Title Research: The Big Country: AICE Media Studies

 Titles Research: The Big Country

For further research, we decided to pick an older film. With this, we can see the history in film development. We can compare this to the more recent drama films and see which methods of film making is similar and what is different. Using the Art of The Titles to find the movie and to figure this out, we answered a few questions below.

1. What titles are displayed during the opening sequences? Displayed is images of horses and a wagon. The horses are carrying the wagon that has people riding on it. It shows them following a trail throughout the whole opening sequence until they reach a house at the end. Throughout the whole thing credits are shown. 
2. What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? Primary images shown are the horses and the path they follow. It follows the people riding the wagon towards their destination. 
3. What connotations do these images carry? Connotations carried are mainly positive. Words like adventure seem to fit well with this opening. It could also portray feelings of mystery and maybe comedy due to the music in the background.
4. How does the film establish a feeling of the genre from the outset? The film sets the feeling of the genre since the beginning by many things. The music is a good start as it gives the feeling of a dramatic adventure in the wild west. The film also shows the people on the wagon following the trail in the middle of nowhere, leading to maybe a sense of worry for the audience as they seem a little lost. 
5. What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? Strategies used to target its audience would be the dramatic music and atmosphere. The atmosphere is mainly adventurous but has a dramatic feeling to it as well. 
6. How has technology been used effectively? You want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques. Technology has been surprisingly used well. The main camera angles used weren't so different from today. Low and High angles were used to show the people on the trail from different perspectives. Establishing shots and wide shots were also used to show the surrounding terrain and where they were. Editing was also similar as they used cross-cutting from the trail and to a fan in a house before quickly dissolving back to the trail. Action match was also used to show the other angles of the scene. 

So for this movie, the style was pretty similar to today. Obviously the technology and quality of camera used is outdated compared to today, but the methods used were similar. The camera angles and editing styles were similar to today's movies. The movie does have an old timey feeling to it. So compared to today, the methods used were similar but the fluidity is different due to limitations of technology at the time.