Film title design

Film Title Design is and always has been an essential part of any motion picture. Film Title Design was originally a motionless piece of artwork called Title Art.

The Main Title Design consisted of the film company’s name and/or logo and the presentation of the main characters along with the actor’s names, generally using that same artwork.

Most independent or major studio had their own Title Art Logo used as the background for their screen credits and used it almost exclusively on every film that they produced.

Then, early in the 1930s the more progressive motion picture studios started to change their approach in presenting their screen credits. The major studios took on the challenge of improving the way they introduced their films. They made the decision to present a more complete list of credits to go with a higher quality of artwork to be used in their screen credits.

A Main title designer is the designer of the movie title. The manner in which title of a movie is displayed on screen is widely considered an art form. It has often been classified as motion graphics, title design, title sequences and animated credits. The title sequence is often presented through animated visuals and kinetic type while the credits are introduced on screen.

From the mid-1930s through the late-1940s the major film studios lead the way in Film Title Art by employing artists like Al Hirschfeld, George Petty, Ted Ireland (Vencentini), William Galraith Crawford, Symeon Shimin, Alvan “Hap” Hadley and Jacques Kapralik. Here are some examples of 1930's - 1940's title art.

Quality artists met this challenge by designing their artwork to “set a mood” and “capture the audience” before the film began. An overall 10% jump in box-office receipts was proof that this was a profitable improvement to the introduction of their motion pictures.

One famous example of the form is the work of Saul Bass in the 1950s and 60s. His modish title sequences for the films of Alfred Hitchcock were key in setting the style and mood of the film even before the action began, and contributed to Hitchock's "house style" that was a key element in his approach to marketing.

Modern technology has enabled a much more fantastical way of presenting them through use of programs such as Adobe After Effects. Although a form of editing, it is considered a different role and art form rather than of a traditional film editor.