Fin
al
ITC
Rep
ort
Take Notice of the Titles:
Dr aft
An exploration into the role of opening title sequences throughout the history of cinema by
Madelene King KIN10307102
Printed in London January 2014
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Cast: i.......... Contents
1.......... Introduction
5.......... As A Brand Image 6.......... Inception 7.......... As a logo
10......... Reaching iconic status 17......... As an Introduction 18......... To the characters
20......... Through the eyes of the protagonist 24......... As a Narrative Tool 25......... A film within a film 28......... As a prologue
33......... As an epilogue
42......... Lack of Title Sequences
44......... The Future of Title Sequences 47......... Conclusion
51......... Bibliography 55......... Appendix
56......... Survey Results 58......... Interview
i
B Act One
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n o i t c u d o r Int
1.
_ k Introduction:
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The uninitiated may be forgiven for writing off the title sequence as nothing more than a necessary, bland convention to inform the audience, that yes, they are watching a movie, it was made by the following people, these are the stars to get excited about, and here is what the movie is called. These are essentially the primary responsibilities that film titles are designed to fulfill. However, with a little digging, we can unearth a realm where they can offer so much more than that. By outgrowing their workaday functions they can unlock an “I was running late for immense potential to speak volumes about the the movies...I bought movie itself, before it even begins. Similarly my ticket and ran to to the cover of a book, they can attract the the auditorium...while curiosity of the audience, encouraging the viewer the usher was cutting to metaphorically open it up and start reading, it, I asked, ‘Has the as well as providing the title and relevant movie started yet?’ ‘No, authorship information. they’ve just shown the Title sequence for films has evolved opening credits,’ he immensely over the years, ranging from blank answered...” backgrounds with overlayed text simply Joseph Sales identifying the film, to creative and fun (Solana, 2007) expressions of ideas and concepts. In the beginning there were no film title sequences as such. The earliest titles, for silent films, were presented on title cards, giving the dialogue and setting the time, place and action of the scenes. But as film making advanced so too did title design, and with the advent of sound film and new technology they began to take on aesthetic dimensions they hadn’t known before.
2.
It’s been since the late 1950’s, that title sequences have come into their own as an artistic showcase for creative design and illustration, in addition to identifying the film. The biggest inspiration and best examples of the new high artform have come from Maurice Binder and Saul Bass, who said of title sequences in a 1996 interview with Film Quarterly,
D “My initial thoughts about what a title can do was to set mood and the prime underlying core of the film’s story, to express the story in some metaphorical way. I saw the title as a way of conditioning the audience, so that when the film actually began, viewers would have an emotional resonance with it.”
(www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/arts/21iht-design21.html?_r=3&)
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“A great title sequence Title sequences can be “engaging or sets an expectation. wildly entertaining...or simply drop dead You’re in the theatre beautiful.” They can “ooze with visual poetry and you see this and sophisticated imagery,” or “they can put sequence, and you forget the audience in the right mood for the movie, about everything else, or close it in the right way”, writes the and you don’t want to website ‘Forget the Films, Watch the Titles’(www. be anywhere else but watchthetitles.com). As the first thing we see when right there, at this we watch a movie the title sequence usually moment, and it gets you sets the tone for what is to come, acting as an excited.” extension of the film itself, sometimes even being Kyle Cooper considered a short film, or a film within a film. (www.watchthe titles.com) They are a powerful expression of motion graphics and, as a prelude to the movie, can have great evocative power, even at a personal level, on the audience, with 56% of people admitting that the titles had stood out to them on at least one occasion (King, 2013). Titles have become wonderful bridges from reality into the cinematic world and back out again, and at their very best, are themselves innovative, emotional experiences, microcosms of their movies (www.titledesignproject.com/2009/03/credit-
where-credits-are-due/).
More and more animators and graphic designers are building entire studio practices devoted to title sequence design. The first fifteen minutes is increasingly crucial to the overall art direction, and often seen as an opportunity for experimentation.
O
“All of a sudden we’re beginning to infiltrate graphic designers, typographers, so there’s this kind of overlap and this convergence. Designers that can tell a story are moving into the whole creation of content.” Kyle Cooper
(www.watchthetitles.com) 3.
m This report aims to document the history of film title design and explore the multiple roles that opening sequences perform in modern cinema, from inception to the present day. Including a chronological background, the study looks at the progress of opening credits based on historical and technological changes, whilst identifying some of the major names in the field. It demonstrates the extent of different uses for titles and credits, providing visual examples throughout. Also incorporated is a collection of primary research, supporting the assertion that opening credit sequences play a crucial role in the delivery of movies, and are considered to be important by viewers.
4.
d n a r B a *As _ Act Two e g a Im
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As a Brand Image
Inception: As inventor of the ‘Kinetograph’ in 1897,
it was George Melies who invented cinema as entertainment, cinema as narration and cinema as an industry. In a bid to resolve the problems he faced in differentiating the films full of magic that he produced from the technical displays made by the scientific pioneers of the field, Melies uncovered the need to package movies. His resolution to this problem was to film black pieces of cardboard yielding his brand name, and mount the brand at the beginning of the movies, adding the title of the story, and inserting any dialog necessary for the public to understand the movie’s plotline. It was this solution in itself that brought about narration, and the need for a visual language that worked on a universal level, not reliant on specific languages. Just like in any other business, it was suitable packaging of what is being sold and who to, that became a necessity within the movies. (http://filmabinitio.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/
films-first-cinemagician-magic-of.html)
6.
As a logo: In the 1930s and 40s it had been the convention
in many movie theatres to keep the curtains closed during the credits, parting them to reveal the film’s opening scene, but as the filmmaking became a large business, operating on a global scale, titles had to become the logos of their movies. It was all a question of size, and product differentiation was becoming more imperative. To grow and survive in a turbulent market the movie industry had to specialise, and it was the advent of television that spurred on major film studios to win back a dwindling audience by investing in developing cinema.
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“Producers looked for that ‘special touch’ that would set them apart from all the rest. Everyone needed to sell ‘their’ difference; technological wonderment was not enough anymore.” (Solana 2007, p51).
A trip to the theatre was seen as an escape for moviegoers, and they needed to instantly be able to identify the product and its characteristics, meaning producers had to define them in an easy way. This occurred within the title sequences, and being the first images to appear, it meant that audiences were able to rapidly comprehend what the product was. The idea of creating a short dramatic burst of action to introduce the film was a way of hooking an audience borrowed from television, where it was used in a bid to stop people switching channels during the credits. (www.typotheque.com/articles/ taking_credit_film_title_sequences_1955-1965_1_contents)
Nicholaus Fried, a filmmaker and lecturer at London College of Communication, highlights the need for moviegoers attention to be captured immediately saying, “The titles are crucial in that respect for defining the genre and then the audience knowing how to engage with the narrative.” (Klaus, 2014)
7.
The historical concept of basic white text on a black background has been the basis of a distinctive brand image of a filmmaker as interesting as Woody Allen. For him, the choice is clear, and the Windsor typography is a sign of identity that he has abandoned in only a few movies, a move that has become as synonymous with Allen as his black rimmed glasses. The changes in style and designer, such as John Alagna, and Randy Balsmeyer’s company Big Film Design, have established small nuances but all taken from the same typographic family, with many a critic attributing this to a limited budget, but it ultimately remains an obvious style option.
David Fincher once said in an interview for an internet fansite: “I love Woody Allen’s stuff. I think they’re f***ing hilarious, and they haven’t changed over the years. I don’t know if it’s that important. I mean, looking back...in the end, would I have rather not spent $800,000 on Fight Club? Yeah. Given that the film only grossed 100 million worldwide, you kind of go, ‘Ah...maybe we shouldn’t have.’ But for prosperity, they’re kind of great. If they can help you set the tone - I just want something that starts the movie by going, ...Everyone, open your f***ing eyes and shut your mouths and get ready to go because we’re moving...If you trip up, we’re leaving without you.”
p
V (http://kitblog.com/2007/12/woody_allens_typography.html)
(Solana, 2007,pg 23)
8.
Stills from the titles of numerous Woody Allen films
[http://kitblog.com/2007/12/woody_allens_typography.html]
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Reaching iconic status: Having designed the packaging for a movie brand
image that still lives on today, Maurice Binder can be credited as one of the most famous title designers of all time. In designing the credits for ‘Dr. No’ by Terence Young in 1962, Binder created a sequence style that will probably continue to thrive for as long as there are still adventures with agent 007. Producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Brocolli were convinced that he was the right designer to compete with the loss in market share due to TV fiction, and it was his abstract sequences along with his modern touch that got him noticed (www.ultraswank.net/film/ maurice-binder-title-designer/).
“It defines the film as both being thriller and sexy but also complete fluff and superficial, and it says ok, we’re going to be incredibly, you know the relations with how women are portrayed in the film, it makes no apology, it says from the start, this is the world that we’re moving in”
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As Binder was not re-hired to work on ‘From Russia with Love’ (1963), the second instalment of Bond, the task of rounding out the brand image was left to Robert Brownjohn, who at the time was a graphic artist of substantial influence. He succeeded in this by expanding Binder’s basic packaging, using extraordinary sequences full of suggestive images, on which he projected or cast perfectly composed typography. ‘Sex and Typography’ was the title of an article published in the English journal ‘Typographica’, in which Brownjohn explained the origin of the title for the second episode of Bond, stating “On this type of film, the only themes to work with are, it seems to me, sex or violence. I chose sex”(www.typotheque.com). Concepts considered by both designers culminated in a brand defined by a mixture of Binder’s bullet shot, followed by a prologue sequence, then finished off with Brownjohn’s ‘live action credits’. For Terence Young’s ‘Thunderball’ (1965) Binder was hired on once again, retaining Brownjohn’s previous input, and continued to create all the credits for the series until his death in 1991, when he was replaced by Daniel Kleinman, whose latest creation is ‘Skyfall’ (2012). By using similar colour palettes and silhouettes through the opening credits, they have been able to retain consistency across the James Bond series, easing the transition between numerous different Bond actors whilst adapting to changes in style for more than 40 years.
Nicholaus Fried (Fried, 2014)
10.
‘Dr.No’ 1962 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/dr-no/]
‘From Russia with Love’ 1963 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y952TRNBvDw]
‘Thunderball’ 1965 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT0x7QiJI1g]
‘Skyfall’ 2012 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/skyfall/]
k In 1997 came the titles for ‘Star Wars’ by George Lucas which, interestingly, were made just to get by, since Lucas did not want opening credits with actors, technicians, producers and the like; he only wanted storytelling information and to leave everything else for the final roll call. Being as Lucas continued to use the same style, created by Dan Perri, for the other five movies, these titles formed an intrinsic part of the monumental success of the entire ‘Star Wars’ saga. (Solana, 2007)
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‘Star Wars’ 1997 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKRIUiyF0N4]
*As an Introdu ct
_ Act Three
ion
17.
_
As an Introduction
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To the characters: The ways in which we respond with feeling to films
are rich and varied. How we may pity the plight of a doomed heroine, or feel tremendous anxiety as a shark approaches an unsuspecting swimmer, is a carefully orchestrated mechanism created specifically to evoke a poignant response in the viewer (Thompson Jones, 2008 pg 103). An emotional connection with the film can be established from the outset by introducing characters in such a way that means the audience can get a feel for them, maybe even relate to them in some way or at least see through the eyes of the protagonist. In ‘Casino’ (1995) the titles depict Robert De Niro, who plays the central figure, plummeting through flames that turn into the neon light of the Las Vegas strip, symbolising the character’s personal descent into hell. The titles accompanying ‘To Die For’ by Gus Van Sant (1995), of which Pablo Ferro says, “I wanted to very clearly show the identity of this character before she was introduced to the audience” (Solana,2007), aim to paint a picture of the character played by Nicole Kidman. Working with his son Allen Ferro he included pages of fake tabloids, newspapers, romance magazine covers, images from television news programmes and so on, showing just how much information could be crammed into a credit sequence before the main action starts.
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‘Casino’ 1995 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/casino/]
C Through the eyes of the Protagonist:
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Depicting the sequences through the mind of one of the characters, from their perspective as it were, has been the method used by many of the great designers that have been credited with setting a precedent for the new generation of title designers. An example of this appears in the title sequence for ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ (1962), a title never before seen at that time, about which designer Stephen Frankfurt says: “I found the way to visually get inside the mind of a child.”(Solana, 2007). The view we have is of an old cigar box which opens revealing the possesions of a young girl, whilst Elmer Berstein’s theme plays out in the background. We watch the girl’s hands shade over a piece of white paper, the girl humming a song as she does so. The title appears as she goes along, then features close up shots of the objects found in the box, until the scene ends with a drawing of a bird which she then scribbles out and rips in two. (www.parsonsdesign2.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/
movie-title-sequence-for-to-kill-a-mockingbird-by-stephenfrankfurt/)
k It was with his titles for David Fincher’s ‘Se7en’ (1995) that Kyle Cooper has been credited as single handedly revitalising the main title sequence as an artform. With its abrasive and jarred imagery it managed to set the tone for the entire film by capturing the mind of a disturbed serial killer. Since the killer is not exposed until roughly forty minutes into the movie, the titles bridge that gap by introducing the villain, John Doe, yet maintaining suspense by showing only his fingertips as they assemble a diary, documenting the murders he will execute in the scenes to come. While shooting this sequence Cooper admits that he had a hard time getting into the mind-set of a psychopath. He says, “I had some moral objections to using a shot where a razor blade is cutting the word God out of a dollar bill... But then I thought, John Doe would do it” (Purtell, 1995)
20.
‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ 1962 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/to-kill-a-mockingbird/]
‘Se7en’ 1995 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/se7en/]
m
‘Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events’ (2004) is a more contemporary example of an animated title sequence, opening with fake credits as if the movie is a happy and cheerful tale called ‘The Littlest Elf’. The atmosphere is shattered by the soundtrack breaking up and the colour fading from the screen whilst a narrator states “I’m sorry to say that this is not the movie you will be watching” going on to mockingly suggest that “if you wish to see a movie about a happy little elf, I am sure there is still plenty of seating available in theatre two.” Having given a somewhat sarcastic description of what the film is about, the narrator introduces himself as Lemony Snicket, a pseudonym of the author Daniel Handler. The children’s tale aspect of the story is referred to by the introduction of a narrator, who having played a trick on the audience, leads them into the playful and witty nature of the film.
23.
_ Act Four
l o o T e v i t a r r a N a s *A _
24.
_ As a Narrative Tool
A film within a film: In the 1920’s and 30’s style was a major factor
k
and in Europe, modern graphic design played an integral part in title sequence design. Born out of German expressionism, it was the titles for Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’ (1927) designed by Eugan Schufftan, which introduce the concept of a film before the film. Incorporating the latest tendencies in graphics, it set the necessary tone by creating an abstraction of the idea of dystopia, giving rise to the plot. This style of cinema sought to be different by using sharp camera angles alongside dramatic lighting, in turn creating optical effects that highlighted the contrast between shadow and light (Thompson, 2010). With ‘Un Chien Andalou’ (1928) and ‘L’Age D’Or’ (1930), director Luis Bunuel, and screenwriter Salvador Dali, began surrealistic cinema, believing that “watching a movie should constitute for viewers a revelation akin to madness” (Solana, 2007 115-117). Bound by darkness movie-goers would be subject to a sensory experience, witnessing scenes where dreams and reality mix through the use of shocking imagery. In a stark contrast the titles, designed by Andre Vigneau for the first of these films, channel art deco, the signage used in posters of the period, and certainly do not serve as an introduction to such a graphically provoking film.
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25.
‘Metropolis’ 1927 [Solana, 2007]
‘Un Chien Andalou’ 1928 [Solana, 2007]
As a prologue: A prologue serves to give the reader additional
p
background information which may not be found within the story itself, thus providing a more comprehensive understanding of the scenario. In theory, the notion of embedding credits into movies gave the opportunity to recreate this “It occurred to me ‘once upon a time’ introduction with titles as that the title could part of the narrative. In the past this was make a more significant often achieved with little forethought, and in contribution to the some cases the titles were created as if totally storytelling process, separate from the film itself. it could act as a Nowadays, the credits are embedded in a prologue.’ sequence known as ‘live action credits’, which is Saul Bass specifically conceived for each film, but usually (www.typotheque.com/ articles/taking_credit_film_ not by the director of the film itself. Very title_sequences_1955-1965_1_ effectively used by Robert Brownjohn in 1964 for contents) Guy Hamilton’s ‘Goldfinger’, this technique is today the most widely used method, permitting designers to “direct credits as an aside, as an advertisement, or as an abstract short film, well-suited to the requirements of the studio’s marketing department or on some occasions, the preferences of the director.” (Solana, 2007)
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‘Goldfinger’ 1964 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/goldfinger/]
As a result of the ability to embed titles, the required prologue for the forthcoming action could be created. Filmmakers were no longer restricted to the use of font styles to communicate the predominant narrative premise of their cinematographic creations. Using an optical printer, a device comprising one or more film projectors mechanically linked to a movie camera, any number of film strips could be re-shot by moviemakers (Fielding, 1972). Thanks to this method, packaging was able to achieve the desired result, and consequently credits performed the task of enticing viewers into the film. Studios only needed to record a series of empty or half-empty shots in order to utilize typography to complete the films, with the best examples indicating the tone and genre of the film. A mixture of styles can be introduced to produce a trailerlike sequence within the credits, alternatively creating a kind of advertisement for those who have already purchased the movie. Naturally this can all be achieved very skillfully, and prior to its restoration in 1998, ‘Touch of Evil’ by Orson Welles (1958) included the most acclaimed credit sequence embedded into action in the history of the cinema: the more than three minute long tracking shot, commencing with a view of hands setting the timer of a bomb which is placed in the boot of a car, continues unbroken, panning over rooftops and crossing streets, whilst introducing the two main characters of the movie, until the sound of the explosion just after the car has crossed the border into the United States, soon after the director’s name has appeared in the credits. Whilst being designed specifically for the opening credits, this action sequence was also a vital scene in the movie. Of course there are many exceptions in which a movie sequence has been specifically designed to house and develop the typography of the credits. Dan Perri’s excellent title credits for Martin Scorsese’s ‘Raging Bull’ (1980) is one example illustrating this difference in styles. (Solana, 2007)
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‘Touch of Evil’ 1958 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/touch-of-evil/]
‘Raging Bull’ 1980 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/raging-bull/]
As an epilogue: On the opposing end of the scale there are
title sequences functioning as an epilogue to the film, a move favoured by many filmmakers who have eliminated the opening title sequences, immediately commencing with the action and continuing it without interruption. Action movies such as ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ (2007), ‘Van Helsing’ (2004) and ‘Iron Man’ (2008) have all shunted credits to the back end of the movie, showcasing elaborate closing sequences that one would normally see at the beginning.
V “They liked the opening credits we produced but felt it slowed the momentum of the introduction. That seems to be a big concern for filmmakers now - they’re aware of the short attention span of audiences and don’t want to delay the story. As a designer, I am not sure I would agree, of course. I think that if credit sequences are good and entertaining, they can hold an audience’s attention. The opening of a movie has become sacred ground and filmmakers often want to get straight into their movie. Some filmmakers, like David Fincher with ‘Panic Room’ for example,are relaxed enough to go for it and have an opening sequence. For directors who don’t want to risk messing with their movie they can opt to have an end sequence, which can help provide an atmosphere for reflection or it can trigger word of mouth so it becomes a talking point in itself or makes them laugh or hint at a sequel, but it’s mainly so the film is a little more memorable.” Paul Donnellon on ‘Smokin Aces’ (www.artofthetitle.com/title/smokin-aces/)
33.
‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ 2007 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MArwFpUpPoE]
‘Van Helsing’ 2004 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTgmwHTXCsQ]
‘Iron Man’ 2008 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/iron-man/]
Having followed the episodes of events throughout the duration of the film, end credits can act as a platform for the audience to gain closure by fulfilling desires and tying up loose ends that may have arisen. For instance the end credits of ‘The Hangover’ (2009) are accompanied by humorous photo documentation of the night that you never see within the main body of film. The element of mystery creates a desire for knowledge, that is, curiosity, while resolution brings with it satisfaction.
Some directors use this method as a way of evoking even more excitement in the audience by leaving the plot on a cliffhanger. Michael Bay included a small scene at the end of ‘Transformers’ (2007) showing a villain escaping, therefore arousing the possibility of a sequel in the viewers mind (Tan, 2009, pg118). This may also serve as some sort of reward for the audience providing they remain seated throughout the end credits until the very last moment with 50 people revealing they remain seated during the credits in the hope of extra scenes that may hint at a sequel (King, 2013). It can be a clever way of leaving the audience to speculate over the turn of events that may take place beyond what has been evidenced in the film, when the cameras, in effect have stopped rolling. In ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991) the tension is prolonged by the end credits scrolling over the top of a scene, in which the main antagonist, played by Anthony Hopkins, walks off into a crowd of people having just delivered the famous line “I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner.” The epilogue, in it’s own way, seizes the opportunity to intensify the emotion, bringing about exhilaration, and the higher the excitement during suspense of mystery the stronger the euphoria occasioned by the outcome. This is how viewers can get hooked, through increasing anticipation, as it is not until the ultimate closure that the audience is able to step outside the current world of guided fantasy. (Es Tan 2009, pg 212). ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ (1956) had one of the longest and most elaborate closing credit sequences of any film. The credits took around seven minutes to finish, providing an animated recap of the movie’s three-hour storyline, identifying the actors in the order in which they appeared.
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37.
‘The Hangover’ 2009 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llBoAvU21IE]
‘Transformers’ 2007 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0L8p81G7s4]
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ 1991 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWyTM0D2QpE]
‘Around the World in 80 Days’ 1956 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/around-the-world-in-eighty-days/]
Locations D
*Lack
of T itle Seque nce
42.
_
Lack of Credit Sequence:
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There are other directors, for example Federico Fellini, Billy Wilder, and Sofia Coppola, who are confident that the strength of narrative already within the body of the film supplies all the information required by the audience, and this leads them to consider the use of spectacular credit sequences in their movies as superfluous. Their films were conceived without credits within them, and their perception of credits is as simple packaging, no more than necessary information, on occasions to be left out completely. The first sound film to begin without an extended opening credit sequence, besides displaying the title and the line ‘Color by Technicolor’, was Walt Disney’s ‘Fantasia’ (1940), and this minimal format was used again the following year in Orson Welles’ ‘Citizen Kane’ (1941).
C “I’m not sure why, but it might be to do with the amount of marketing and viral campaigning that is done before the film is released. The audience already knows so much about it before it comes out that studios might feel they’re unnecessary at times. I happen to think every film needs a good main title and end credit sequence, but directors often choose to launch right into the film – which to me is like skipping foreplay. Creating anticipation makes audiences more receptive and alert.” Danny Yount http://www.creativereview.co.uk/back-issues/creativereview/2009/august-2009/better-than-the-film
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e r u t Fu e l t i T f o e s *Th ^ e c n e u q e S Characters H
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The Future for Title Sequence Design:
“I believe the media that we use will change the product. With changes in technology, the look will invariably change as well, get more sophisticated in its execution. However, film is about storytelling and I believe the choice of medium will always depend on that.” Garson Yu (www.artofthetitle.com/ title/cirque-du-freak-thevampires-assistant/)
As documented in this report, the evolution of the opening title sequence has been affected by many different factors since the early days of cinema, and in the future looks set to be continually shaped by the different trends, brought on with further developments in technology. There is still no Academy Award for title design, but nevertheless, designers are getting more credit for their work and are being recognized for their achievements at award ceremonies such as South by Southwest. Steve Curran supports this view and writes that “As more designers do breakout work, respect and demand for good title design is beginning to rise in Hollywood” (Curran, 2000 p129). However as the field gathers creative competition, as is the case in other design territories, imitation becomes an increasingly problematic issue. Curran calls this “The Hollywood plague of me-tooism, wherein clients want to repeat a solution that worked in the past for somebody else” (Curran, 2000, p129). The technology to produce these types of title sequences is becoming more widespread and accessible thanks to the decrease in postproduction costs, with digital iterations diminishing the value of original work in the industry. Designer Richard Kenworthy puts forward a way to combat this: “Don’t study other title designs! But I think that’s true of any discipline. Sure, it pays to be aware of what is out there, but if you only watch and absorb titles then all you end up generating is regurgitated stale mush. It’s far healthier to get your inspiration from somewhere very different.”
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(www.artofthetitle.com/title/scott-pilgrim-vs-the-world/)
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Although there is more to be done in this field, Kyle Cooper suggests there might be hope for the future of title design, stating:
F (qtd Lynch, 1997, p58)
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“A lot of the innovations in print and video have been slow to come to main titles, but I think that’s going to change. When directors see that it’s possible to have these wonderful openings to their movies, some of them are going to come to us to try it out.” This being said, is it likely the next groundbreaking opening credit sequence requires the work of more than just a lucky amateur. Those designers famed in the industry have a good understanding of the film on which they are working, including the filmmaker’s vision, and have achieved results by combining this with traditional methods, the latest technical competence, and their personal creative talent.
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C n o i s u l c n Co Musical Score
*
47.
p _ Conclusion:
One has to look at the purpose of the credits before trying to gauge the benefit of a title sequence or evaluate its worth. Only then can it be judged whether its role is valid and whether the sequence has achieved its aim. In this respect, designer Nina Saxon’s comment seems to be an appropriate way of considering the success of credits. She claims that the opening credits are a component of the film as a storytelling medium. Therefore suggesting:
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“The title sequence should feel integral to the movie, like something that was written in the script to begin with. If it feels disconnected, I don’t think it’s a success, even though it may be very elaborate and wonderful on its own” (Benenson, 1996)
Although title design is growing ever more influencial, it is unlikely that titles ever will overtake the importance of content in the main body of film. However, it is not uncommon today for film critics to pinpoint their appreciation of a credit sequence and even in some cases whilst expressing their displeasure for the film itself. For instance, Elvis Mitchell commented in his New York Times review for the film ‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2004), “The opening and closing credits are so good, they’re almost worth sitting through the film for,” (qtd. in Gibson 142).
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‘Dawn of the Dead’ 2004 [http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/dawn-of-the-dead/]
The experience of watching a film, especially a popular, mainstream film, can feel effortless and absorbing. However in some ways, this is deceptive, since the ease of the experience is facilitated by our performing a large number of complex cognitive activities. If we are watching a narrative fiction film, for example, we have to figure out what’s going on in the story. This sounds simple enough and yet requires us to perceive movement, recognise what is being depicted on screen, interpret characters’ behaviour, make casual connections and more generally fill in gaps in the narrative, forming expectations about what will happen next. After we have left the cinema, we may start wondering about the film’s deeper meaning, its themes, moral, or message, for example what the film tells us about life and death, love, power, sexuality or even the nature of the film itself. If the titles can enhance or influence a viewer’s comprehension of the film from the very first minute, however obvious or subtle, then they must be celebrated and serve as a reminder to the industry that every component of a film can be pertinent to the success of the work as a whole. If we were to treat the title sequences addressed in this report purely as examples of motion graphics, outside of their context within film, then we would be completely missing their point. Equally, to dismiss them as basic packaging, as film historians have done in the past, is to ignore the importance of the opening sequence in relation to the body of film, overlooking its potential to shed analytical light on what it precedes. (www.typotheque.com/
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articles/taking_credit_film_title_sequences_1955-1965_1_ contents)
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Over the course of cinematic history credit sequences have developed from being the simplest of typographic attachments, merely fulfilling the need to give basic information. Transforming through the golden era of the design greats, they have emerged into the current digital age, where the contemporary visual masterpieces now created form such an integral part of the movie that it is hard to imagine any modern film production without them.
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_ Props
y h p a r g o i l *Bib
51.
_ Bibliography
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Books:
Bartholdy, B. (2008) Showreel.02: 56 Projects of Audiovisual Design Cologne; London. Daab Bellantoni, J. Woolman, M. (2000) Type in Motion London, Thames & Hudson Bergstrom, B. (2008) Essentials of Visual Communication London, Laurence King Boorstin, J. (1990) Making Movies Work. New York, The Hollywood Eye Bordwell, D. (1985) Narration in the Fiction Film. Wisconsin, The University of Wisconsin Press Bordwell, D. (2004) The McGraw-Hill Film Viewers Guide New York, McGraw-Hill Brahah, Y. & Byrne, B. (2011) Creative Motion Graphic Titling Amsterdam; London. Focal Crow, D. (2003) Visible Signs Switzerland, AVA Publishing SA Curran, S. (2000) Motion Graphics: Graphic Design for Broadcast and Film Massachusetts, Rockport Publishers Ellis, J. (1992) Visible Fictions London, Routledge
Fielding, R. (1972) “7�: The Technique of Special Effects Cinematography Focal Press Gallagher, R. (2007) Exploring Motion Graphics Clifton Park, NY. Thomson Delmar Learning Hirschfeld, J. (2000) Pause: 59 minutes of motion graphics London, Laurence King Plummer, M. (2007) Title Design Essentials Berkeley, Calif. Peachpit Press Poulin, R. (2011) The Language of Graphic Design Massachusetts, Rockport Publishers Promopress. (2012) Moving Graphics: New Directions in Motion Design Barcelona, Promopress Rockport. (1995) Great Movie Graphics Rockport, Mass. Rockport Publishers Smith, S. (2000) Hitchcock: Suspense, Humour and Tone London, British Film Institute Solana, G. (2007) Uncredited: Graphic Design and Opening Titles in Movies Barcelona, Index Book
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Magazines: Benenson,
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m Supon Design Group (1997) Absolutely Entertaining Washington, D.C. Supon Design Editions
Gibson, J. “The Dark Genius of Kyle Cooper.” Wired. June 2004:142-145.
Tan, E. (1996) Emotion and the Structure of Narrative Film New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Lynch, R. “Kyle Cooper/Imaginary Forces.” I.D. Magazine. Jan.1997: 58
Thompson, K. Bordwell, D (2013) Film Art: An Introduction, Tenth Edition New York, McGraw-Hill Thompson-Jones, K (2008) Aesthetics & Film London. Continuum International Publishing Group Wachowski, A. (2006) V for Vendetta New York. Universe Pub Walter, R. & Shane, J. (2004) Motion Blur London, Laurence King
LH. “The New Look in Film Titles: Edgy Type That’s on the Move.” New York Times. 24 Mar. 1996: 22.
Purtell, T. “Credits Where Credit is Due.” Entertainment Weekly. 1995: 43.
Research: Klaus,
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N. Nash, P. (2014) The Role of Title Sequence Within Film [Interview] January 6th 2014
King, M. (2013) The Effects of Title Sequences on an Audience [Survey] Available from www. surveymonkey.com/s/PZKPFFW
Woolman, M (2004) Motion Design Hove, Rotovision
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k
C Websites:
www.filmabinitio.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/films-first-cinemagician-magic-of.html [Last Visited 08/01/2014] www.kitblog.com/2007/12/woody_allens_typography.html [Last Visited 08/01/2014] www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMgK-r8uxm8 [Last Visited 09/01/2014] www.creativebloq.com/design/top-movie-title-sequences-10121014 [Last Visited 09/01/2014] www.titledesignproject.com/2009/03/credit-where-credits-are-due/ [Last Visited 09/01/2014] www.nytimes.com/2000/04/22/movies/making-fuss-over-opening-credits-film-titles-offer-peekfuture-more-ways-than.html [Last Visited 10/01/2014] www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/arts/21iht-design21.html?_r=3& [Last Visited 10/01/2014] www.awwwards.com/best-20-film-and-tv-title-sequences-from-the-last-decade.html [Last Visited 11/01/2014] www.cartoonbrew.com/titles/what-every-animation-student-should-know-about-title-sequencedesign-79158.html [Last Visited 11/01/2014] www.openculture.com/2013/04/the_film_before_the_film_the_history_of_title_sequences_in_10_ minutes.html [Last Visited 16/01/2014] www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/07/25/a-history-of-the-title-sequence/ [Last Visited 16/01/2014] www.voices.yahoo.com/the-importance-films-title-sequence-first-impressions-4970266.html [Last Visited 10/01/2014] www.typotheque.com/articles/taking_credit_film_title_sequences_1955-1965_1_contents [Last Visited 17/01/2014] www.artofthetitle.com [Last Visited 17/01/2014] www.watchthetitles.com [Last Visited 17/01/2014]
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E Crew
x i d n e *App
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Survey Results: Out of 100 People
If you arrive late to the cinema how do you feel if you’ve missed the opening title sequence?
68% 13% 19% Never Late
Annoyed
Not Bothered
“I feel like I have missed part of the film itself”
“Not too bothered, it’s the film I’m looking forward to”
“I hate not seeing things from the beginning”
“Not a problem”
“Not fussed as long as it’s near the begining”
“A little left out the loop”
“Perfect timing”
“Like people know more than me”
“Makes no difference if it’s title only”
“Annoyed - it’s an integeral part of the film”
When at the cinema, do you tend to carry on talking through the opening sequence of a film?
1%
91% No
Yes
8%
Sometimes
How do the opening titles of a film set you up for rest the movie?
_ Set the mood/tone _ 1111 1111 _ Settle Audience 1111
_ _ _ _ 1111 1111 1111 1111 11
1111
_ Excite 1111 1111 _ Judge Quality of film 1111
_ _ _ Gain insight 1111 1111 1111 111
Indifferent 11
_ Depends 1111 _ They don’t 1111
_ 1111 111 _ 1111 111
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Have any opening titles of a film ever stood out for you for a particular reason?
56% 44% No
Yes
If yes, which films and why? Seven Bond Franchise 22 people Star Trek The Terminal Pulp Fiction Lord of the Rings 2 people Alien Batman 2001: A Space Odyssey The Godfather Incredible Hulk Star Wars 7 people Heat Apocolypse Now Back to the Future The Shining “Very atmospheric and scary”
“Great connection with the film theme” “Slap on the face and take notice opening”
“They have amazing music and contain important, exciting storyline”
Monsters Inc. Indiana Jones 2 people All the Presidents Men Jaws Pink Panther 2 people Fight Club Lost in Translation Django Unchained Watchmen Superman The Matrix Psycho Vertigo The Birds Gone with the Wind Silence of the Lambs
“Recapping the events meant to have preceeded the upcoming film in order to catch up the audience with the story”
“Introducing the characters and opening sequences to the story” “Instantly, takes me back to childhood and I even get a few goosebumps”
“A moving and wholly absorbing film”
“An art form in their own right”
“It takes your right to the time and place”
“You’ve had a teaser, then great music and good graphics”
“Completely iconic and beautiful”
“Very striking opening titles which really set the mood for the film” “Generally exciting and draw you into the film, a small prologue if you like”
“Very clever and funny and in sync with the music” “They all set up the film before it really even begins”
What do you think makes people sit through the credits at the end of a film?
_ Extra Scene _ 1111 1111 _ Miss the crowds 1111
_ 1111 _ 1111 _ 1111
_ 1111 _ 1111 _ 1111
_ _ 1111 1111 11
1
_ Bloopers _ 1111 1111 _ Hint at Sequel 1111
They’re Amusing 11 Asleep 11 _ _ _ _ _ _ Reflect 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 Cast, Crew & Music _ 1111 1
_ _ _ 1111 1111 1111 1
1
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Interview: Nicholaus Fried with input from
Polly Nash Course Leaders BA (HONS) FILM PRACTICE How important is it for the film maker to set the right tone for their film? Nicholaus: It is in a way. If you think about the nature of genre, genre defines the way a story is going to unfold, so we use genre to let the audience know how to read our story, so it is totally intrinsic, and if you’re making a rom-com and the opening title sequence looks like some sort of horror movie, then obviously the audience won’t know how to read the opening scenes, so the titles are crucial in that respect for defining the genre and then the audience knowing how to engage with the narrative. Obviously you have answered this question as well, is the mood and tone of the film something that can be achieved with the aid of the opening title sequence, and can you think of any examples that do this really well in your opinion? Nicholaus: Yes, some spring to mind. Certainly I think “A Clockwork Orange” - have a look at the title sequence to that, ‘cos that’s famous, and a film like “Se7en” - famously the titles for that I would say. Do any title sequences leap out to you? Polly: Well, almost everything by Saul Bass. Nicholaus: Saul Bass, ok. Polly: And also the James Bond ones, they are so specific. Nicholaus: Yes, the James Bond title sequence absolutely, it defines the film as both being thriller and sexy but also complete fluff and superficial, and it says ok, we’re going to be incredibly, you know the relations with how women are portrayed in the film, it makes no apology, it says from the start, this is the world that we’re moving in, and it’s one which is totally outdated. Polly: I think most children’s films now have got incredibly ..., what about... Nicholaus: “Harry Potter”
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Polly: “Delicatessen” has got a fantastic ... Nicholaus: “Delicatessen” has got a great title sequence, and I think that that is typical of (Jean-Pierre) Jeunet and (Marc) Caro, how they almost defined the playful title sequence. You should see a film called “Delicatessen”. Polly: Because they’re not done graphically, they are rostrum based filming objects, and it tells you so much about the style of the film .. Nicholaus: ... and the detail and props are going to be carrying a lot of the narrative so they focus on that absolutely. If you think about older films I think obviously we’re back into genre. Film Noir will have a particular type of title, and a particular type of music. I think music and title, you can’t separate them. But certainly then those ones that Polly said, and I would look at “A Clockwork Orange”. Actually while we’re on “A Clockwork Orange” and Stanley Kubrick you could also look at the opening title sequence for “Dr Strangelove” because the beauty of that is that it begins showing basically a docking sequence between two planes. One of them is refuelling and it’s like sex between the two planes, and it sets up the tone for the film, that it’s irreverent, and I would say that those are key. I’m thinking whether there are any other Kubricks that leap out at me. Yes, “2001” - I’m trying to remember the title sequence, it’s the dancing space station, it’s a waltz. Yes, all of these in a way, both of those, “Strangelove” and “2001” are both about technology with its own identity and its own agenda. They are both films where basically the technology sets the agenda, and humans are victims of it, and they both begin with machinery effectively dancing or having sex. Taking on human characteristics. Nicholaus: Yes. The role of the title sequence started out as a way for production companies to brand their own films and compete against competitors. Nicholaus: You’re talking about the studio system, whereby each studio would brand itself through its titles.
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Yes, I was wondering if you thought that an element of that was still alive today, but more in terms of specific filmmakers, for example Woody Allen? His titles have changed very, very little. Nicholaus: His titles are almost identical. Yes, there are just small changes which have come from maybe a different designer, but he’s very clear that that’s his style, immediately branding himself as a film maker, because as soon as you see that type of movie you know it’s a Woody Allen one. Nicholaus: When I looked at that question I didn’t really have a response. I thought to myself, you know what, it sounds to me that Woody Allen is a good example, but I think that’s just the whim of a director, and that’s a director’s stamp, rather than Woody Allen branding himself. I think he’s become a brand because he makes that type of film, and he’s famed for playing the clarinet. You could say that the studio system has been replaced by genre - I think titles are more genre oriented. An action movie, you know it’s an action movie from the titles, a horror movie - you know it’s a horror movie, a rom-com - you know it’s a rom-com. I think it’s more about trying to grab a market rather than trying to brand the studio. Grab an audience, if you like. Sorry, can I rephrase that - define an audience. Finally, when directing or producing a film is the post-production for example for the main or end credits something that is under consideration fairly early on or is it something that comes completely afterwards, or is it more of a combination? Nicholaus: I think that if you’re talking about a feature film and you’re talking about a production designer, the production designer will be thinking about that ‘in the round’. They will be thinking about the whole look and the whole feel of the film. Some people will have a real vision for the opening title sequence. Again I think it’s genre. If you are trying to grab people, a blockbuster, an action movie, I would imagine the people making it, the film makers, I’m not a blockbuster director, they probably do sit at home and go “and then this happens, and then that, and then my name comes up” and they’re probably thinking like that because it is much more about the form than the content. I would say most worthwhile film is thinking much more about the content, and I would say that probably the credits and the titles are something that comes later. You don’t usually pitch a film thinking about that. 60.
You might pitch a film thinking about the characters that are going to perform in it, the actors. You might pitch a film thinking about the great cinematographer, or the great screenwriter that has lent you the script. You might pitch a film in all sorts of ways, you certainly think about the audience and the genre. People rarely pitch a film thinking about the title design. Personally I think it’s unlikely, however, with things like television I think it’s different, because you are competing for an audience, and you’re trying to grab them. That audience in a cinema, or watching a dvd, or having downloaded something and watching it online, they have already committed. But with television you switch it on, and I think probably there’s more branding in the title sequences for television than for cinema in concept stage because you are trying to grab a market share of the audience in that way. So I would say probably not, don’t you think Polly that we don’t tend to think about titles before we’re well into production. Usually we start looking in detail about the design of credits etc in post. Polly: Well it depends how heavily design-led a film might be. Nicholaus: Well I said blockbuster action movies might do. Polly: But if you think of somebody like Braden, one of our students, he will have considered his graphics pretty much his titles from the start. He might not do them until later on but he’ll know what he’s doing. He will have known all his title sequences are very much in tune with the entire look of the film. Nicholaus: Yes, I said that the production design team would probably think about it more. I think it is to define the genre. He uses it to define it as a fairy tale, for instance. But I think it’s about genre. You would be better off speaking to design teams about whether they think about the titles while they’re also thinking about the look of the film. I’m not convinced personally. I’m not convinced that in reality people are sitting down and looking at titles in the same way. For instance, you listen to music before you shoot, you listen to music in pre-production. You’re working with a composer. I’m not sure whether people are really working out a lot on titles. Directors, cinematographers, designers, I don’t think they are obsessed with titles on the whole while they are in pre-production, because there are so many other priorities, and sometimes the financial, corporate nature of the beast means that you are tackling the most immediate, pressing issues first. 61.
I think it probably lends itself to your dissertation, for someone to say ‘increasingly everyone thinks about the titles because content’s gone out the window’ but I am not as convinced. And also titles, because of computer generation now, often the title sequence will be given to a different film production company, so they might be thinking about it, but it’s not really something that is going to be farmed out at stage one. Polly: No, it won’t start happening until... Nicholaus: I think it’s when you know how the budget’s panning out. ‘What are we going to do? Are we going to do this enormously ambitious title sequence that we’ve planned or are we going to do something that’s going to cost 50,000 and be little bit more standard’, and I think that will come when you’re further along the line. I said I thought that television might be slightly different, because they will think much more about the branding because they are competing with an audience. Polly: Television just doesn’t do anything remotely like film because they don’t have the budgets. So television budgets are very minimal. Nicholaus: Yes, but I think that they might be thinking about the titles and the package. If you have a series like “Misfits” they will have thought about the packaging before they’ve even shot the first scene because they are pitching for television, so they come with the whole package - here’s the poster campaign, here’s the typeface, here’s the colours that people wear, and this is the audience and market that we are going to be getting. It’s such a packaged series that you’re pitching for. I think that the film stands slightly more on the script, whereas television probably will think a little bit more on the packaging initially. That’s my suspicion, the marketing.
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The end.
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