Saul Bass

Saul Bass (May 8, 1920 - April 25, 1996) was an American Academy award winner & graphic designer best known for his animation title sequences. His career spanning 40 years involved working with some of the most well known and critically acclaimed film makers in Hollywood, most notably Martin Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger & Stanley Kubrick to name a few.

Before Bass made his big break by creating the opening sequence and film poster for Otto Preminger's 'Carmen Jones' (1954), he had begin his career by producing print work for film advertisements. After making the promotional poster as well as the title sequence for 'Carmen Jones', Bass began to realise that making title sequences and closing credits would enhance the viewing audience when watching films and that doing this would help him to venture into his creative genius.

Other than his work in Carmen Jones, Bass is also well known for his work in 'The Man With The Golden Arm' which stars the likes of Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker & Kim Novak. Focused on the storyline of a jazz musician struggling with a heroin addiction ( a much tabooed subject during the 1950s), Bass decided to raise controversy with his opening title sequence; using a black paper cut arm to signify the arm of a heroin addict, while making white lines appear on & off screen, but appearing very weary to emphasise the heroin effect.

Saul Basses opening sequence will help my team and I to produce a title sequence to his level of greatness & perfection, although it will not be exactly in the particular style that Bass was known for.