Kyle Cooper Demo Reel

Kyle Cooper Demo Reel

Kyle Cooper Research

Kyle Cooper

Kyle Cooper was born in 1962 in Salem, Massachusetts USA.

Kyle studied graphic design at Yale School of Art under Paul Rand and achieved and M.F.A. as well as a BFA from the University of Massachusetts. 

Kyle is mainly a desginer of opening title sequences, but also of adverts and has been a director too. 

He has directed over 150 films titles and and VFX sequences, while also directing a feature film, 'New Port South'. 

His most memorable film titles have been, Se7en (1995), Dawn of the Dead and Spider Man 3

Se7en  is seen to be a ground breaking title sequence and has changed the way title design takes place today. New York Times Magazine called it "One of the most important design innovation of the 1990's".

In 1996, Cooper co-founded Imaginary Forces which is a creative agency and production company.

In 2003, Cooper founded Prologue Films from which he has created title sequences for the The Incredible Hunk, Final Destination 5 and The Walking Dead. It is where designers, film-makers and artists all come together to create something exceptional. 

Kyle Cooper has won the  Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Picture Editing For Short-Form Segments And Variety Specials and has been nominated for the following:

1. Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Design, 
2. Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special,
3.  Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Film Editing for a Special, 
4. Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects
5.  Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Graphic Design

Cooper also holds the Honorary Royal Designer for Industry from the Royal Society of Arts in London. 

Beginning of Story Boarding

First Draft of Story Boarding



Our group began story boarding in order to get some idea of the shots we were going to use, and how we were going to piece them together.  

This was our first very basic draft that we started with. Here we came up with very simple ideas of how we were going to put the shots together and in what order. From this we developed our idea further until we ended with this.

Here we focused closely on each shot and what it would contain.

For each shot we discussed:

Location - where the shot will be set, which we narrowed down to three places; a bathroom, a woodland area and a corridor

Action - what occurs in that specific shot

Shot/movement - what kind of shot we are going to use, and if were are going to pan/tilt/rotate during the                                 shot

Sound - what sounds we want to be heard - diegetic and non diegetic

Lighting - how the shot will be lit - we decided to have natural lighting through out

Edit Transition - how we are going to piece together the individual shots

Timing - how long we are going to hold each shot

We will develop each of these sub topics further until we have a clear outline on what each shot will entail.

Our group was happy with our first story board as it showed that we could combine our two ideas and that they would work together well. 

Production Meetings

Our group enjoys our production meetings even though we do have some heated debates over ideas.

We finally settled on an idea. We decided to combine both mine and Archie's idea. So our opening sequence will now entail having a politician washing his hands vigorously in a sink and then walking down a corridor, signing some papers and then walking out of the shot. During this, there will be cuts to  a young girl hanging herself and writing in her diary that this is not her first attempt of suicide.

The idea for the whole film is that the politician when he signs these papers is actually giving the girl the opportunity to attempt suicide multiple times.

It took us a while to agree to combine our ideas, but now that we have we are working well together on establishing what will be in each individual shot.

Dont Look Now - Opening Sequence Analysis

DON'T LOOK NOW - OPENING SCENE ANALYSIS 

This opening scene, directed by Nicholas Roeg, creates a very mysterious and creepy atmosphere. By using mise en scene, editing, sound and camera Nicholas Roeg creates meaning which generates this disturbing atmosphere. The audience picks up hints from small details which add to their bigger understand of the piece. 

EDITING: 

Editing is used very effectively in this opening scene. There are some examples of match cuts which are used to showcase the link between the father and the children and that he has some connection with the children that his wife lacks. 

1.  The father throws the cigarettes to his wife, and then it cuts to the daughter throwing up her ball, and then it cuts back to the wife catching the cigarettes. This creates a link between what is happening outside to what is happening inside. 

2. Just after this, the girl drops the ball in the water, and it cuts to the glass spilling water over the slide. This shows that the daughter and father are linked, but also links the water of the pond to the water in the glass. This suggests that maybe the girl will be in the water soon, just like the slide is.

3. When the boy runs his bicycle over glass, it cuts to the father looking up. This implies that he senses what has just happened, which again hints at a special link between the father and the children. 

4. The wife throws the slide down just as the father submerges himself under the pond in search of his daughter. This shows the link between the slide and the father and that it also involves his daughter.

Additionally, at the beginning of the scene the establishing shot of rain is held for a long time. This leads the audience to question the significance of this bit of water, and makes them wonder if it will be important later on. After this, it cuts to a vague scene which may be of a window with light shinning through and then cuts to a new establishing shot of the daughter. These cuts confuse the audience as it drags them through three possible time periods. These cuts begin to create the mysterious atmosphere. 

Furthermore, other cuts help to build up the creepy atmosphere. For example, the cut from the red ink spilling on the side to the daughter half submerged in the water forms the idea that the girl in the church and the daughter are linked. This generates an obscure mood as the audience question that link and wonder how the father knew about it.



As well as this, the use of slow motion when the father brings his dead daughter out of the pond builds suspense and tension while also showing his grief. The cut from him cradling his daughter to the ink spill which is in the same shape as how he is holding his daughter again indicates a link between the two. Moreover, the shot duration on the close up of the book "Beyond the Geometry of Space" hints to the audience that this is important and makes them question what is beyond space; death?

CAMERA:

Camera is used effectively here to showcase the difference from inside the house to outside. The first establishing shot of the pouring rain is vague and leaves the audience with questions. However the second establishing shot introduces a character. The shots of the girl and boy suggests that they are brother and sister and the fact that they are in a wide shot shows how open the area they are playing in. This conveys to the audience that they live in a rural place with no near neighbours, this automatically hints to the audience that they are isolated with no easy help. 

The mid shot of the girl indicates to the audience how young she is and that she is quite vulnerable. Also the close up of her toy, suggests to the audience that she is different from other young girls because it is quite a unnerving looking toy that would be more suited to boys. The close up shot of the ball in the water signifies the depth of the water, and hints to the audience that girl will be reaching for the ball in that deep water. The wide shot of the girl bending over into the water with the house in the background shows the audience the distance between the girl and the house. This implies that if she needed help it would take a while for someone to come. The panning in from this shot to focus on the girl bending into the water and her reflection hints that the girl will be soon in the water, as her reflection already is. 



The establishing shot of the sitting room, conveys to the audience that there is a tension between the mother and father as she has her back to him, and the depth of field shows that they are as far apart as they can be. The mid shot of the projector allows the audience to see that the girl in the church changes position in-between slides. This adds to the mysterious atmosphere as the audience questions why the girl would move and then move back. The close up of the father looking at his wife shows his distress, as it allows the audience to witness the full extent of his emotions. It hints to the audience that he does not know what is going on between them. 

The shot of the daughter running along the side of the pond, but only showing her reflection is very clever as it suggests to the audience that at some point she will be in the water. The entire movement of this shot follows her reflection so fully gets the point across to the audience. The long shot that shows a close up of the boy but then the girl in the background implies to the audience that he is far away from her. The shot becomes unfocused on the boys face and highlights the girl, showing that she is the centre part of what is going on. 




The wide shot showcasing the father running towards his daughter, the son, the ball and the house gives the audience perspective that should have been from the daughters eyes, but instead she is under the water. The close up of the young boy shows his fear and conveys that he cared for his sister a lot. 

The high angle shot used when he brings up his daughter showcases that he is being looked down on, while also giving the audience the clear idea that he is dragging his daughter up from the bottom of the pond. The director breaks the 30 degree rule here however it works, as it highlights the grief and horror the father is feeling.


SOUND:

Both diegetic and non diegetic sounds are used in this piece to provide meaning for the audience. 

The diegetic sounds of the footsteps of the girl and the wheels on the boys bike are heard. Also the sound of birds singing are heard in the first few shots. This creates a happy relaxed atmosphere. The non-diegetic piano music which is played also creates a relatively calm peaceful atmosphere, even if it sounds rather melancholy as well. The harshness of the girl's toys voice breaks this slightly, but does not disturb the atmosphere completely. However, when the girl is leaning over the water the diegetic sound of a crow is heard. This could suggest a bad omen and that something nasty is about to happen, as crows have the symbol attached to them that they bring bad fortune. 

The non diegetic sound of the piano stops when the audience are brought inside the house. This implies that things are not peaceful inside at all. The harsh click sound of the changing of slide on the projector cut through the silence and add tension to the scene. A few chromatic notes are played (non-diegetic) and they hint to the audience that something is not natural here. The smattering sound of the glass again cuts the silence and shocks the audience. The diegetic sound of the girls doll signifies the audience where she is, so they can pin point her whereabouts in relation to her brother. 

The deep bass notes that are heard (non-diegetic) imply a sense of doom and death which hint to the reader that some dark has happened here and that the daughter has died. The drawn out sound of the fathers cry really impresses upon the audience his horror, and the low notes behind his voice really add to this. The music gets louder and deeper, signifying that something truly dreadful has happened and that she is dead. The high notes heard as she is lifted out of the water, may represent her soul leaving her body as she dies. 

MISE EN SCENE:

The use of costume, props and setting all add to the atmosphere of this opening scene. 

The rural background implies isolation from other people, which generates the idea that the family are quite self dependant and in closed. The house is relatively large with a cosy setting which implies that they have a decent amount of wealth and are comfortable. The white horse shown at the beginning again reiterates the fact that they live in the country but also the colour white has connotations with peacefulness and purity. This gives the audience a false impression as the events that are about to unfold are not peaceful or pure. 

The use of the bright red outfit that the daughter wears really draws the audience in. The colour red has many connotations, but is specifically linked to blood and violence. This already leads the audience to believe that something bad is going to happen to her, and the bright red contrasts heavily with natural surroundings. It also contrasts with the costumes of the other actors who are all dressed in muted colours, which again hints to the audience that the girl should be their main focus. The colour red is also used a lot in other areas which may imply that blood and violence are going to be key features in this film. The brightness of the fire, and the clearness of the red ink spilling all adds to the idea that death is a big part of this scene and is linked to the little girl. 

The use of the toy and the bike show the children's age and that they like to go outside and play with things. The fact that the boy can ride a bike by himself may imply that he is the older of two. 

Connotation and Denotation

CONNOTATION: 

 

Definition: the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its primary meaning. 

By using a name or label in which our audience has used or seen before, we create not only the meaning we intended but also allow the audience to remember where they had encountered this word or label before by diving into their own personal memories. 

Connotations depend on the person who is viewing the image/ object. 

For example, an ordinary person who sees the image of this knife will probably think of cooking and chopping ingredients, as this is a knifes primary function. However, a person who has seen someone being stabbed may associate this image with ideas of violence and cruelty. 

Producers spend a lot of time and money ensuring that the audience make the right connotations. If the audience make the connotations the producer wants, this is called preferred reading but if the audience does not make the intended connotations, then this is oppositional reading. 

DENOTATION: 

Definition: The direct meaning of a word or expression and the set of associations that most people make instead of everyone's personal associations.

In using a name or label that the audience knows and is familiar with, it is easier to create meaning for the audience. However, by putting some objects and names in a certain context, a secondary meaning can be created. 

Again using the image of the knife, in a children's film the knife will stick to its primary meaning of being able to chop cooking ingredients. However, in the context of a horror film the knife immediately has the secondary meaning of a weapon. 

EXAMPLES:

Many words have positive and negative connotations. 

For example, a gun can represent safety and protection which is positive but is can also be associated with danger, violence and death which is negative. 

Also, take something as common as a red apple. It has many positive connotations such as it being healthy and tasty. But any child who has seen Snow White will see a red apple and think of the poisoned apple that killed Snow White, which is a negative connotation. 

Producers have to be careful to evoke their intended meaning as while they may see an object and think of something, another person may think of something entirely different. This is key in Thriller films as suspense has to be maintained, so the audience needs to be able to pick up subtle hints through the connotations of images and objects used. For example, in Black Swan the main character is shown to be attracted to mirrors and glass. The connotations of glass and mirrors vary, as it can be seen as beautiful but is also sharp thus could be deadly. Therefore, both these connotations are put into the audiences mind so that in the end when she stabs herself with a piece of glass it is not unrealistic. 

Thriller sub-genres

Thriller Sub-Genres

There are many different sub-genres of thrillers: 

CONSPIRACY THRILLERS: 

The general idea for a conspiracy thriller involves the protagonist finding something that unravels a vast conspiracy. Often the protagonist has difficulty exposing the conspiracy as little believe them and rumours, lies and propaganda work against them. However, a general theme in conspiracy thrillers is that the 'bad' people cause the tragic events and the 'good' people fight against them and defeat them. 

Example:

The Da Vinci Code - directed by Rod Howard

A murder inside the Louvre and clues in Da Vinci paintings lead to the discovery of a religious mystery which has been preserved by a secret society for two thousand years and when discovered could shake the foundations of Christianity.

POLITICAL THRILLERS: 

A political thriller is set against the backdrop of a political struggle, that often contains themes of government corruption, warfare and terrorism. Normally, the political power in control have ulterior motives and often try to gain control of everything in a total fascist regime. A political thriller can be based on true events or be fiction. 

Example: 

Mississippi Burning - directed by Alan Parker

Two FBI agents, with completely different styles arrive in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of three civil right activists. The film explores the racism that dominated the south of America during the 20th century, and the plea for the government to do something to help the Black community. 

SPY THRILLERS: 

Spy thrillers explores the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as the basis of fantasy. The main ideal is that a government agent has to discover the secrets of their enemies without being caught.  The spy film combines the genres of action and thriller. 

Example: 

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - directed Tomas Alfredson

In the dangerous days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from his semi retirement in order to uncover a Soviet agent working within M16. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER:

This is a very broad sub-genre of thrillers. Its focus is on the emotional and mental and instability of the characters with a mysterious element as well. Suspense in psychological thrillers is often created when two characters play on each others minds, usually by the way of deceptive games or trying to cripple the others mental state. Psychological thrillers often combine with horror genre as some of the elements within them are similar. For example, often the characters lives end in a gruesome way rather than justice being served. 

Example:

Black Swan - directed by Darren Aronofsky

A ballet dancer wins the role of a lifetime in the show "Swan Lake", and is perfect for the role of the delicate white swan. However, she progressively begins to lose her mind as the show beings to take its toll on her mental health and she becomes more and more like the black swan. 

TECHNO THRILLERS: 

A techno-thriller is hard to define as it blurs with many other genres. Often it combines with science fiction so that the main theme is on plausible near-future technology and how this effects the world. Also world wars are a common topic with focuses being on military and political actions, so combines with conspiracy and political thrillers. 

Example:

Minority Report - directed by Steven Spielberg 

This film is set in the future where a special unit of the police force are able to see crimes that are about to happen, thus arrest people before they commit their crimes. An officer from that unit then sees himself committing a murder in the future.

SUPERNATURAL THRILLERS: 

A supernatural thriller brings ideas of otherworldly elements into the plot as well as building suspense and tension. Supernatural thrillers can focus on ghosts, the occult and sometimes the main character has the ability to talk or see the dead. These films deal less with action, but instead focus on building tension with a series of plot twists. 

Example: 

The Sixth Sense - directed by M. Night Shyamalan 

A boy who has the ability to see and talk to dead people seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist who does not really that he is in fact dead himself.