Darling
We were tasked to create a title sequence for a hypothetical show or movie. This was my second semester of dabbling in Adobe AfterEffects and I thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to drive both the story and the creative direction. Darling is a brightly lit thriller that highlights how everything is not what it seems even in the nicest of suburbs.
1. Mood board
As the concept of my movie was developing I started to collect images with dynamic type, bright colors, retro patterns, and a flat design style. While I was doing research and watching lots of titles sequences, I became acquainted with the work of Saul Bass and was influenced by his legendary body of work and some of his predecessors.
2. Creative Guidelines
Once my mood board and storyline were solidified I established a set of creative guidelines that were influenced by the two. From here I listened to lots of music tracks to set the proper tone of the piece, drew color inspiration from my mood board, and created various elements that would be used throughout.
3. Story Board
With design elements created and a track picked out I sketched and made lists of possible scenes I wanted to frame. Although these ended up varying slightly due to the transitions I ended up choosing, most were executed to my exact vision.
Storyline Synopsis
When recent college dropout, Claire, moves back to her picturesque hometown of Booker Heights, the last thing she expects to do is befriend cool-mom Zoe, let alone start nannying her precocious toddler. As Claire becomes fast friends with the other designer diaper bag-toting mothers, Victoria and Mary, she quickly discovers that there’s a lot more than milk being spilled at playdates. Although her situation is only supposed to be temporary, the longer Claire stays the more captivated she becomes with the beguiling lives of her newfound friends. Quickly the veneer of perfection around these four women deteriorates and the ugliness that lies underneath is revealed. Turns out a lot of skeletons can fit in these ladies’ walk-in closets.