on. Sarah's eyes are wide and shocked.
     "Molly, we have to tell someone," Sarah says in a concerned voice. "No." Molly puts her glasses back on and stares straight ahead of her again.
 "But Molly, they can-" Molly interupts her and says "Just leave." Sarah sounds hurt "What?" Molly says in a harsh voice "Go. Away." arah stands up slowly, and walks up the hill. The camera watches with Molly in the foreground, and Sarah blurred in the background. The focus shifts to Sarah, who looks back once, and then continues walking away.

Script

Sarah: Georgia Scott
Mrs Samuels: Alison Budge
Molly: Deanna Stoddart

Sarah is biking up a long driveway. The camera watches the wheels go past with a low angle shot. She reaches the end of the driveway and puts her bike down, resting it on its stand. The camera follows her over her shoulder to the door to a house. There is a shot of her hand knocking on the door. Molly's mother answers the door, and the camera avoids her face, shooting over her shoulder at Sarah's face.
Mrs Samuels: Sarah, we haven't seen you in a while. How are you?
Sarah: I'm good thanks, Mrs Samuels. I was wondering, is... Is Molly around?
The camera shoots over Sarah's shoulder and shows Mrs Samuels' face in shadow.
Mrs Samuels: It's not a good idea for you to see her at the moment. She's... got a lot of homework to do.
The camera returns to filming from over Mrs Samuel's shoulder, before cutting to filming from outside the house, looking at Sarah's profile.
Sarah: Oh, okay... Well... Will you tell her I came 'round?
Mrs Samuels: Yes, I'll do that. Have a nice day.
Sarah: You too...
Sarah waves uncertainly and walks out of the door alcove. She begins to walk back down the driveway, but stops when we hear the door closing. A high angle shot sees her looking over her shoulder to see if Mrs Samuels is there, and then she walks quietly around the side of the house. The camera follows her through a rose bush covered path. She walks into the backgarden, that has a river down the front. An establishing shot from behind Sarah shows us the back of Molly's hooded figure sitting throwing sticks into the river. Sarah walks carefuly down to stand beside Molly. The camera films them sitting beside eachother.
Sarah: Hey Molly!
Molly doesn't look at her, and stays silent.
Sarah: You weren't at school yesterday.
Molly: I was sick. She is deadpan and unenthusiastic. She stares straight ahead.
The camera films Sarah from the front as she awkwardly sits down beside her.
Sarah: Are you... feeling any better?
Molly: I'm fine.
Sarah puts her arm around Molly uncomfortably.
Sarah: How are things with your Dad? Molly shoves her arm off.
Molly: He's not my Dad.
Sarah: I know, sorry... Does he... Does he still...
Molly: Does he still what? Does he still beat me? She turns and looks straight at Sarah, who looks down at her feet.
Molly: Look. She takes her sunglasses off and reveals a black eye. The camera jums from a close up of Molly to looking at the two of them straight on. Sarah's eyes are wide and shocked.
Sarah: Molly, we have to tell someone.
Molly: No. She puts her glasses back on and stares straight ahead again.
Sarah: But Molly, they can-
Molly: Just leave.
Sarah: What?
Molly: Go. Away.
Sarah stands up slowly, and walks up the hill. The camera watches with Molly in the foreground, and Sarah blurred in the background. The focus shifts to Sarah, who looks back once, and then continues walking away.

Concept for film opening.

I am planning on making an issue based film opening on domestic violence. I want to make the opening shocking. I will either have happy music at the beginning contrasted with the serious content later on, or no music with exaggerated sound effects (loud footsteps and opening doors etc).
Plot:
A girl goes to her friend's house. When she knocks on the door it is partially opened by her friend's mother. (She keeps the chain on the door.) The camera angles will be carefuly selected so that we can't ever see the mother's face. The mother tells the girl that her friend can't see her because she's got too much homework to do.
The girl decides that she will sneak around the back of the house to see her friend anyway, and finds her sitting in the garden with a hood over her head and glasses covering her eyes. They have a forced conversation for a while until the girl asks about her stepfather.
Her friend takes her sunglasses off and reveals a black eye.

Analyse.

The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari used shadows in a very different way to the ways movies do today. Because the quality of the film was so low, they needed to emphasise light and dark more than was possible. They painted the shadows on the floor and walls to achieve this. As well as making it easier for viewers to see what was happening, it added to the unsettling feeling the film was trying to achieve.
Now that film quality has improves dramatically, natural shadows are much easier to use. Censorship isn't as necessary now that we have separate ratings for each type of film and a less sensitive audience. In more modern films shadows are used purely for dramatic effect, and not as often.

A brilliant example of dramatic shadow use is the scene in Nosferatu where the shadow of the vampire's hand is seen on the female lead's chest, implying that he is clutching at her heart.



In keeping with the Nosferatu theme, the scene where the vampire is making his way up the stairs is incredibly effective in creating an ominous atmosphere through the use of shadow.

Explain.

In both Psycho and Cat People the directors have used shadows to maintain the mystery behind the killer, because the audience is not supposed to know who (or in the case of Cat People what) they are. Particularly in the pool scene where Alice is swimming and Irina approaches here, the shadows are use create an unsettling atmosphere. The light reflected from the water makes moving patterns all over the walls, leading Alice and the audience to feel as though Irina could be anywhere.

Similarly, in Psycho the shadows are used to ensure the audience is not entirely sure who killed Marion. We're not even sure whether it is a man or woman, because of the clearly masculine build and yet effeminate wig. This is achieved through having Norman silhouetted against the shower curtain in the shower scene. Shadow is often used in this way in other movies.

The idea that the unknown is much more terrifying than the known is often explored in horror movies. Shadows are a good way of achieving this by showing the general outline of a threat, rather than everything in great detail. This is done in The Tingler when the creature walks across the projection table in the movie theatre, and the audience sees its shape on the screen.

Censorship has also been an issue in earlier horror films, because the less modern audience was much more easily offended/ disturbed than the one today. In Frankenstein, for example even the line "I now know what it's like to be god!" had to be cut in the first version because it was considered too blasphemous. Shadows have been used to monitor the level of violence so that the film is suitable for the current audience. Most of the scenes that could have been very brutal in Cat People were censored through the use of shadow. The scene where Irina, in the form of a panther attacks her therapist where they could have shown a very gory battle they choose instead to show her shadow pouncing against the wall.

Convention: Shadows. Describe :)

Use of shadows is very effective in a horror films. It can create an element of mystery, allowing the director to tell what is happening without actually showing it in great detail. The famous shower scene in psycho, for instance tells us that the victim is being killed but doesn't show us who. This means that the movie can progress without the outcome being too obvious.

Particularly in black and white films, shadows are used to create a sense of foreboding and uneasiness. This ties in to my previous point that it means a lot of the time we can't see the killer, and the unknown is usually scarier than the known. It's easier as an audience to deal with a psychotic murderer when we know who they are, because then we can sit back and yell at the screen not to trust them.

The scene in "Cat People" where Irina chases Alice into the pool house is terrifying because neither Alice, the token defenseless woman of the audience can see where Irina is.

The moving shadows on the walls can easily be mistaken for someone or something creeping around in the darkness. The water creates constantly moving light patterns on the walls.

Category three revisited: Dialogue (or lack thereof)

Sweeney Todd is a silent and introverted man. Throughout this movie he speaks very little, which works well when he is partnered with Mrs Lovitt, who is a chatterbox. Mr Todd is tortured, and has just been released from prison, where he was for a very long time, sent there for a crime he didn't commit. He is used to being alone, and doesn't have the desire to hold conversation like the average human does.

All of these characteristics are well represented in the opening sequence of Sweeney Todd, because there is no dialogue. The opening sequence shows where Mr Todd lives, and tracks a stream of blood through his house. This is an attempt to introduce his character without hearing him speak.

This style of opening sequence is very similar to Tim Burton's other movies. Edward Scissorhands has no dialogue, and Edward too speaks very little. Both characters being portrayed by Johnny Depp makes it difficult to not draw parallels. The opening sequence to Coraline shows a miniature doll version of Coraline being made, and again no dialogue.

Many other movies rely on dialogue in the opening sequence to explain something important. A title sequence can be used in the same way Shakespeare used a prologue-- to catch the audience up with what is happening. This is not necessary in Sweeney Todd, because of the song that follows. In this song Mr Todd and Anthony sing about where Mr Todd has been.

Later on Mrs Lovitt sings the story of Sweeney Todd, allowing the audience to know more about Mr Todd. In a musical, dialogue in an opening sequence is quite unneeded, because there is much more room for explaining events through the use of song.

Category four: Colour

The way that colour is used in this opening sequence is perhaps as expected for the subject matter. Aside from the blood and fire, the colours are desaturated and grim, making the fire and blood stand out more. Blood is an important part of this film (as expected), and making it stand out against the dark back ground draws attention to it, letting the viewers know it is significant.

The shade of red that Burton has chosen to use is not realistic, but it is consistent with his slightly artificial production style. If the blood were a realistic colour it would be a much darker shade, but then it would not be so effective in standing out.

In the majority of Tim Burton's films, the colour is very dark and de saturated. He is known for his quirky (and slightly disturbing) ideas, and Sweeney Todd fits with this well. Although "Coraline" is a cartoon movie, the colour schemes in it are very similar to Sweeney Todd's. He chooses one predominant colour, and couples it with black and white. In Sweeney Todd this colour is red, in Coraline this colour is blue.

(Coraline uses other colours also, as does Sweeney Todd, but these are the most prominent colours.)

The sudden blaze of bright orange and yellow towards the end when the fire is on screen suggests to the viewer that the scene is almost over. It is such a change from the faded blacks and greys that it is almost startling (which is probably the effect Burton intended on having.)

The dark colours in the first shot when the camera pans across London set the scene as dramatic and moody. Mr Todd's barbershop is also very dark, and this helps to make the place he lives (his lair, even) gloomy and sinister.

The colours in the opening tie in very well with Sweeney Todd's character later in the movie. He is a pale and creepy looking individual, with insomniac looking eyes. His clothes are dark (mostly black) and he almost resembles a vampire of sorts. His pale complexion is the only thing that stands out from where and who he is. The same goes for his partner in crime, Mrs Lovitt who is severe looking and always clad in dark dresses.

The dark colours throughout this scene are symbolic of Mr Todd's traumatic past. Losing his wife and daugthter have turned him into a tortured introvert, which is resonated in the predominantly black, white and grey colours.

The colours in Sweeney Todd are different from the average movie's, because of how dark they are. It is difficult to place Sweeney Todd into one genre, but if Tim Burton was a genre then it would fit in perfectly. When you compare the colours of Sweeney Todd to the colours of other genres, such as romantic comedies (bright colours, a lot of pink and soft white lighting) then it is obvious how it is different.

The colours are significant with the era, because 1785 London was very dreary and cold, as the colours in this film suggest.

Category three: Mood/ atmosphere.

As expected in a movie about a serial killer, the mood of this opening is very sinister. The colours are all very bleak and faded, adding to the macabre atmosphere. Because the unnaturally red blood stands out against the desaturated background, it draws attention to the fact that the entire opening is more or less about the blood its self. This makes the scene slightly uncomfortable to watch.

There is no dialogue in this opening, and no people either. The lack of face expression and generally humanly things makes this opening detatched, and almost emotionless-- the same way that Mr Todd is in the movie. Although he is a likable character, he has limited facial expressions, and at times seems inhuman. This makes drawing parallels between the opening sequence and the movie very easy.

"Sweeney Todd," as a movie, does an impressive job of playing with people's morals. Although the average person is against murder for any reason, it is difficult not to sympathise with Mr Todd's character, because he is strangely charasmatic for someone with so little to say, and the fact that he is seeking justice makes what he does seem right.

I mention this because the opening is a good lead up to this. The dripping blood and roaring fire make the mood of the opening sequence sinister and foreboding, and we expect the owner of this room to be evil and unappealing. The strange thing about this movie is that after watching it we feel the complete opposite.

Never mind what Mr Todd does to our fellow humans, he's a nice bloke and we're on his side.

Category two: Camera movement/ shots and angles.

Camera angles are very important to any scene. Letting the viewer know what's happening is vital to any successful movie, and the plot becomes very confusing if this is not done well.

Once the Warner bros logo has left the screen, the first thing the audience sees is a shot of London as the camera pans across dark and dreary buildings. This lets them know where the movie is set, and suggests at the time period it is set in because of the older looking buildings.

The camera then moves through Mr Todd's window, pulling focus to the pie machine inside his barbershop. The close up on this object is very important in introducing the idea that something as simple as a pie machine can become a threat.

The pie machine is a pivotal object in this movie, as it represents what Sweeney does to his victims, and how well the partnership between Mrs Lovitt works. This shot is used both to set up where the film mostly takes place, and to suggest the signifigance of the machine. The shot draws attention to it.

The remainder of the sequence is tracking the blood's journey through the pie machine. This is very important because is makes the audience almost sympathise with Mr Todd's victims, and what they go through once they're deceased. It almost warns them for what is about to happen in the film, because Sweeney Todd's subject matter is far from traditional.

The high shot of the spiral of blood on the floor (this can be seen in my previous post) is visually interesting, although it doesn't symbolise anything much. It keeps the audience member's attention, preventing them from getting bored and losing concentration.

Sweeney Todd's opening sequence is not dissimilar to that of Edward Scissorhand's. Edward Scissorhand's opening sequence starts outside, and slowly tracks into a lab where we see various pieces of machinery working by themselves. There are no people in it, just like in Sweeney Todd.

Burton likes to use opening sequences that introduce us to the character without us seeing them, There is no dialogue, and usually several close ups of objects significant to the protagonist.

Category one: Music.

Music is a very powerful tool for creating an atmosphere, and is used effectively in this short two minute opening. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, the majority of Sweeney Todd's sound track relies on the organ. Organ music has very dramatic connotations, having been associated with churches: predominantly funerals and masses. Being a film with a protagonist who is a serial killer, reminding the audience of funerals is very appropriate.

Because there is no dialogue in this opening, the scene relies largely on music. There are small sections where digetic sound is used, such as the wind sound effects in the background, but aside from this the main focus is the music. The music does well in creating tension and release. A good example of this is when the music builds up at the beginning when the logo is on screen, and then dies down to the string section playing a fast moving tune, creating a feeling of anticipation, making the viewer wonder what is about to happen.

Even before the organ music happens, there is a drum roll that creates forward momentum, giving the beginning organ theme the drive to be interesting. Because the flute is a high pitched and haunting instrument, this is also used to fit the atmosphere-- making it sinister and creepy.

The opening to Edward Scissorhands, also a Burton film, has a similar feeling behind it. There is no dialogue, and the sound is entirely reliant on the music. The music in Edward Scissorhands, just like in Sweeney Todd, is orchestral and elaborate. This time the organ is replaced with a choir, giving it a less sinister feel, and more of a dreamy feel.

Because Sweeney Todd is a musical (with brilliant music and lyrics by Steven Sondheim), even the background music has a lot of thought behind it. The orchestration is expertly done, fitting the setting incredibly well. Throughout the entire film, music of a similar feel adds another texture to the film, and the opening is no exception.

Further explanation.

This opening sequence fits very well into the movie. Although it is simple-- no dialogue or people-- it is very effective in doing what it's supposed to, which is to introduce the film.

When the warner bros logo is on screen for the beginning of this opening, the music in the background is effectively dramatic. Organ makes the viewer think something huge is about to happen, because of the connotations behind it. (Organs are often heard in church music, as a part of a religious piece or a funeral. The idea of funeral music is very appropriate for a movie where the protagonist is a serial killer.)

The camera then pans from a dark and stormy sky to dreary looking London buildings, and a dark and intense atmosphere is set. The smog spurting out of the building's chimneys foreshadows the idea of London being a "great black pit" as is mentioned in the first song, "No Place Like London."The music in the back ground is eerie because of the sudden drop in volume, and the wind sound effects that are quite low in the mix. The frantic string parts give a feeling of anticipation, and the thunder helps to set an ominous mood.

The camera then zooms through Mr Todd's barbershop window, and onto the most important part of the opening: the pie machine. This part fits well into the movie, because it introduces the idea of meat pies being sinister. Mrs Lovett and Mr Todd use this machine to make a profit out of other human's deaths, and it is important to establish the machine as a pivotal prop. There is a small trickle of blood on the window as the camera zooms in. This further supports the pie machine.

From then on there is a strong theme of blood in the opening sequence. Almost every shot has blood in it in some shape or form. This also helps with the idea that it is dangerous in Mr Todd's shop, because outside of it the scene had no blood. The blood symbolises danger and death.

Blood trickles down the handle of the pie machine and onto the cogs on the inside. The flute part makes the music creepy, because it is high pitched and resonant of horror music. The cogs in the machine turn around slowly, and the blood pools on the edge of it before dripping in between two gears and falling through a trapdoor. To make the blood stand out against the otherwise dull gray colours in this scene, Burton has chosen to use and artificially vibrant shade of red.

The camera quickly zooms out onto a meat minder that is churning out large quantities of sausage-like meat. Anyone who has seen this movie before knows that the meat is far from innocent, almost definitely being human flesh. At this point the music builds up again.

A bright red spiral is drawn on the ground in more blood, which is very effective to look at. The red, again, is a huge contrast to the black floor it is on. The camera pull focuses to a close up of a fire blazing, while the meat is being cooked. The camera then shifts to a view of several meat pies baking in the oven: the final product. The door is closed by its self.

We then see how the blood is disposed of, when a sewer-like system washes it away down a pipe. The liquid is bubbly and disturbing, a mixture between water and blood. After this liquid is tracked through a vent, the water looses its colour and gradually fades into a mist, where we see a ship float in, indicating the end of the opening sequence. The music suddenly halts to help leave the scene with a feeling of resolution.

The lighting throughout this scene is dark and gloomy, because of the subject matter. There are very few colours other than the blood.

Link to opening sequence.

Here is a copy of the opening sequence! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLS1VzUwfQ4&feature=related

(First two minutes and thirteen seconds.)

Chosen Opening Sequnce.

The title sequence I plan on studying is Sweeney Todd.

In this sequence we are introduced to the idea of meat pies being sinister. The first shot is of a city panning into Mr Todd's window, which then zooms into the meat pie machine in his barbershop. The camera follows a trail of blood from the pie maker through the shop. The music in the background is atmospheric, creating a dark and ominous mood.

This opening sequence appealed to me because Sweeney Todd is one of my favourite movies. I have always enjoyed Tim Burton's slightly cooky style, and I think this is one of the best films he's done. The opening sequence does a really good job of setting up the directing style he is known for.

Burton's style tends to be quit artificial. Rather than using realistic looking blood, he uses a strange clearly fake looking liquid. This is done in the first scene when the blood goes through the pie machine. It is much lighter than real blood. Because the camera angle tracks the blood, it allows us to see the scene from the perspective of Sweeney's victims while they are becoming pies.

Thoughts on possible opening credits?

At this point I'm not 100% sure on which movie opening I would like to study, though I am considering doing one of Tim Burton's films. His movies tend to have very bizarre ideas behind them, and they're done in a very interesting style. I think if I re watch the opening sequences for some of them, I am bound to find the right one to study.