I really do love title sequences. For a while I wanted to strictly get into the business of making title sequences for movies. Hell, maybe I’ll get back into that.
I was glad right away to spot a few of my favorites on these sites. My favorite one is probably for Se7en. It’s so good. Part of the reason I enjoy this may be because I love David Fincher and I have a huge man crush on Trent Reznor. The typography in this is very David Carson-like, but it’s not him. I like the quick cuts and it really sets the mood for the film. It’s a dark and moody title sequence with a dark remix of NIN – Closer. The point of the sequence is that it gives the viewer an idea of the world of the killer in the film. It does a great job at this. In one of my first videos I made, I used the Se7en title sequence as inspiration for my own. (Although this was pre-knowledge of After Effects, I did everything as tiny clips of the image with different Premiere effects. yikes!) You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHpBebXgrVs
Another favorite title sequence is from Catch Me If You Can. The typography and animations are great in this. This title sequence, along with the music by John Williams, really sets the tone for the movie. There are animations previewing the events that will take place later. I like how the animation and typography flow into each other and transform constantly. I feel like this also shows how the character, Frank Abagnale Jr., also changes his identity constantly is keeps moving and transforming.
Title sequence are a fun way to use animation and typography to really set a tone for the film. It is an art form in its own that also compliments the film. I find them completely fun, entertaining, and engrossing. Often times, especially for TV shows, they become the identity of the show.