Talking Movies (2002)

Concept and creative process

Titles for ‘Talking Movies’, a film review discussion series. Rikki Kraftchenko conceived the idea of creating the opening sequence using a model displaying the mouths of unseen faces arranged in six vertical quasi-film strips and the word ‘Movies’. As the model was rotated stop-frame on its reflective base, the mouths were lost from view behind the word ‘Movies’, the remaining part of the model, which had now rotated into view in the foreground of the shot. Another separate strip of mouths also entered the shot and halted adjacent to the final position of ‘Movies’. In digital post-production, camera flashes were layered into the black background and flares and reflections were superimposed on the word ‘Movies’ as it moved into position. The colour of the background dissolved progressively from black to blue and ‘Talking’, the final part of the title, mixed on in position, completing the logo.