I chose the below motion graphics because of the impact they’ve had on me often in the most subconscious sense. That is to say I have only just begun to appreciate these little pieces of artwork recently as we’ve covered the subject in class. Often times before I would just see them as a part of the cohesive aesthetic which of course is exactly what a successful title sequence does.
As of late I have been watching title sequences on their own via http://www.artoftitles.com and I have come to appreciate them in and of them selves. And In many cases a good title sequence as it turns out can stand by itself. Naturally in the context of a movie it does not stand by itself however it can often be a tool for plot foreshadowing. If nothing else it brings the audience “up to speed” by immersing them in a particular aesthetic.
Enter the Void – Title Sequence
The Enter the Void sequence for example has a frantic look and feel which acts as a segue in immersing the audience in bring them from a place of stasis before it begins into the bright neon and disturbed world of it’s dystopian take of Tokyo at midnight. In addition the typography, and colours chosen in addition to the light effects bring throughout bring about a psychedelic sensibility that plays out throughout the film.
Cowboy Bebop – Title Sequence
The Cowboy Bebop intro is a great example of a motion title sequence done right, it has a very similar look and feel to Saul Bass with it’s matte representations of characters and other elements. In addition they did not just simply settle for drifting graphics of the key characters, rather they brought these static images alive bring an active element to them in reminiscent of something like James Bond or the Pink Panther. What really sets this graphic apart for me is its impeccable use of audio. The song Tank! with its fast paced jazz feel adds a cool veneer to the whole look and feel. Instead of coming across as childish with its animation the audio matures the whole look and feel while retaining the slick playful sensibility.
House of Cards – Music Video
Radiohead’s House of Cards music video is a haunting atmospheric masterpiece that shows the importance of experimentation. Withe experimentation comes risk that many shy away from, but this video displays the benefit of being open-minded to both new and unconventional technologies. The entire piece was made without a camera and instead utilized laser technology used to map Thom Yorke’s face. The end result is a purely data driven visual which again takes account of the world around it in a different way than we can with two eyes.
For me the above video’s each displayed a different core principle of motion graphic’s design that I hope to emulate. With Enter the Void the typography and colour scheme are paramount, for Cowboy Bebop it is the stylized simplicity and House of Cards has a kind of hyper-realism which almost borders upon the surreal. I want to create a motion graphic for Drive as it never had one. I chose this movie as a basis because it has a defined aesthetic that in my view is very compatible with the format in question. I’m going to try and emulate the Cowboy Bebop sensibility with silhouettes and symbology being the focus. I also want to introduce a 3D element to the still I will animate to bring life to the piece. As mentioned above I have come to appreciate in particular the impact sound has and luckily for me Drive does also have a particularly evolved sense of sound aesthetic. It will by my goal to simultaneously introduce new sound uniquely mine while still echoing the same emotions that flow through the movie.
Oldboymanchild 