RESEARCH - Title Sequence

A title sequence is the method by which films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilising conceptual visuals and sound.

In silent cinema title cards were used throughout to convey dialogue and plot and it is in some of these early short films that we see the first examples of title sequences themselves, being quite literally a series of title cards shown at the beginning of a film.

Television was one of the things that unintentionally assisted in title sequences evolution as cinema had to come up with a way of upping the production quality of films so people would pay to go. Cinema's title sequences grew longer and more elaborate, the involvement of graphic designers such as Saul Bass and Maurice Binder became more common.

The introduction of digital technologies in the late 1980s and early 1990s to film and television changed both industries. Television began to develop more cinematic experiences for television, including more elaborate and considered title sequences.

What makes title sequences different from the end credits and rest of the film is the fact that there is often no dialogue which leaves the director to focus on other elements such as cinematography, typography and music/sound. Sequences that I enjoy the most are ones that make use of these elements: unique camera angles, type and the music all help set up the films atmosphere.  

Early examples of title sequences:

North By Northwest (Saul Bass)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVUnUmPV33c

Dr. No (Maurice Binder) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dSpoKZWb2Y

I am drawn to title sequences as they incorporate multiple elements I am interested in: Music, motion graphics and typography. I feel they are an incredibly important aspect as they help set the tone of the rest of the film. 

Title sequences are also memorable and are essential to TV shows to help link all the episodes. There are hundreds of well known and iconic TV series sequences I have found some of the most recognisable of them:

The Simpsons (TV)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqJS_FqZNJ0  
    
The opening sequence has multiple times been picked as one of the best title sequences of all time on TV and there have been a number of different versions created by other directors and artists as well as many different parodies. 

Guillermo del Toro version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtgYY7dhTyE

Banksy Version 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX1iplQQJTo

Game of Thrones (TV) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7L2PVdrb_8

The Sopranos (TV)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUT07eZoXPw

While there isn't much going on in terms of the typography during this intro it really helps set the scene for the show through the journey from the lead characters work place to his home and can get an idea of what the character is like during this sequence. 

Se7en (Film) (Kyle Cooper)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k2gsEI34CE#t=54

There is an incredible amount of detail in this sequence which gives the audience little snippets into the mind of the films villain. The harsh  hand rendered typography reflects the notes of the serial killer and adds to the films eerie mood. This films titles was among the first in the 90s to rasie the bar for future films and showed other directors and creatives the importance of a strong conceptual opening.   

Below are some of my favourite sequences:

Enter the Void (Tom Kan)

The sequence for this film is a mash up of type and logos which reflect the intense busyness of the Tokyo setting. The film is about the use of a hallucinogenic drug and is supposed to be confusing for the audience shown by the rush of hundreds of different typefaces.   

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Richard Kenworthy)

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Neil Kellerhouse & Blur Studios)






Alternative Blade Runner (Dani Avila) 






Semi-Permanent 2013 Titles (Danny Yount)  

Catch Me If You Can (Kuntzel & Deygas)

RESEARCH - Films

Visual culture has always been present in my life and is something that I find extremely interesting. Paying attention to current visual culture is something I am always naturally doing and is what helps keep me inspired. Film is a big aspect of the visual culture of today and is something that I find very fascinating and inspiring. I spend a lot of time watching films and will often research into directors/actors, music and art directors to find other films I may enjoy.  

Film History (Wikipedia)

The history of film began in the late 1880s with the invention of the first movie camera. Motion pictures were initially exhibited as a carnival novelty and developed to one of the most important tools of communication and entertainment, and mass media in the 20th century and into the 21st century. Most films before 1930 were silent. Motion picture films have substantially affected the arts, technology, and politics.

Major American studios began to create their own "independent" production companies to finance and produce non-mainstream fare. One of the most successful independents of the 1990s, Miramax Films, was bought by Disney the year before the release of Tarantino's runaway hit Pulp Fiction in 1994. The same year marked the beginning of film and video distribution online. Animated films aimed at family audiences also regained their popularity, with Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and The Lion King (1994). During 1995, the first feature length computer-animated feature, Toy Story, was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Disney. After the success of Toy Story, computer animation would grow to become the dominant technique for feature length animation, which would allow competing film companies such as Dreamworks Animation and 20th Century Fox to effectively compete with Disney with successful films of their own. During the late 1990s, another cinematic transition began, from physical film stock to digital cinema technology. Meanwhile DVDs became the new standard for consumer video, replacing VHS tapes.

Film has become so popular because of the massive variety out there. The word 'film' is a vague term and pretty much encompasses anything shot with a camera. It also involves other medias such as music, art, design, costume, storytelling, history ect. 

Films have so many genres and sub-genres below is a list of some of my favourites.

Action/Adventure 

Horror

Science Fiction 

Thriller

Documentary Film (Wikipedia)

Box office analysts have noted that this film genre has become increasingly successful in theatrical release with films such as Fahrenheit 9/11, Super Size Me, Food, Inc., Earth,March of the Penguins, Religulous, and An Inconvenient Truth among the most prominent examples. Compared to dramatic narrative films, documentaries typically have far lower budgets which makes them attractive to film companies because even a limited theatrical release can be highly profitable. 

The nature of documentary films has expanded in the past 20 years from the cinema verité style introduced in the 1960s in which the use of portable camera and sound equipment allowed an intimate relationship between filmmaker and subject. The line blurs between documentary and narrative and some works are very personal, such as the late Marlon Riggs's Tongues Untied (1989) and Black Is...Black Ain't (1995), which mix expressive, poetic, and rhetorical elements and stresses subjectivities rather than historical materials.

Films go further than what is just on screen; a film will be accompanied by a poster and trailers  
for its release. This is one of the things I find most appealing about films as it can often spur recognition for new artists and designers. 

An iconic graphic designer who has done work for a lot of films is Saul Bass, his style is unique making use of hand rendered typography and silhouettes in his minimal poster designs. 

  

Anthony Goldschmidt is another renowned graphic designer that specialises in film posters who  set up the company Intralink which has collectively created the most recognisable posters for hundreds of popular films. 

   

I found a video that suggests the quality in movie posters haves dropped over the past few years with the rise in accessibility and ease of use of such programs as photoshop. Film studios may no longer need to employ a designer (saving them money) to design detailed and creative posters and as a result has saturated the industry with generic posters which have followed a formula to show off the cast and appeal to certain audiences. 

here is the video:

WTF Happened to movie posters? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXJiBkFgprQ

These dull posters have inspired people to start making alternative posters for the films. Many designers have found success in creating unofficial posters way better than the originals. 

Here are a few of my favourite designs and designers 

Matt Ferguson (Watchmen)

 

Ken Taylor (Jurassic Park) 

 Grzegorz Domaradzki (Pacific Rim)

Unknown (Mars Attacks)

Midnight Marauder (Prometheus)