Bunraku: Main Title

Hornet Inc.

9.10.12 | B. Philhower

1. Overview

Bunraku

Main Title Sequence for the 2010 Film Bunraku

Overview: Information What is it? Who made it?

The main title design for the 2010 Movie Bunraku which is about three young men from different walks of life that plot revenge against a ruthless leader and his army of thugs, in a world that has banished firearms.
Directed by: Guilherme Marcondes Produced by: Hornet Inc. Executive Producer: Michael Feder Character Design: Rafael Gramp Background Design: Morgan Schweitzer Character Animation: Mike Luzzi Art Director: Ryan Heck Set Design: Andrezza Valentin Puppet Fabrication: K&Z Studio Inc. Puppeteers: Adam Pagdon, Megan McNerney

When? Why do I love it?

2010

Its creative, the lighting adds to the composition, the use of texture adds depth, and there is a clear storyline and progression of ideas throughout the piece. My favorite part of this title sequence is the flawless integration of numerous mediums such as graphics, puppets, narration, sound design, and physical presence of puppeteers. The purpose of this title sequence is to set the stage for the movies storyline; it gives an in-depth history in a short amount of time.

2. Form

Form: Board

Form: Execution What does it look like?

Visually the piece combines live action shots of puppets with multi layered textured landscapes and animated figures reflecting colored lights. There is puppets, colored lights, paper landscapes, animated figures, live video, narration, and animated typography. The form seems to be dictated by the narration, transitions between each scene are based on the words being spoken. Each scene has a similar textured paper background, with colors and lighting that seems to change throughout the whole piece yet the saturation of all the colors remains constant. Each scene contains multiple layers of textured imagery, which adds to the sense of a puppet show, while the animations are portraying the history of the storyline. The sequence makes use of lighting and shadows consistently throughout the whole piece. It feels as if this whole opening sequence was a play put on for an audience, I cant help but feel as if this is an act taking place on a stage. Everything element feels as if it was cut out of paper. The use of a broad range of colors is brought together by a constant use of texture.

What does it move like?

The animation of the elements within all of the scenes seems to move at a chaotic velocity. The movement of the camera contrasts the animation of the elements by moving methodically though each scene at an even keeled pace. There are no hard cuts in this title sequence, each scene seems to transition in to the next. While the camera moves through each scene, multiple animations occur at once making the compositions extremely interesting but also making it hard for the viewer to focus on one thing.

What does it sound like?

The narration of this piece seems to take center stage as it sets the tone for the movie, a deep confident voice speaks over an original score of horns, strings, and percussion. The musical number seems to gain momentum throughout the sequence, and becomes more intense as the storyline builds. Sandwiched between the musical and vocal track, sound effects that mimic the animation seem to add an extra dimension to the sound production.

Form: Single Shot

Form: References + Inspiration

Form: Edit

3. Content

Content: Concept

Keywords

History Destruction Battle Struggle Hopeless Dominance Handmade Puppets

Chaos Progression Cycle Blood Lights Texture Integration Confidence

Fear Clashing Violence Mankind Survival Insanity Failing Circus

Theme Thesis

Self Destruction
An animated interpretation of mankinds need for superiority, a never-ending struggle based on humans inability to learn from the past.

4. Form + Content

Form + Content

Imagery

The title sequence feels like a reenactment, it feels very animated, as if a show is being put on for an audience. We are seeing the history of mankinds struggle for dominance in a matter of seconds, which then sets the tone for the entire movie. The tile sequence takes the audience from the past and leads them to the present.

Edit

The camera eases seamlessly through the piece, which allows each scene to be chaotic and full of action. The use of transitions strengthens the story by creating a clear progression of events.

Animation

Each scene has its own set of animations, which mirror the events being spoken about by the narrator. The separate animations are connected by transitions which add to the clarity of the storyline.