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.

All Whites Guaranteed Work

Tonight I read Are whites racially oppressed? by John Blake. I feel that the article does not clearly communicate a message, and that it is simply a collage of quotations in order for CNN to appear unbiased. Among the cluster of quotes I identified a two key points that I would like to respond to and voice my opinion about.

First and foremost, during this economic recession, many whites have joined the unemployment lines. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but how is unemployment a race related issue? I have never seem a sign or clause stating something to the effect of "In America, all whites are guaranteed work." I feel entitled to the freedom of making a racial comment, especially because of the amount of spin encompassed in the article, so here it is: Generally, the problem I see with unemployed white individuals is not the fact that they cannot find work, but more so the fact that they are unwilling to do the work available to them. Of course there are innumerable variables, but it seems whites generally feel entitled to "better jobs" than those that may currently be available to them, and I see many people willing to throw up their hands and sit on unemployment rather than to actively seek employment with a job that may seem degrading to them. This issue reminds me of my High School days. I have never had a teacher that did not advocate the importance of post-secondary/higher education. I feel that everyone, at some point, was told of the higher job security available to them through higher education. However, it seems to me that white America is simply getting scared and blaming their problems on "racism" instead of working hard to achieve the ends they desire.

In response to the fact that there are minority only scholarships: think for a moment how many more scholarships are available from private sources. I have seen employers ignore applications submitted by African Americans simply because of their race. In the white American hysteria currently taking place, how many times do you think white owned companies award scholarships to individuals of an actual minority group? I feel as if white Americans are simply becoming scared that they may lose the majority control of America and are trying to secure their dominant position in the stratification system.

Drupal and Theme: Together, in Focus, at Peace

Creating a custom theme in Drupal is a web designer's worst nightmare. The usual approach of "Hey, I'll just change the existing code to make it look how I want" will result in the subconscious compulsion to stab yourself in the face . . . repeatedly. Luckily, there is a solution! Not just for a limited time, always with free shipping, plenty of free bonuses in stock, and all for the constant special price of just $0! And you do not have to call now! (or at all)

Meet Zen, the most boring theme you will ever see. Upon first glance you might thing, "wow, this just sucks!" However, I suggest reading the documentation before judging this theme by its aesthetic qualities. Upon reading the documentation, you will understand that it is supposed to suck, and it does it beautifully. Zen is a blank slate free of imposed CSS properties and adulterated, incest, and three-eared inhabitants. Ok, maybe that description is a little extreme, but if you have any coding experience I believe that it is the easiest way to convey the message.

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The Zen theme, the body, shows the default markup generated by the mind, or in this case Drupal. The best part of Zen, however, is that it goes above and beyond the users expectations. Instead of manually searching, creating, and typing each html class and innumerable parentheses, the work has already been done, and damn well! Main classes are even commented out with CSS properties that you can simply copy & paste! As far as I am concerned, Zen is the only way to go, it's technically the best choice, it will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, it will save you time (which = money), and it will fulfill your spiritual emptiness.

Hank Moody is my Hero

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After giving a lot of thought to my favorite character, I finally decided my favorite is Hank Moody from Showtime's Californication, who is played by David Duchovny. Hank Moody is an extremely complex yet simple man. He is a writer living in Los Angeles who is constantly trying to hold his life and family together while always falling "victim" to his vices. He is a blatant and honest charmer who is irresistible to women and magically falls into scenarios the average man would love to be "subjected" to.

His role is that of the hero, but there is no actual clear villain from my perspective. Hank Moody is his own worst enemy. He is antagonized by his own alpha male disposition and the temptations associated with it. He gets caught up by his vices and suffers the consequences, but he does take responsibility for his actions. He is the lead character and the show revolves around his daily encounters and missteps. No matter how much shit hits the fan, Hank always has a comical remark to help lighten the mood.

So far, the greatest black mark on his record is the unaware statutory rape of a 16 year old girl, who initiated the encounter, and actually turned out to be the daughter of his ex's fiance. Hank has a inclination of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he has such a charismatic and comical personality that makes it hard for anyone to stay mad at him, especially those with two X chromosomes. Hank Moody is my hero

The Application of Knowledge

Currently, my favorite television series is Breaking Bad. The entire show is set up in a serial format which is basically a requirement for me to enjoy anything shown on television. The show is beautifully written and a breathe of fresh air among the midst of bland, repetitive, and predictable shows. I will attempt to briefly sum up the premise of the show. A chemist who left his research in order to raise a family is diagnosed with stage III lung cancer. He feels he must provide for his wife and son after his inevitable death, and he ultimately decides to cook methamphetamine.

The main character of the show, Walter White, is an amazingly complex character. He is a high school chemistry teacher who moonlights as a producer of methamphetamine and constantly stumbles while "learning the business." He must keep this source of income secret from his family, and especially from his brother-in-law, a DEA agent who he often comes dangerously close to while working his "second job." The complexity of the story cannot be fully conveyed through words, but Walter White is another example of the concept I refer to as the NEW American Hero. Circumstantial justification is awesome, well, unless your in remission.

Yes, Even Extras on CSI

What generally pulls us to the stories, books, tv shows, and movies that we like? Characters. This is entirely debatable of course, as with most any thought, but I find characters to be the most important part of a narrative. An amazing premise is an amazing premise, but without strong characters it can easily fall apart. When "reading" in to characters it is often important to consider viewing them from a semiotic stance. Characters are not real, they are not authentic, and they are not meant to be. They are constructed from discourse and are meant to be read and interpreted by the viewer as signs or icons. They hold ideological meaning and are key to communication within a narrative.

All characters serve some type of purpose, yes, even extras on CSI. Sometimes they are merely constructed to show that there is a population, but in doing so their purpose is to communicate to the viewer that people are around. However complex a character is, they usually tend to fall within a range of archetypes/roles. Some are very obvious but others must be deeply examined to truly grasp their significance and purpose. The most common roles are that of the hero, villain, donor, dispatcher, false hero, helper, princess, and father. To simplify the correlation between characters and character roles, I tend to think of a character as the "person" and their role as essentially their purpose, reason, or place in the narrative.

[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.