Timeline: 3 months (non-consecutive)
Project: Poster Design, Motion Design
Software: Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects
Description
In anticipation of the sixth and final season of AMC's Better Call Saul, I designed a poster featuring suits worn by Jimmy McGill, also known as Saul Goodman. Accompanying this poster is an animated sequence illustrating the character's transformation over the show's fifth season. AMC recognized these works on social media, reposting them to the official Better Call Saul Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Poster design for AMC's Better Call Saul.
Animation sequence for AMC's Better Call Saul.
To this day, Better Call Saul is my favorite serialized drama. As I foster my affinity for time-based media, and especially film / video production, the series continues to be a source of inspiration.
Earlier this year, another critically-acclaimed series concluded. HBO's Succession centers on Logan Roy, CEO of a global media and entertainment conglomerate, and his four children—all of whom are vying for control amidst uncertainty regarding their father's health. The series has been praised for its clever writing, nuanced portrayals of family dynamics, and satirical examination of complex subjects.
It has also been recognized for its opening credits, which feature compelling imagery set to the catchy theme by composer Nicholas Brittel. In an article for "Film School Rejects," Meg Shields describes the 8mm footage that shows the four children "struggling with the tension that will plague them into adulthood: the murky waters of family and business that taint their entire lives."
This is quite different from Better Call Saul's opening sequence, which is considerably shorter and features a funkier, much more upbeat piece of music. But these differences got me thinking about how opening credits shape our perception of the media they proceed. If I were to edit a Better Call Saul credits sequence in Succession's distinct visual style, would viewers' grasp of the show's central themes be subject to change? How do mood and tone impact the emotions an audience brings to a particular piece of media?
Below is my take on a Better Call Saul opening credits sequence, inspired by Succession.
The theme of facelessness caught my eye the first time I watched Succession—it is visually intriguing, but also quite effectively communicates the disconnect between these children and their father. It remains one of my favorite details of the original sequence. Thus, I took great care to visually match each frame as precisely as possible, with particular consideration for aspects such as framing and scale.
Included below are several of these visual parallels.
This may have been a personal project, but it was immensely satisfying. Given my interest in time-based media, the opportunity to situate an exercise in mood and tone within the context of two of my favorite series was a uniquely exciting experience. I learned quite a bit about the emotion we associate with image and sound, while honing my skills as an editor and animator.