Concept and creative process
The titles for the drama series 'The Befrienders' took inspiration from the fragmented lives of people, often in an urban environment, who dial the telephone number of The Samaritans to call for help in their distress. Grainy monochrome images of crowds and faces were further distressed by being cut into vertical strips and reassembled slightly out of phase. They were montaged in a similar way with grainy panning shots of the urban setting and live action close-ups of the telephone dial, in a disturbing and dramatic title sequence.