13th Title Sequence Essay

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Pages: 3

13th Title sequence review The opening title sequence of the documentary, extending until the 2:50 mark, serves as a powerful prologue, consisting of stark black and white animation that maps the United States. Accompanied by President Obama’s quote on unnerving statistics on Americas’ incarceration rate, the tone is immediately set. The tone it introduces is that it's a documentary with a serious message about the deep-seated racial disparities within the American justice system. As the sequence unfolds, the integration of black and white photographs and animations against a dark backdrop, emphasized with partnering significant quotes and words, creates a compelling visual narrative. The images seamlessly blend into one another, fostering …show more content…
Throughout, the documentary's title sequence speakers deliver their monologues, their words taking on a visual form as they're underscored by partnering imagery, which engages the viewers further. The camera work is deliberate, circling the speakers to maintain focus on their pivotal insights about systemic injustice. The title sequence really plays around with typography. It consists of words morphing and emerging right out of the scenes, with this black and white look. The style of the words changes to match what's going on, making sure they fit in well with what’s happening on screen. Sometimes, the words are super bold and pop up in the middle of the screen to make sure you don’t miss the big points the speakers are hitting. The music is really a non factor for most parts, but it does build up when things get intense and then dials it way down when it’s time to move on to the next scene. The lighting is pretty straightforward, just make sure you can see the speakers clearly. It’s not about adding drama; it’s more about making sure nothing distracts from what’s being said, keeping the focus on the heavy topics the documentary is