SAUL BASSM I C H A E L K N I G H T

M E D I A S T U D I E S

WHO HE IS

• Saul Bass was born in New York on May 8 1920.

• He studied design at the art students league in Manhattan.

• After apprenticeships , he worked as a free lance graphic designer.

• He was a graphic designer and academy award winning filmmaker.

• He was best known for his design of motion picture title sequences, film posters, and corporate logos.

• He has worked with famous filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Billy Wilder and Stanley Kubrick

WHY HIS WORK WAS SPECIAL

• He is known for working with simple, geometric shapes and their symbolism.

• His posters captured the mood of the film with the shapes and images.

• He usually drew the shapes himself to create a casual appearance.

• He revolutionised title sequences in film by making them more stylish and give and metaphorical meaning that would intrigue the viewer.

CATALOGUE OF HIS WORK

• His first film which gave him much credit was “The man with the golden arm” in 1955.

• He also created the title sequence for “Vertigo” (1958), “North by northwest” (1959) and “Psycho” (1960).

• He famously created the title sequence for “West side story” (1961).

• He created many other title sequences, logo’s and movie posters.

ANALYSIS OF TITLE SEQUENCE 1 – MAN WITH THE GOLD ARM• The title sequence was very unique by using

lines interchanging with each other to create patterns which the audience could work out as being images.

• They are supposedly meant to look like veins or syringes relating to the film’s storyline.

• There is a sense of jabbing with awkward angles which creates a sense of unsettled atmosphere.

ANALYSIS OF TITLE SEQUENCE 2 – WEST SIDE STORY• Specifically placed vertical bars cover the screen with

abstract form.

• The static image is in unison with the varied overture; as the “mood” of the score changes the colour follows suit.

• It pulls backward to reveal the film title below.

• The image goes to an aerial shot of Manhattan, and the source of the vertical pattern is confirmed.

• The abstract bars, even, resemble a perforated music roll.