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How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

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Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#31

Post by mikraft »

fragmede wrote: post #29
brokentone wrote: post #12

This is incredible. Normally just one or two of these techniques would represent a pretty impressive feat. This used 3d printing, freelensing, pixelstick lightwriting, and a custom bokeh cutout -- in addition to the cool, but more common helicopter shots, timelapse, tilt-shift, and steady cam work. Being willing to (or maybe having the budget to) use all these techniques AND getting a consistent result is SUPER impre…

> cool, but more common helicopter shots, I'm glad they pointed out that a similar shot could have been done via drone. I've been told that drones have made cool aerial sequences available to directors who don't have the budget of SNL's 40th though I'd be interested in learning more.

My company uses a drone to "scope" land before we build. My first reaction to seeing the video is that we wasted money on a helicopter ride for a 30 sec clip.

Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#33

Post by johnlbevan2 »

joezydeco wrote: post #27
npinguy wrote: post #23

Is it just me or is stuff like this way harder to appreciate these days (with the ubiquity of CGI), unless you work in the industry, or see a behind-the-scenes look like this? This is simply incredible, and yet I don't normally pay the title sequence any attention at all...

How many shows have opening credits this long anymore? You have some shows, like The Good Wife , that use a five-second title card. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rOhzdWZS7E Some have more elaborate titles, but still only go 15 seconds (e.g. The Mindy Project ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HarfyFwRfhA Compare with an 80's show like Dallas , where the credits went a whole 1:10! That's like lost real estate for tw…

...then there's Too Many Cooks: https://www.youtube.com/embed/QrGrOK8oZG8

;)

Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#34

Post by iLoch »

johnlbevan2 wrote: post #33
joezydeco wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many shows have opening credits this long anymore? You have some shows, like The Good Wife , that use a five-second title card. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rOhzdWZS7E Some have more elaborate titles, but still only go 15 seconds (e.g. The Mindy Project ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HarfyFwRfhA Compare with an 80's show like Dallas , where the credits went a whole 1:10! That's like lost real estate for tw…

...then there's Too Many Cooks: https://www.youtube.com/embed/QrGrOK8oZG8 ;)

The perfect setup.

Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#35

Post by iLoch »

joezydeco wrote: post #27
npinguy wrote: post #23

Is it just me or is stuff like this way harder to appreciate these days (with the ubiquity of CGI), unless you work in the industry, or see a behind-the-scenes look like this? This is simply incredible, and yet I don't normally pay the title sequence any attention at all...

How many shows have opening credits this long anymore? You have some shows, like The Good Wife , that use a five-second title card. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rOhzdWZS7E Some have more elaborate titles, but still only go 15 seconds (e.g. The Mindy Project ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HarfyFwRfhA Compare with an 80's show like Dallas , where the credits went a whole 1:10! That's like lost real estate for tw…

Homeland's intro is about 1:20 I believe. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17tp3q_homeland-intro_shor...

Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#36

Post by kyro »

npinguy wrote: post #23

Is it just me or is stuff like this way harder to appreciate these days (with the ubiquity of CGI), unless you work in the industry, or see a behind-the-scenes look like this? This is simply incredible, and yet I don't normally pay the title sequence any attention at all...

The most impressive things are often the hardest to appreciate because they seem so effortless and don't stand in the way of an overall experience.

Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#37

Post by bennesvig »

fragmede wrote: post #29
brokentone wrote: post #12

This is incredible. Normally just one or two of these techniques would represent a pretty impressive feat. This used 3d printing, freelensing, pixelstick lightwriting, and a custom bokeh cutout -- in addition to the cool, but more common helicopter shots, timelapse, tilt-shift, and steady cam work. Being willing to (or maybe having the budget to) use all these techniques AND getting a consistent result is SUPER impre…

> cool, but more common helicopter shots, I'm glad they pointed out that a similar shot could have been done via drone. I've been told that drones have made cool aerial sequences available to directors who don't have the budget of SNL's 40th though I'd be interested in learning more.

A DJI Phantom 2 with the Zenmuse H3-3D and a GoPro 3+ or 4 can take amazingly smooth and high quality footage (example - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRC-8pCCCys ). There are also drones that can fly with DSLRs.

Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#38

Post by incision »

ejdyksen wrote: post #20

If you think this is interesting, there's an entire site dedicated to title sequences in film and television: http://www.artofthetitle.com/titles/

Thanks for this.

Lots of great sequences from the 80s presented there along with on my of my all-time favorite openings - Ghost in the Shell [0].

I've always felt failing to put together a compelling opening is a missed opportunity, particularly for a series. It's a hook, a primer to put the audience in mind of the best eras and episodes every time.

0: http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/ghost-in-the-shell/

Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#39

Post by marincounty »

notastartup wrote: post #25

this was a really cool effect...but I never found SNL to be funny. I've never even laughed at it once. I don't understand why people laugh...that and jimmy fallon/kimmel

It used to be hilarious. I'm talking Bill Murry era. Maybe I was young and usually stoned, but if the Saturday night was unfruitful(meaning no women); I'd rush home and watch SNL and really got a kick out of it. Just thinking about that "Miss Loupner" thing has me smiling.

Re: How We Did It: SNL Title Sequence

#40

Post by tinco »

joezydeco wrote: post #27
npinguy wrote: post #23

Is it just me or is stuff like this way harder to appreciate these days (with the ubiquity of CGI), unless you work in the industry, or see a behind-the-scenes look like this? This is simply incredible, and yet I don't normally pay the title sequence any attention at all...

How many shows have opening credits this long anymore? You have some shows, like The Good Wife , that use a five-second title card. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rOhzdWZS7E Some have more elaborate titles, but still only go 15 seconds (e.g. The Mindy Project ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HarfyFwRfhA Compare with an 80's show like Dallas , where the credits went a whole 1:10! That's like lost real estate for tw…

There's this cool trade off between how much you can charge for commercials, and for how long you can take up an audiences interest. The cable shows have longer intros. I think this is because of how expensive it is to shoot the footage, but they know they can capture the audience for a full hour, so they'll grab any way to get to that full hour cheaper.

Cartoons are an extreme example, being very very expensive to animate, many cartoons in Japan have an intro of almost 15 minutes, then ~25 show, then 5 minutes outro! (these are cartoons targeted at teens/adults)

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