SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF THE HOMEBREW VIDEOMAKER: TITLE SEQUENCES

Hey all, welcome to the second installment of my series on the common mistakes in Homebrew videos. In case you missed the last one... you should check it out.

Blatant self-promotion? Eh, why not.

A note about this article; though this could certainly be applied to a variety of different internet video series, this issue is most apparent in reviews.

Join the conversation below and suggest your own deadly sin!

DEADLY SIN NUMBER TWO: REGARDING TITLE SEQUENCE
I don't care how much you like that song, there is no purpose served in having a two minute intro to a ten minute video. Every second spent playing clips from previous episodes is a second the video is making an audience wait for fresh content.

Though it would be easier, I can't advise against title sequence universally; the reality is while a great title sequence can keep an audience interest sustained in an otherwise average review series a bad title sequence can turn the same audience off in their first episode.

The real problem is that most of those who use them don't actually understand the purpose of a title sequence. If you've got a show, be honest; do you actually know why you have a title sequence, or are you just including one because everyone else has one?

The Purpose of a Title Sequence
Guild regulations require that the key creatives be credited near the beginning of a film or television show. In all likelihood, this is where the practice would have originated.

Though movies had them in some form or another since the early 1900s, the title sequences of the homebrew scene really have their origins in television if only because episodic television, like serialized reviews, use the same title sequence in each episode (where a movie's will only be seen once). We can begin there. The following list should not be considered all inclusive, but is a start.

1. A title sequence is intended to set the tone for the show.
   
2. Every episode of an average TV series will have different writers, directors, and in the case of shows like The Outer Limits cast and settings. The title sequence gave a sense of cohesion and familiarity to the series.
3. A title sequence gives a buffer of time for those people coming in late to the program.

The third entry, as you can imagine, is the one that absolutely doesn't apply to videos for the internet.

Common Misteps in Homebrew Title Sequences
On the internet, the audience always starts the video at the 00:00 mark. Unlike the makers of Buffy or Batman, you know absolutely where the audience starts your video. Add to that the acceleration of attention spans and well... The reasons for a long title sequence on the internet are greatly diminished. There will always be exceptions, but think in the neighborhood of 30 seconds as a maximum.

Some other practices which diminish the effectiveness of a title sequence include but are certainly not limited to:

• REPETITIVENESS. Doing a montage of clips from previous episodes where each shot consists of the host talking or gesturing from the same camera angle. This highlights the limitations of the show. It also can send the message that the host is trying too hard with even having a title sequence.
• BAD MUSIC CHOICE. More than anything else in an intro, the music chosen becomes tied with the show. Choosing something that's over-used or something that's at odds with the tone and concept of the series really will leave a bad taste in the mouths of your audience. Plus, you know, that whole copywrite thing.
  
• BAD CUSTOM MUSIC. Commissioning a song for your video to avoid Copywrite issues is very admirable. Unfortunately most often a videomaker will go with the first musician who's willing and not the person who's the right choice for the role. This often leads to a song that's painful on the ears because of the musician's limitations or a song that's a sharp contrast to the tone of the show.
• HAVING A TITLE SEQUENCE. Not every show needs a full title sequence. Sometimes a title and a music sting is enough (What The Fuck is Wrong With You), and sometimes a video doesn't need so much as a logo (Nostalgia Critic).

Tips for Making a Good Title Sequence...?
There's not much I can say here, really. The reality is there's no magic formula because every case is different. To do it justice, I'd have to do some case by case looks at title sequences which work (and which don't).

Honestly, that may well be something that needs more than just an article. At this point I turn it to you, guys: is there any reviewer or videomaker who'd be willing to let me publicly do an analysis of their title sequence? Any volunteers can contact me in any way they can find to do so, including by posting in the comments or by e-mail: bdmacdonald.films@gmail.com

To be continued...?

This article is dedicated to Darren Maher for being an awesome dude and posting intelligently on a previous article.

Because, I do that. Comment people!