10.21.08

"True Blood" title sequence

Motion Graphics, Consumer

The latest brainchild of writer/director Alan Ball (American Beauty and “Six Feet Under”), “True Blood” premiered on HBO in September. Conceived and completed by creative studio Digital Kitchen, the show's opening title sequence  shows chaos and a mixing of cultures, races and social strata, where whores and churchgoers commingle in a region with many influences and a town of many characters and mindsets. It’s a world where the conflicting ecstasies of religion, sex and bloodlust share striking similarities.

The project originated with a creative brief focused on finding which techniques or imagery could best express the dirty, messy collisions of ideas in a contemporary northern Louisiana town. In the interests of the raw mood, the project was deliberately steered away from computer-aided effects, opting instead for live action footage and striking physical transitions involving Polaroid transfer technique. The “True Blood” title was rendered in an original font created (some of it by hand) by Digital Kitchen based on southern-style road signage.

Rama Allen/Shawn Fedorchuck, concept; Matthew Mulder, creative director; Mark Bashore, head of creative/executive producer; Paul Matthaeus, executive creative director; Rama Allen/Jacques Broquard/Ryan Gagnier/Matthew Mulder/Camm Rowland/Ryan Rothermel, designers; Shawn Fedorchuck, editor; Ryan Gagnier, compositor; Rama Allen/Morgan Henry/Matthew Mulder/Matt Clark/Trevor Fife, live action direction; Morgan Henry/Kipp Christiansen/Keir Moreano, producers.

www.d-kitchen.comwww.hbo.com