Hi everybody.
I like watching the "extras" on many DVDs, specially on "special editions".
I think I can learn a lot from the good ones about film making.
Last night I watched one about making the amazing title sequence for the
tv series "Six Feet Under". The work they put into that! The production company
"farmed it out" to a specialist group called Digital Kitchen who planned
it, discussed it and then shot it. Every image, every note of music was worked
on. Even simple shots like two clasped hands parting were edited so that
the actual breaking apart was faster than life and the pulling away was normal.
It will make me think MUCH harder about titles for my movies.
Why don't they give special awards for good titles and title sequences that
get you into the mood of the film?
Will
Titles and title sequences
-
AN
Re: Titles and title sequences
"Will Newbury" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:
camerawork/etc/etc. Now for titles too!
One award is sufficient unto my needs.....
.....the single award of knowing that my films have seen
by an appreciative audience.
Albert...."2,4,6,8, who do we appreciate?"
How far can one go with awards? For editing/sound/story/lighting/Why don't they give special awards for good titles and title sequences that
get you into the mood of the film?
camerawork/etc/etc. Now for titles too!
One award is sufficient unto my needs.....
.....the single award of knowing that my films have seen
by an appreciative audience.
Albert...."2,4,6,8, who do we appreciate?"
-
Michael Slowe
Re: Titles and title sequences
"AN" <AnimatioN@btopenworld.com> wrote:
sound, pictures and all. If we are lucky people view it and either like it
or not depending who they are, how they are feeling etc. etc. It is such
a subjective affair. Let's keep the judging of our films (if they must be
judged) as simple as possible.
Michael Slowe.
Couldn't agree more. A film stands as a piece of work as a whole - titles,"Will Newbury" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:
Why don't they give special awards for good titles and title sequences
that
get you into the mood of the film?
How far can one go with awards? For editing/sound/story/lighting/
camerawork/etc/etc. Now for titles too!
One award is sufficient unto my needs.....
.....the single award of knowing that my films have seen
by an appreciative audience.
Albert...."2,4,6,8, who do we appreciate?"
sound, pictures and all. If we are lucky people view it and either like it
or not depending who they are, how they are feeling etc. etc. It is such
a subjective affair. Let's keep the judging of our films (if they must be
judged) as simple as possible.
Michael Slowe.
-
AN
Re: Titles and title sequences
"Michael Slowe" <michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:
Very bad situation for debate that.
Another thing we both agree on.....
....both wishing each other a Merry Xmas in a recent
e-mail exchange. Must be the time of year.
Albert...being agreeable.
One award is sufficient unto my needs.....
.....the single award of knowing that my films have seen
by an appreciative audience.
Something very wrong here Michael... you and I agreeing!!Couldn't agree more.
Very bad situation for debate that.
Another thing we both agree on.....
....both wishing each other a Merry Xmas in a recent
e-mail exchange. Must be the time of year.
Albert...being agreeable.
-
Dave Watterson
Re: Titles and title sequences
I can agree with Will and disagree with Albert and Michael ...
There did used to be some awards for titles in British competitions in the
cine days when titling usually involved white plastic letter-tiles on a "crushed
velvet" background, or a title bought from S.J.Seccombe (remember them?).
The De Drake festival in Belgium retained the award for titles ("generik")
when I was involved on the judging panel. There it was understood that the
assessment was on how well the title sequence suited the movie ... i.e. not
just typeface, size, colour and layout but what was happening on screen under
and around the titles.
In commercial cinema Saul Bass used to make his title sequences little self-contained
movies, but they set up the mood for the story to follow.
I know that prizes are a clumsy way to encourage moviemakers ... but anything
which makes people think hard about the way audiences perceive their work
is worth trying, isn't it?
Dave (Dynamic ... Wonderboy ... Doomed ... Dunderhead) Watterson
There did used to be some awards for titles in British competitions in the
cine days when titling usually involved white plastic letter-tiles on a "crushed
velvet" background, or a title bought from S.J.Seccombe (remember them?).
The De Drake festival in Belgium retained the award for titles ("generik")
when I was involved on the judging panel. There it was understood that the
assessment was on how well the title sequence suited the movie ... i.e. not
just typeface, size, colour and layout but what was happening on screen under
and around the titles.
In commercial cinema Saul Bass used to make his title sequences little self-contained
movies, but they set up the mood for the story to follow.
I know that prizes are a clumsy way to encourage moviemakers ... but anything
which makes people think hard about the way audiences perceive their work
is worth trying, isn't it?
Dave (Dynamic ... Wonderboy ... Doomed ... Dunderhead) Watterson
-
Michael Slowe
Re: Titles and title sequences
"Dave Watterson" <david.filmsocs@virgin.net> wrote:
combined weight of Albert & me (combined age of at least 125!) but you must
be misguided in comparing a title sequence in a short film of 10 minutes
with the famouse pre credit and title sequences of say, the Bond films. They
are it is true wonderful examples, which were productions in their own right
costing as much as some feature films and employing specialist directors.
I could understand awards for such sequences but not for titles in short
films as produced by the likes of us. You should expect good, imaginative
titles in a film aspiring to be judged as a good film. If it is a good film
it will win plaudits for the complete work on its own merits.
Dave I am sure that you are quite capable of holding yur own against theI can agree with Will and disagree with Albert and Michael ...
There did used to be some awards for titles in British competitions in the
cine days when titling usually involved white plastic letter-tiles on a
"crushed
velvet" background, or a title bought from S.J.Seccombe (remember them?).
The De Drake festival in Belgium retained the award for titles ("generik")
when I was involved on the judging panel. There it was understood that the
assessment was on how well the title sequence suited the movie ... i.e.
not
just typeface, size, colour and layout but what was happening on screen
under
and around the titles.
In commercial cinema Saul Bass used to make his title sequences little self-contained
movies, but they set up the mood for the story to follow.
I know that prizes are a clumsy way to encourage moviemakers ... but anything
which makes people think hard about the way audiences perceive their work
is worth trying, isn't it?
Dave (Dynamic ... Wonderboy ... Doomed ... Dunderhead) Watterson
combined weight of Albert & me (combined age of at least 125!) but you must
be misguided in comparing a title sequence in a short film of 10 minutes
with the famouse pre credit and title sequences of say, the Bond films. They
are it is true wonderful examples, which were productions in their own right
costing as much as some feature films and employing specialist directors.
I could understand awards for such sequences but not for titles in short
films as produced by the likes of us. You should expect good, imaginative
titles in a film aspiring to be judged as a good film. If it is a good film
it will win plaudits for the complete work on its own merits.
-
AN
Re: Titles and title sequences
"Michael Slowe" <michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:
but you must
his editing will be brisk,his filmic material will tend to be original,
his sound good and crisp.
He will be a good cameraman to boot, and so on. He needs no awards for these,
this bit 'ere and that bit there 'ere 'ere. Wot does he need (maybe his
head
examining?), is but an audience.
If it is a good film
Albert...."...heat was in the very sod..."
Hee, hee, hee. When d'yer get yer heating allowance?"Dave Watterson" <david.filmsocs@virgin.net> wrote:
I can agree with Will and disagree with Albert and Michael ...
There did used to be some awards for titles in British competitions in
the
cine days when titling usually involved white plastic letter-tiles on a
"crushed
velvet" background, or a title bought from S.J.Seccombe (remember them?).
The De Drake festival in Belgium retained the award for titles ("generik")
when I was involved on the judging panel. There it was understood that
the
assessment was on how well the title sequence suited the movie ... i.e.
not
just typeface, size, colour and layout but what was happening on screen
under
and around the titles.
In commercial cinema Saul Bass used to make his title sequences little
self-contained
movies, but they set up the mood for the story to follow.
I know that prizes are a clumsy way to encourage moviemakers ... but anything
which makes people think hard about the way audiences perceive their work
is worth trying, isn't it?
Dave (Dynamic ... Wonderboy ... Doomed ... Dunderhead) Watterson
Dave I am sure that you are quite capable of holding yur own against the
combined weight of Albert & me (combined age of at least 125!)
but you must
Yup, a good/budding film maker will always have good, apt titles,be misguided in comparing a title sequence in a short film of 10 minutes
with the famouse pre credit and title sequences of say, the Bond films.
They
are it is true wonderful examples, which were productions in their own right
costing as much as some feature films and employing specialist directors.
I could understand awards for such sequences but not for titles in short
films as produced by the likes of us. You should expect good, imaginative
titles in a film aspiring to be judged as a good film.
his editing will be brisk,his filmic material will tend to be original,
his sound good and crisp.
He will be a good cameraman to boot, and so on. He needs no awards for these,
this bit 'ere and that bit there 'ere 'ere. Wot does he need (maybe his
head
examining?), is but an audience.
If it is a good film
Precisely.......are you really 55 Michael? You poor ol sod, you.it will win plaudits for the complete work on its own merits.
Albert...."...heat was in the very sod..."
-
Will Newbury
Re: Titles and title sequences
Hello again.
I see that you would not have as "fancy" a set of titles for a 10 or 15 min
film as you would for a two-hour one ... but still, they are the first thing
the watchers see of your film or video so should "capture the interest".
I like the idea of two simple words that are a puzzle till the audience see
the whole story. But shouldnt they still be in a type style that looks right?
"Heavy" type for solemn stories and a "jolly" type for comedies?
Iagree that the most important thing is to get films and videos seen, but
that does not mean the titles should be forgotten, does it?
Why do people often use red type which usually goes "shimmery" on screen?
Will
I see that you would not have as "fancy" a set of titles for a 10 or 15 min
film as you would for a two-hour one ... but still, they are the first thing
the watchers see of your film or video so should "capture the interest".
I like the idea of two simple words that are a puzzle till the audience see
the whole story. But shouldnt they still be in a type style that looks right?
"Heavy" type for solemn stories and a "jolly" type for comedies?
Iagree that the most important thing is to get films and videos seen, but
that does not mean the titles should be forgotten, does it?
Why do people often use red type which usually goes "shimmery" on screen?
Will
-
Michael Slowe
Re: Titles and title sequences
"Will Newbury" <home.steading@aunet.com> wrote:
was perhaps that titles and title sequences should be the subject of seperate
awards in competitions apart from the awards to the films as a whole. Albert
and I disagreed for reasons which we stated. I would not minimise for one
instant the importance of opening title sequences and I myself go to immense
trouble in creating what I hope is an effective and appropriate opening to
my own films. This includes paying attention to the "mood" and the size and
style of the lettering.
Will, you have missed the point of this thread. The question raised by DaveHello again.
I see that you would not have as "fancy" a set of titles for a 10 or 15
min
film as you would for a two-hour one ... but still, they are the first thing
the watchers see of your film or video so should "capture the interest".
I like the idea of two simple words that are a puzzle till the audience
see
the whole story. But shouldnt they still be in a type style that looks right?
"Heavy" type for solemn stories and a "jolly" type for comedies?
Iagree that the most important thing is to get films and videos seen, but
that does not mean the titles should be forgotten, does it?
Why do people often use red type which usually goes "shimmery" on screen?
Will
was perhaps that titles and title sequences should be the subject of seperate
awards in competitions apart from the awards to the films as a whole. Albert
and I disagreed for reasons which we stated. I would not minimise for one
instant the importance of opening title sequences and I myself go to immense
trouble in creating what I hope is an effective and appropriate opening to
my own films. This includes paying attention to the "mood" and the size and
style of the lettering.