The brief was to create a title sequence based on a Penguin Classic book which was being turned into a Netflix TV Series. As well as creating all the imagery by hand, this was animated together in Adobe After Effects. The music was edited in Adobe Audition from the original track to shorten it to 30 seconds, this edit allowed for a dramatic build up of tension at the start and the end of the sequence.

Narrative Overview of ‘The High Window’:

“The High Window, written by Raymond Chandler, is a murder mystery set in 1940’s California. The story follows private detective, Philip Marlowe, a wise-crack private investigator, through a case involving the suspicious disappearance of the Brasher Doubloon, a rare gold coin. Hired by Mrs Murdock to retrieve the prized possession missing from her late husband’s collection, Marlowe begins with a lead on her son’s estranged wife. On his hunt he encounters many shady figures, murders, and liars; making him a point of interest with the cops.”

Design Concept:

The sequence follows the idea of the Doubloon hiding in plain sight from Marlowe as it does in the novel. We follow the Doubloon through various recognisable scenes from the series, allowing viewers to add a new layer of meaning when noticing the locations while watching the series develop. The sequence creates its own mystery as to where the Doubloon will end up next, reflective of the mystery in the actual series.

The story is told through the use of quite simple but impactful visuals, building on ideas of older style paper cut out sequences and stop motion animation, reflective of the theme and setting of the 1940s. With use of a simple but effective colour palette, paper textures and shadows - an established foreground and background is created. Overall, the visual styles of this sequence are well reflective of the setting and aesthetic of the series.

To reflect the drama and mystery of the series, the music ‘Following Tyler’ by Labrinth originally created for the Euphoria series was used. The music brings in another layer of interest and really brings the imagery to life with fast-paced dramatic violin, fitting the fast paced nature of the novel. The soundtrack has a modern yet classical feel, fitting to the sequence given its a modern adaptation.