Typography 2: Ideas, Designs, and Creations : February 2013

Movie: Catch Me If You Can (2002) directed by Steven Spielberg

Designers of Title Sequence: Florence Deygas and Olivier Kuntzul

Appeal/Effectiveness: Right away I am intrigued by the use of drawings or vector images instead of photography or footage. I like that the objects are more so silhouettes rather than realistic figures. It leaves more mystery for the people not to look recognizable and just like the characters in the movie. Also, I love how the letter form parts expand to connect with the imagery. The stems expand to make additional designs, such as a chair or a latter or even a piano. It is nice that the type is always connectiong with the objects versus just sitting in space for no one to really notice. The zooming in and out of letter forms to create other shapes is smart and I would like to be able to do the same. The color sceme caught my eye as well. A strong color contrasted with black is ususally asthetically pleasing. The negative space is attracted to the eye as well. It's nice to have the objects more abstract to match the distortion of the typography.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLDyrun_Cc

Saul Bass Movie Sequences

How does Saul Bass work with type, images and graphics?

North by Northwest: The type slides in from either the top or bottom of the screen. Text disappears just after enough time has passed to read it. Only the next text shows while the older text is gone. While part of the text comes in from the top, the rest follows in from the bottom. Squares sometimes imitate the word/words' movement. Only color, lines and type shows until towards the end. The lines end up turning into lines of a skyscraper's side exterior. Motion is then subtlely added in with the street traffic. Lastly the text overlays ontop of actual footage of people walking.

Psycho: The type here is formed from bars or lines that come and go from the screen. After the bars move off, the type is left with gaps where the bars once were. Most of the type the text is distorted and looks chopped in half. When the text is missing parts, the rest of the letter form comes in from the left or right. Some text however is left untouched and simply just slides into the frame. The distorted letter forms are usually scaled larger. The whole time we are just viewing a black background, white type, and gray bars. But at the last second a city view photograph pops up quickly and disappears just as fast as it came up.

Ocean's Eleven: The type and numerals that appear is this are all made out of shapes. To be more specific the common shape used for forming the text are tiny circles bunched close together. Numbers are formed out of these ciricles first appearing as a small piece of the number and eventually becoming the whole number. The circles then are swiped off screen as if someone is using an eraser to get the screen back to black. Again there is a simple black backdrop and colored numbers with white words mixed in. Each number once filled in has a name slide up next to it, some intertwining and others not touching. The names come up as a while to where you automatically see the whole text. Shapes such as a banner or arrow are also made entirely of circles.

What are the similarities and differences between Saul Bass' sequences?

Similarities: Shapes are used to create form in all three. Whether its circles, lines, or bars they are used to make a picture, number, or word. All three also go with a more simple approach in the beginning with just a plain background with no imagery. The text is also keep intact and clean when it is a name of either actors, directors or cast. All three of course have sounds effects/music playing the whole time. To add, the music adds to the title specifically by fitting with the plot, such as Psycho having suspenseful music in the back.

Differences: North by Northwest and Psycho incorporate photography and/or footage while Ocean's Eleven does not. However, only North incorporates both photos and motion footage. North doesn't really distort any letter forms. Everything is left clean unlike Psycho but that fits the mood. Ocean's Eleven also takes a more colorful approach versus just white type.

What is the mood felt while watching the sequences?

North by Northwest: The mood here is more light but still busy with the traffic. There is no sign of much emotion other than the average day feeling though. There is no anger or negativity present.

Psycho: The mood for this one is a lot more tense. The music and distortion really makes the viewer feel like something is about to happen. There is a felling of suspense and wonder for what's next.

Ocean's Eleven: Like the first, it is more light. It is more so relaxed almost like a sit down club setting. There is no fear evoked and the subject seems positive and curious. The color choices really add to this feeling.

Marlene McCarty Movie Sequences

How does Marlene McCarthy work with type, images and graphics?

I Shot Andy Warhol: In the beginning the type is simply placed in the center as clean white type. There is not much motion except it goes from one line to the next, changing slides. There are strong pauses between each different portion of the text. The type face and motion then changes when names are introduced. The letters now are more distorted and random appear and disappear in no particular order. There are also success zoom in/scaling effects done to the actual title part. The zoomed in letter forms are then used as a sort of background for the type layered ontop. Not that far in the solid color backgrounds are changed to movie scenes as the backdrop which text is laid on.

Safe: The same simple clean type approach is used here for the very beginning. Type just comes on and off the screen easily. Certain words are scaled larger and bolded next to smaller type. Early on the black background fades and the movie footage comes on. Instead of still shots it is actual footage. A lighting effect is used on the title. That same type of effect is used before text leaves the screen. The use of color change is also an aspect. Most of the time it is as if we are driving on a road. At the end the characters come in to the scene.

American Psycho: It looks like it is coming from a tv screen or computer screen the while time. The type stays to the side on the left but there is motion going on to the right. A red ball drop object drops in and falls down spontaneously. A the text switches positions, so does the ball or drops so that they don't interfere with the text. The red object morphs into different forms during the sequence. It goes from looking like a falling ball, to a blood splatter, to a curving line, etc. Motion such as the slicing of a knife is made by sliding the object down the screen. The text sometimes has the object touch it but i doesn't distort any letter form. The tpye stays black and clean throughout. In the end we see that it was not blood or something like that at all. The preparing of food was being done the whole time but we only saw portions to give illusions.

What are the similarities and differences between Saul Bass' sequences?

Similarities: The use of clean typefaces where type is not heavily distorted is used in all three. The use of photos and footage is also used in all three, especially in Safe. All three sequences create a sense of suspense by only showing what they want viewers to see at that time. The end is where the destination or object is revealed. The sequences have elements of surprise.

Differences: The text is the main point of focus in the other two but in American Psycho, the objects are more noticeable and intriguing. The viewer doesnt follow the words but the objects such as the ketchup instead. The music also doesn't do much in Safe but in Americal Psycho and I Shot Any Warhol, it tricks us to assume bad things to come when really only a plate of food ends up being made.

What is the mood felt while watching the sequences?

I Shot Andy Warhol: Up until the title is blown up and flashes huge onto the screen, not much emtion is felt. That moment however creates surprise and tension. The music is intense enough for us to want to see what is about to pop up next.

Safe: The feeling is pretty calm the whole time. It is just a night dirve with no drama. There is wonder though when the two characters get out of the car. There is curiousity of where they are.

American Psycho: There is a lot of tension and suspense thorughout the sequence. The end catches us off gaurd and makes me laugh. There is suspense because only portions of the scene are shown making us think a murder could be happening. It turns out light and numorous in the end though with the food and ketchup.