Art of the Title (AOTT) is an online publication dedicated to title sequence design, spanning the film, television, conference, and video game industries. The publication is both an educational and historical resource and a contemporary publication, focusing on the creative process behind the design of title sequences. It combines interviews with filmmakers and directors, designers, and craftspeople with in-depth analyses and behind-the-scenes materials.
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Type of site | Motion design publication |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Art of the Title, LLC |
| Created by | Ian Albinson, Alex Ulloa |
| Editors | Lola Landekic, Will Perkins |
| URL | artofthetitle |
| Launched | 2007 |
| Current status | Inactive |
Overview
editArt of the Title is the leading online resource of title design, with hundreds of title sequences available to view. The site features title design from countries around the world and aims to "honor the creators and innovators who contribute to the field, discussing and displaying their work with a desire to explicate, facilitate, and instigate."[1] The Independent has said that Art of the Title may well be the "best place to visit in search of more of these neglected wonders of film art."[2] Film Comment called the site "a praiseworthy and priceless compendium" in 2011, and said, "Art of the Title's greatest achievement has been to single out and champion the journeymen designers who painstakingly sculpt opening ephemera."[3]
Art of the Title staff have been invited to speak at industry conferences and festivals such as SXSW, AIGA, PromaxBDA, MODE Summit, Gamercamp,[4] TIFF Next Wave, Nordic Media Festival,[5] and TCM Classic Film Festival.[6] They have also done several talks in partnership with the Toronto International Film Festival's Reel Comfort series.
History
editArt of the Title was founded by motion designer Ian Albinson and launched in 2007 as a blog intending to highlight the design of title sequences.
In 2008, Alexander Ulloa joined the site as Head Writer. In 2011, the site expanded with the addition of writers and editors Lola Landekic and Will Perkins in the roles of Managing Editor and Senior Editor, respectively.
In 2011, the Art of the Title team curated the title design section of the Graphic Design — Now in Production exhibition, co-organized by the Walker Art Center and the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.[7] The exhibition ran from October 22, 2011 – January 22, 2012 at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, and then was taken on a tour including stints in New York, Los Angeles, Grand Rapids, Houston, Winston-Salem, and Providence. A comprehensive, illustrated catalogue produced by the Walker Art Center and featuring an 18-page section on title design curated and written by Art of the Title accompanies the exhibition.
In 2012, the site launched a redesign developed in partnership with New Zealand-based studio CactusLab.[8] The redesign adopted a responsive structure, allowing the site to "seamlessly adapt from desktop to mobile" and to provide "better cross-referencing of data alongside new bio pages for title designers and studios."[9]
In 2013, the site went down temporarily when its Iron Man 3 article was linked from Robert Downey Jr.'s Facebook page.[10]
In April 2015, the site announced an exclusive look at the James Bond Spectre title sequence, which turned out to be a rickroll. Readers' reactions ran the gamut from outrage to kudos.[11]
In June 2017, site editors Lola Landekic and Will Perkins hosted a screening and discussion of films by designers and filmmakers Saul Bass and Elaine Bass at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC.[12]
In November 2018, Art of the Title was the first publication to confirm news of title designer Pablo Ferro's death.[13] Editor-in-Chief Lola Landekic[14] contributed to Ferro's obituary in The Washington Post.[15]
SXSW Title Design Awards
editFrom 2010-2014, Art of the Title facilitated and participated in the jury of the SXSW Excellence in Title Design Awards, part of the SXSW Film Festival.
In 2013, Ian Albinson hosted a discussion at the title screening event, and then announced the winners at the Film Awards.[16]
In 2014, Lola Landekic and Will Perkins gave a talk ahead of the Title Design Awards and hosted a discussion with filmmaker and designer Henry Hobson.[17]
References
edit- ^ "About the site". Art of the Title. 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^ "Time to give a little credit to the credits". The Independent. February 25, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^ Finnegan, Jesse P. (2011). "Site Specifics: ArtoftheTitle.com". Film Comment. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^ "A Brief History of Video Game Title Design". Art of the Title. November 5, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ "THE TITLE SEQUENCE THAT SOLD THE SHOW". Nordic Media Festival. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ "Talks & Events — Art of the Title". Art of the Title. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ^ "Graphic Design: Now In Production". Walker Art Center. 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^ "2012: The Year in Review". Art of the Title. December 31, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^ "Art of the Title • Web Projects • Work • CactusLab". CactusLab. 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^ "2013: The Year in Review". Art of the Title. December 31, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^ "Art of the Title – NEW: An exclusive look..." Twitter. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ^ Linthicum, Ryan. "Movies at SAAM: Summer 2017". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ Nyren, Erin. "Pablo Ferro, Legendary Title Designer for 'Dr. Strangelove,' Dies at 83". Variety. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "Lola Landekic on Art of the Title". Art of the Title. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ Smith, Harrison. "Pablo Ferro, evocative title designer of 'Dr. Strangelove' and 'Bullitt,' dies at 83". The Washington Post. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "2013: The Year in Review". Art of the Title. December 31, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^ Kolmar, Jim (February 20, 2014). "Title Design Awards and Art of the Title Discussion Announced". SXSW. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
Further reading
edit- Moreno-Bunge, Sophia (March 19, 2011). "The art and history of the title font". HuffPost.
- Finnegan, Jesse P. (2011). "Site specifics: Art of the Title". Film Comment. The Film Society of Lincoln Center.