Gone Girl

Work Play About

Opening Title Sequence

In the film Gone Girl Amy paints the picture of a loving, nurturing wife scared for her life. But as a viewer we see each scene in its entirety—never fear in her eyes, but bitterness and anger, just boiling beneath the surface.

My opening title sequence emulates Amy’s use of facades by starting with a domestic breakfast being lovingly cooked. As it continues the food is no longer appetizing, but uncomfortably being smashed, spilled, and cut. The last frame shows the perfect meal we imagined in the beginning, but the illusion is ruined.

Final Styleframes

Process

In my moodboard I wanted to capture the shift in tone from warm and inviting to evisceral and disconcerting through lighting, composition, and saturation.

Through my storyboards I explored the use of macro shots to increase tension and uncertainty.

I shot all of my footage using a Canon DSLR and later edited them in Lightroom. In earlier shoots I explored a warmer color grading and more prominent use of tomatoes and meat.

Type

For typefaces I chose ones that embody two sides of Amy’s personas: approachability with a hint of sharpness and elegant sophistication.

As the sequence continues, the type becomes increasingly layered with red seeping in, evoking a sense of discomfort.

Final Sequence

Gentenaar

The Moth