Kyle Cooper
Kyle Cooper, born on Friday 13th, age 59, is an American designer know mostly for his work creating title sequences for motion pictures. He has produced and directed over 350 visual effects sequences and main title sequences across a broad range of film.
Interesting aspects of his work:
- Coopers work is very fast motion and there are a lot of short cuts to keep the audience engaged and entertained. He introduces a angry manic style of credit sequences that has now become his own style. Many people have stated that “he is the guy that makes the opening title sequences better than the movie.”
- Coopers ideas are very different to everyone else’s as he is inspired by his own childhood. the music flows perfectly with the credits and the way the credits are shown through the screen create a sense of fluidity that leads you in too already like the movie before it has even began.
- The soundtrack that Kyle Cooper uses varies, but he always has this grimy soundtrack along with different sound effects that add so much to the opening title sequence. Also, depends on the film the exact perfect opening title is introduced and the soundtrack follows it beautifully. For example for “Seven” he introduces a mix of grimy metallic sound effect that were introduced in place to match the credits popping along the screen.
American Horror Story, Cult.
AHS, Cults opening title sequence is a combination of uncomfortable, grimy and horrid clips put together to create a unsettling feeling to the viewer. It’s very interesting to see how Kyle Cooper doesn't use many clips in his work, instead he uses about 6 or 7 short clips and repeats then over and over however with more intensity as the sequence goes in. AHS, Cult start off with a quick zoom in of a marble angel playing the violin. Although angels are supposed to signify heaven and safety because of the soundtrack and the aspect of these angel we can already tell that this sequence is going to be terrifying and unsettling. Then Cooper introduces a solo motion of blood flowing through a sink and hands covered in blood slowly washing with water.
All the clips are mainly set in with blood and knives context that will make you feel uncomfortable. However, Cooper also includes clips of bees flying around and a hand stroking them. All of these are made to make the viewer seem really uncomfortable and unsettling.
Although these clips make the viewer disgusted and unsettles there is a part that makes you want to keep watching and that is the music. The music starts with a low grassy sound effect and then changes into this melancholic trumpet sound that makes you feel like you are watching a politic debate. There is cricket sound introduced, and wiht every new clip and slo motion the music fits right on beat to the clip which creates an almost aesthetic view to this unsettling sequence. The titles are introduced when there is a clean and blank lip behind with not much to focus on so the viewers cast focus on the title names. The font is very raspy and bold to show and point out clearly who these people are and recognize these names. I really enjoyed the soundtrack to it it made me feel unsettled however safe. it sets the tone and the mood of the film and gives an indication of what the TV series is which in this case is 100 percent going to be horror.
