Older Title Designer: Saul Bass
I have chosen Saul Bass to be my older title designer because although he is old, his work in regards to title sequence development as a whole throughout time has been able to aid the modern era title designers in their expansion of what a title sequence could truly accomplish, in other words; Saul Bass' invention of Kinetic Typography was able to build a foundation for title sequences to come.
Chosen title sequence by Saul Bass: It's A Mad Mad Mad World.
In the very opening of the title sequence, the audience is first introduced to a red screen with a very lively soundtrack. The soundtrack itself gives off the notion that this film is either based on the glitz and glamorous Central America, or possibly based on some sort of adventure, as the audio sounds like the kind of song you would hear when someone is either going into some sort of glamorous, expensive high street chase or going on some sort of journey.
Time: 0:22
The first visual effect the audience are shown is a cartoon man wearing what seems to be a suit with a fedora and is holding a Globe. This interesting, as it seems that Saul Bass was trying to use the connotations of a man in a suit, alongside the connotations of a man holding a Glob, in an attempt to reveal to the audience the entire theme of this film. This is due to the fact that the film itself is based on a guy who stashed a lot of money somewhere around central America and had told a group of people before he died from a car accident where the money was, resulting in a skirmish as to who would find it first. The fact that it is based in America during the 60's can explain the suit, and the fact that it is based on a skirmish for lost money all around America could also explain the use of the Globe, as to them it may feel like they will have to travel the entire Globe to find it in time.
Time: 0:27 - 0:34
The cartoon man ends up being squashed by the globe which then is cut using a saw to reveal a hole inside. This was used to possibly provoke to the audience how one of the characters in the film may be looking to I felt that this needed to be highlighted as it shows Saul Bass for what he was most favoured for: Innovation. Looking at this and remembering that this title sequence was made during the sixties is hard to believe, as Saul Bass was able to create and expand title sequences in a way that made him look ahead of his time; his creativity and editing were unheard of by anyone else during this time, making him the benchmark for films to come.
Contemporary Title Designer: Kyle Cooper
I chose Kyle Cooper for my contemporary title designer. This is because I personally feel that Kyle Cooper was able to use the kinds of innovative techniques that were first introduced by the likes of Saul Bass back in 1950, to break the boundaries as to what a title sequence can be even further than before.
Chosen title sequence be Kyle Cooper: Se7en
Some of the first differences that I was able to pick up between the two title sequences was the use of lighting and sound. Kyle cooper has been able to use the lighting reflection on this book to make even the book itself reflect the sort of genre that this film may be based around: The use of the Black/transparent Yellow is able to make this seem like a phycological horror, as those sort of colours are very common for that particular genre. However, his use of sound could be classed as something that is not directly linked to a particular genre, as it is clear that over the years, sound in opening title sequences has been made to be less direct; it's supposed to leave the audience contemplating on what sort of message the director is trying to portray.
Another difference that is noticeable is the use of Typography. Even though Saul Bass was the first to create a new type of Typography called Kinetic Typography, we are still able to see the development that Typography has to have over time. This is noticeable by the fact that the actual opening credits are played in front of the opening of the film, rather than a complete separate piece of footage. However, it can still be stated that is due to the likes of Saul Bass that this further innovation is actually possible.
In regards to how the title designer chooses to reveal what the story may actually be about, it is very clear that the way of doing so has not only developed but strategically decreased, to put this into perspective; some title sequence designers of the modern era have also swayed to showing a title sequence that shows much less about the actual plot that usual, in an attempt to create enigmas and make the audience feel more intrigued/ engaged in regards to the story itself. As I haven't actually watched this film by David Fincher, I would judge this film (due to the use of certain images and the use of lighting) as a film based on someone being trapped in some sort of mental asylum, however this may not actually be the case as there is enough evidence in the opening sequence to provoke other assumptions as to what genre it may be.
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