The Mission Impossible movie series has always had interesting title sequences, but the title sequence for Ghost Protocol by Kyle Cooper was very well done. I thought that it was really neat how they incorporated the rope leading to the explosion. It created a sense of movement throughout, and as the rope got shorter they foreshadowed further into the movie. I think they did a good job of showing key events in the movie without giving away to many details that would spoil the movie for the viewers. I also liked the way the creator did some of the typography. For example, in the beginning, the words, “Ghost Protocol” were smoke which supported the context of being “ghostly.” Mission Impossible also has one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. They did a great job of editing the audio to suit the visuals.
The title sequence for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Neil Kellerhouse & Blur Studios is extraordinary as well. The movie is about a journalist who is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker. It is a very dark story and the title sequence definitely gives you the chills. The music used in this is very intense and upbeat. The artist does do some foreshadowing of the movie but not a lot. For example, at one point their is an intimate interaction happening between two figures which foreshadows the love of the two characters in the movie. Also, near the beginning there are wires from a computer moving around which relates to one of the characters who is a computer hacker. I think Neil Kellerhouse & Blur Studios chose to use an “oil” type animation because the average viewer would think the movie is about the “Dragon Tattoo.” So, the imagery would look almost like tattoo ink. This title sequence left me on the edge of my seat until the very end and it makes me want to watch the movie again. That is when you know it is a successful motion graphic.
For my motion graphics assignment I was thinking of doing a title sequence for The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. This science fiction book series by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge was my favorite series growing up. I’m a fan of all things science fiction and I know I would enjoy coming up with a title sequence for this story. The story is about an extraordinary boy with abilities who seeks revenge after is parents are killed by an insect-like alien who calls himself “The Prayer.” For my title sequence I would animate his parents death and then end the sequence with Daniel expressing his rage and hunger for revenge. I will most likely draw the imagery in the motion graphic and bring them into Adobe After Effects.
Levi Linton 