Kyle Cooper: Master of the Title Sequence

The use of typography in Kyle Cooper's title sequence for Spiderman 2 is very subtle because the overall composition is so complex. After the initial fifty-five seconds, the type becomes static. Obviously, this was done in order to balance the hierarchy between the imagery and the credits, but it is done so in a way that keeps the sequence interesting and engaging. There is a ton of masking and motion in the sequence, and I feel that if the typography also moved it would be less integrated with the sort of frame based motion. One thing I really like is that the typography never appears in the same place twice, and it also appears in a couple different formats. This helps keep the viewer engaged and interested in the sequence. Sometimes names or roles are left-aligned while other times they are offset. I believe this title sequence encompasses the power of typography in motion graphics while being fully integrated into the piece as a whole.

I find a good deal of inspiration from examining this title sequence as it shows ways in which typography can be positioned and arranged in different ways to remain interesting and hold the viewer's attention. For my own work, I feel I can draw from this sequence if I ever create an intro or title sequence that encompasses a large array of imagery and typography. I do not feel the handling of typography to be very applicable to my kinetic typography project, however, because of the lack of imagery set by the basis of the work. I do admire the transitions and masking effects because of the way the sequence flows together. I also like the fact that Cooper breaks the precedents he sets towards the end of the sequence when the type remains through his frames.

[caR_s0n + Scher

This evening I looked through the hillmancurtis's artist series of videos, and I found two very interesting artists that have very unique approaches to using typography. David Carson creates stunningly expressive designs through various unorthodox typographical techniques. Carson's approach pushes typography beyond the standard rules of written english, and he has an amazing ability to transmit emotion and hierarchy through his diverse deconstructionist style. I believe he is a master of communicating and creating visual interest within his work.



Paula Scher begins her projects by pulling in information in order to create a visual solution that accentuates the dynamics of the project. Scher generally has a more orderly approach within her design when compared with the work of David Carson. She also pushes the envelopes of typography and the ability to illustrate with typography. She has a very hands-on approach to design and emphasizes concepts over process based work.

Minimum + Maximum Hue

So first off, I decided to take a slightly different approach to finding motion graphic examples that have a strong use of colors. I found this video to be pretty inspiring as far as how much of a dramatic effect color can have on perception.

I really enjoyed this motion graphic because it showed the immense communicative capabilities of value. The entire video fits well with the tonality of the song, and it is very interesting and explores some cool concepts. It definitely leaves a lasting impression.

The second motion graphic I found was very intriguing, and used almost the entire visible color spectrum without looking like a kaleidoscope.

I found this video to be very interesting because it was obvious that it was showcasing many different things, yet it remained cohesive by sort of creating sections through the use of color, optical texture and design elements. It was also very interesting that, until the very end of the video, it seemed to be a random collection of motion graphics.