Intros, including a non intro by myself. This isn't an intro.

I'm running low on humor, in fact I think I've lost it. I'm sure I left it around here somewhere. It might be behind the couch 'cus there's a funny smell emanating from there. Damned if I'm going to go behind there though. Anyway, point is, I can't be bothered to jazz this post up with a brilliant opening like I usually do because it's late and I've been working all day. So just get on with the reading yeah?

So, my animation Clown is still being worked on. Despite having a good idea of what I'm doing with it, I'm to use a mixture of hand drawn stuff with photos/scans and animate it all in Flash, I still keep thinking I want to do it a different way. Notably, I can't get stop motion out of my mind. Whether it is with 3D models (plasticine for example) or fastened card shapes, it doesn't matter. What does matter, is that my gut feeling for Clown is that it'd appreciate the hand made look. Flash stuff can look so sterile some times, with it's big block colours and it's mathematical tweening. There needs to be some human error in Clown, I can feel it in my water.

Anyway, I haven't written this post to keep you updated with my bladder movements, I thought I'd mention a few inspirations, works and movements that are currently toasting my waffle (a good thing.) I'm sure I've mentioned a piece I'm doing for the opening of a University web TV show (Trent TV) which is a comedy quiz show in the vain of Have I Got News For You etc? Well, if I haven't I'll fill you in later. That's not a threat to beat you up mind; I'm saying I'll post details at a later date. I'm digressing really bad, new paragraph.

This work of a TV opening has lead me to study existing examples of intros that have a had plenty of attention and love. It didn't take me long to find out about Kyle Cooper. His works strike such a cord with me its untrue. His first work to bring his work to the masses was the opening to Se7en. Since then, if you've seen an intro that had a quality that stuck in you mind more than the movie itself did chances are, it was a Kyle Cooper. Other notable movie openings by Cooper include Spiderman 1&2, Dawn of the Dead (2004) and Superman Returns amongst others. And get this, he did Metal Gear Solid 2&3's awesome intros also. Holy cow! Apparently, an article about him from Wired suggests that some directors don't want to work with him because he might put their actual film to shame with his intro. Wired has this quote that sums up my admiration for Cooper: 'Directors don't call on Cooper for a signature style; they hire him to dig under the celluloid and tap into the symbolism of a film.' That's exactly what I want to do with *all* my directional work, not just Clown.

Following Cooper's work has lead me to study his inspiration Saul Bass (Vertigo, The Man with The Golden Arm) as well as looking at Nexus Productions (Catch me If You Can) David Fincher (Fight Club) and Tim Burton. I think I find any excuse to study Burton's works so that last one doesn't count.

So I'll put a few links here so you can check them out yourself. And I'll put a link to the opening of the Anime 'Cowboy Bebop' which borrows heavily from jazz culture. Check it:

Se7en title sequence

The Man With The Golden Arm title sequence

Catch Me If You Can title sequence

Cowboy Bebop title sequence

All awesome I'm sure you'll agree. I'll continue my write up of research later you cows. Stay in touch!