Design in motion

I chose opening credits as an example of design in motion. I had just finished working on a project and I started noticing this kind of work more closely. I am a fan of HBO's True Detective and I finally had a chance to watch season two. I immediately fell in love with the opening credits. Credits for this kind of show usually give an idea of what the story is going to be about. It may be a upcoming scene, or pictures of the stars of the show in character.

True Detective season 2 opening credits

I like how the pictures play around with the law of similarity, law of proximity, law of pragnanz, and law of closure. The first law that works as we watch is pragnanz,"reality is organized or reduced to the simplest form possible." The law of proximity, similarity work, and closure, work hand in hand as we see the shape of someones face is in a picture of something else. We even see eyes open and close. The law of continuity is left alone and it flows really well from one image to the next. Personally I love the color pallet that was used and the song works well too.

I really couldn't find anything close to compare this to, so I decided to stay within the HBO family. I am comparing it to the opening credits to season one of the same show. Warning! This one is rated R.

True Detective season 1 opening credits

This does the same thing as season two and it works. I think they did a good job on this. The color pallet is more muted and gives a moody feel. Its actually a little bit creepy, which is intended. I like what they did, but I think season two is much better. I think it has to do with the color pallet. I get a little bored half way through season one's credits. Too much of one color, especially grey can get tiring. The music chosen to go with it works really well. You can tell this story takes place somewhere in the South.

I looked at some of the comments people had and it all came down to preference, in comparing the credits. Some people found the music in season two was too cheesy, but loved the song for season one. I like how at the end of season two's credits you are kind of left wondering what the story is going to be about. At the end of season one credits you pretty much already know.

Which season did I like best?
I like season one the best because of the storyline. It had closure. It was more gritty than season two. Season two did have strong roles for women, but I had a few questions that didn't get answered at the end. I had a hard time watching Vince Vaughn be a "bad" guy at first, but after a while he made the role believable.

Contrast, Balance, & Harmony

I found this gem while going through some old photo albums. It was taken with a camera that used actual film. I had to scan this into my computer. This is the Brooklyn Bridge. At the time I was living in the NYC area. My friends and I decided to take a walk across the bridge in the cold, winter weather. We didn't make it very far. The wind was ice cold.

Contrast
The sun is going down and is creating a shadow on the bricks. It is also creating a highlight on the top  left hand corner and in the arches of the bridges. The tones of brown and blackened bricks against the bright white clouds all create contrast in this picture.

Balance
I love the suspension cables in this picture. The arches are symmetrical, but the suspension cables are creating a kaleidoscope effect. They kind of mess with your eyes. It could be the angle I took the picture. The suspension cables remind me of a spider's web.

Harmony
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of my favorite bridges. It seems kind of silly to have a favorite bridge, but I do. The arches, the contrast of color, the texture of the bricks, the time of day, the season, the suspension cables, all come together and bring a harmonious picture. Without one of the items mentioned the bridge wouldn't have very much character.

Visceral Response

This is a picture I took with my iPhone. It was taken on location for a documentary my class was working on Spring semester. The documentary is about a violin maker. This tree is in front of his shop. We asked him why parts of violins hanging from this tree. He told us this is where he took the violins "die". All the violins he makes a mistake on or unrepairable ones people give him get a place on the tree. He ties the violins and/or pieces to the tree as a reminder not to make those mistakes again. The tree was later named, The Hanging Tree.

I've never really thought of myself as a photographer, which is funny because I'm in the film program. I took this hoping to capture the story of the tree, but not expecting anything cool. This was a turning point for me, because I totally surprised myself with my creation. All the negative voices in my head faded away. I became less afraid and more eager to create. So, I love this picture.

By putting this picture through a couple of filters I created depth, texture, and contrast. I love how the sagebrush is highlighted and how the top of the hill has a yellow glow to it. I love the darkness of the sky and the way the sunlight hits the tree. I also like the violin piece is sticking out at a weird angle. The finished product brought the story of the tree to life. We ended up not using the picture in the film, but I put it in the credits. So, if you happen to go see The Devil & The Angel at DOCUTAH next week you might see it.