Somewhere along the line a convention developed that the opening of a film was just a laundry list of credits. There was no incentive to complicate an area that was settled.
Saul BassRead
My initial thoughts about what a title can do was to set mood and the prime underlying core of the film's story, to express the story in some metaphorical way. I saw the title as a way of conditioning the audience, so that when the film actually began, viewers would already have an emotional resonance with it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A title can evoke emotions and set the tone for a film's story.
Saul Bass emphasizes the significant role of a title in filmmaking, suggesting that it goes beyond mere nomenclature; it acts as a conditioning tool that prepares the audience emotionally for the experience they are about to have. By using metaphorical language, a title can encapsulate the essence of the story and create an initial emotional connection, enriching the viewer's engagement once the film starts.
Themes
TitleFilmEmotionStoryAudience
In practice
Example use cases
In a film studies class when discussing the importance of effective titles.
More from Saul Bass
All quotes →In the course of our daily lives, we're bombarded with a barrage of visual messages, some blatantly aggressive, some subtle. The trick is to find a way to break through without adding to the clutter and the ugliness. We have to be responsible about that.
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I want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares.
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Logos are a graphic extension of the internal realities of a company.
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My work on titles was a marvelous opportunity to learn about filmmaking. I think I touched on just about every aspect of the process, both creative and technical. And I worked with many wonderful people.
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When I provided the disembodied arm as the logo for 'The Man With the Golden Arm,' it was the first time an advertising-publicity campaign was based on a single symbol. Until then film companies used a variety of symbols and photographs to cover all bets. The concept of using one logo was mine and Otto Preminger's.
Saul BassRead
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