Visual Communication

Toby Archer - Level 5

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CVL - Bibliography

Anon. (2023). Spacetime. Wikipedia [online]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spacetime&oldid=1157101945 [Accessed 4 June 2023].

ChatGPT. (2023). Introducing ChatGPT [online]. Available from: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt. [Accessed 4 June 2023].

CineFix - IGN Movies and TV. (n.d.). 10 Best Opening Title Sequences of All Time. [Film]. Available from: https://youtu.be/i8twthdaqB8. [Accessed 20 May 2023].

Cooper, K. (1995). Se7en - Title Sequence. [Film]. Available from: https://youtu.be/-BJkDyCdw0c. [Accessed 17 May].

Fonts in Use. (n.d.). Margo Chase at Fonts in Use. [online]. Available from: https://fontsinuse.com/designers/7150/margo-chase [Accessed 4 June 2023].

Holman, R. (2022). How to shake off the demon of convention. [online]. 2 February. Available from: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/convention-creative-work-richard-holman/. [Accessed 15 May 2023].

Industrial Scripts. (2019). 35 Movie Tropes and How to Avoid Them in Screenwriting. [online]. Available from: https://industrialscripts.com/movie-tropes/. [Accessed 17 May 2023].

It’s Nice That. (2022). Ruby Okoro on how he uses photography to help him process complex and challenging emotions [online]. 3 March. Available from: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/ruby-okoro-photography-030322 (n.d.).  [Accessed 4 June 2023].

It’s Nice That. (2023). Designer Reinaldo Camejo talks us through transforming a church into a typeface [online]. 9 May. Available from: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/reinaldo-camejo-grundtvig-graphic-design-project-090523. [Accessed 4 June 2023].

It’s Nice That. (2022). How the makers of The House’s title sequence set the tone for the nightmarish Netflix comedy. [online]. 9 February. Available from: https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/nicolas-menard-manshen-lo-nexus-studios-the-house-title-sequence-animation-090222. [Accessed 4 June 2023].

Make Make Entertainment. (n.d.). Elastic Portfolio. [online]. Available from: https://makemakeentertainment.com/elastic/portfolio/. [Accessed 17 May 2023].

Maher, D.M. (2023). Homa’s rebrand envisions the future of mobile game development. [online]. 16 February. Available from: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/ragged-edge-homa-branding/ [Accessed 20 May June 2023].

Master Class. (2021). How to Use Tropes in Writing. [online]. 29 September. Available from: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-tropes-in-writing. [Accessed 17 May 2023].

Media-Studies. (2022). Steve Neale and Genre Theory [online]. Available from: https://media-studies.com/steve-neale-genre/ [Accessed 4 June 2023].

Money Heist. (2017). La Casa De Papel Opening Sequence. [Film]. 20 December. Available from: https://youtu.be/Zx37mfDRpyk. [Accessed 21 May 2023].

Revision World. (n.d.). Genre Theorists - Media Studies - Revision World [online]. Available from: https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/media-studies-level-revision/key-media-studies-theorists/genre-theorists. [Accessed 21 May 2023].

Unsplash. (n.d.). Beautiful Free Images & Pictures | Unsplash. [online]. Available from: https://unsplash.com/. [Accessed 20 May 2023].

UppBeat. (2023). Free Music For Creators [online]. Available from: https://uppbeat.io/. [Accessed 4 June 2023].

Videezy. (n.d.). Free Glitch Stock Video Footage - (283 Free Downloads) [online]. Available from: https://www.videezy.com/free-video/glitch [Accessed 28 May 2023].

Williams, M. (2023). How Elastic created the title sequence for the Last of Us [online]. 27 January. Available from: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/last-of-us-tv-design/. [Accessed 17 May 2023].

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CVL Portfolio Page

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Final Evaluation CVL

Overall, I am pleased with the final outcome of my project, as it successfully captures the essence of the sci-fi thriller genre. The inclusion of bitmapping adds a sense of mystery and heightens the technological atmosphere, aligning with the common tropes found in sci-fi films and television. 

Given more time to develop the title sequence, I would have liked to further explore different imagery and techniques to enhance the portrayal of time travel. Introducing the use of video could have added more depth throughout the sequence, although the stillness of the imagery contributes to the overall mysterious atmosphere. Feedback received during the final tutorial suggested incorporating visual elements that reinforce the ideas from the synopsis, such as enigmatic characters and symbolic imagery, to immerse the forest scenes more deeply into the world of the television series. Additionally, there was a suggestion to incorporate a sense of motion to create a three-dimensional effect. While I successfully achieved this in the cave scene with the moon, I faced challenges in achieving the same effect with the other images. In future projects, I will consider this factor more carefully during photography and video capture to ensure I have more flexibility in post-production editing. 

Regarding the sound design, it complements the imagery well, although it may feel stagnant at times. Nevertheless, it gradually builds towards a quiet conclusion that suits the final scene. In the midsection of the animation, there could have been a stronger build-up, but overall, it works well and aligns with the desired aesthetic of the title sequence.

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Final Title Sequence

In the final title sequence, I successfully combined all the elements and included additional information, such as the names of the actors and some cameo appearances by friends. The moon cave scene features extra 3D elements, as suggested in the final tutorial, which added depth and visual interest. However, incorporating the same effect in other scenes proved challenging due to the composition of the photographs. Additionally, I incorporated slow-moving tracking to the typography to enhance the overall sense of movement.

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End Title

The end transition was an important part of the sequence due to it concluding all the images together into one place. With the audio fading out, it created a moment of silence that allowed the title reveal to take center stage. By incorporating time ramping, the gradual reveal of the yellow lines slowed down towards the end, and when combined with the silence, it resulted in a powerful and effective transition. 

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3 Parts to the Title Sequence

Initially, I planned for a linear timeline in the sequence, where each location would transition to the next. However, upon reviewing it, I found this approach to be less engaging. Instead, I divided the sequence into three parts: the imagery related to the Paradox Isle, the mysterious character, and the forest/ancient ruins. By alternating between these locations, it created a more engaging experience and heightened the atmosphere of mystery. 

The sound played a part in bringing the title sequence to life. By incorporating music with a subtle build-up, it added an element of mystery that complemented the visuals. I conducted several experiments with different soundtracks, but none achieved the desired effect until I found the right one. 

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Typeface chosen for the title sequence

The typeface chosen for the project was Gazzetta Variable Font, which was applied to both the logo and additional information, including actors, producers, and sound design credits. The only adjustment made to the type was the tracking, while the overall weighting remained consistent. 

Considering the amount of textures used in the experimental imagery, I believed that a minimal typeface would be suitable to avoid detracting from the rest of the sequence. Opting for a narrow typeface also aligns with sci-fi conventions, as many futuristic typefaces tend to be either wide or narrow which conforms to Steve Neale’s theory of repetition and difference. 

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Echo Logo

The brand identity held significant importance in the title sequence, especially in delivering a captivating reveal at the conclusion. Deliberately choosing the name “Echo,” I aimed to resonate with the synopsis using themes of temporal echoes and subtle time conventions. 

While exploring various options, I initially experimented with applying a texture to the typeface, drawing inspiration from the quantum physics diagrams. However, upon reflection, I realised it was overpowering and detracted from its impact with the layered textures when appearing in the end title.

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Title Sequence with Glitch Effects

The incorporation of glitch effects greatly enhances the effectiveness of each scene, adding depth and enhancing the overall impact of the sequence.

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Title Sequence Without Effects or Transitions

I decided to showcase the video without the effects to demonstrate the inherent flow of the sequence on its own. Overall, I believe that each scene transitions smoothly, and the inclusion of the extra elements enhances the overall experience even further.

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Visit Original Link

I downloaded this mp3 from https://uppbeat.io.

I wanted a slow audio to emphasise the sense of mystery. Especially because the images are stills and have limited movement, the slow sound works well with it.

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End Title Experimentation

For the end of the title sequence, I used multiple glitch effects to put more emphasis on the final title. The time ramping of the mask works well with the title reveal. For the title I used the same effect with turbulent displace and mosaic tile but increased the number of squares to make it seem like it glitches in with the distortion effects.

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Title reveal experimentation

Deliberately choosing the name “Echo,” I aimed to resonate with the synopsis using themes of temporal echoes and subtle time conventions. Following a trail tutorial I looked at previously in my blog, I experimented with the same technique to assess its compatibility with the remaining imagery.

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Introducing the New Distortion Effects

By incorporating the other two distortion effects, the sequence gained a sense of discontinuity, deviating from linearity and embracing a more deliberate design process.

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Distortion Effect 3 - https://www.videezy.com/free-video/glitch

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Distortion Effect 2 - https://www.videezy.com/free-video/glitch

After discussing with Ben, he recommended incorporating multiple distortion effects to introduce visual variety and break the linearity of the sequence. Following his suggestion, I obtained two additional distortion videos from the same website and employed silhouette lumas once again to create seamless transition effects.

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Further Development & Introduction of Sound

Sound effects / music - https://uppbeat.io

I also experimented with time ramping to create a fast-paced effect followed by a gradual slowdown, which aligns with the concept of time travel. Although the audio is not audible in this video, you can observe the successful implementation of the initial distortion effect and the effective use of silhouette luma.