1.

2. For the first fifty years of American film, posters were comprised of either boring paintings or photos ofmovie stars to lure the audience into cinemas . And thats the way it would most likely be today if it werent for one man:
Saul Bass.
3. Saul Bass (1920-1996) was a graphic designer who became famous for his work in film and classic logo design.
4. He is best known for his use of simple, geometric shapes and their symbolism. Often, a single dominant image stands alone to delivera powerful message.
5. Born on May 8, 1920, in New York City.
He studied Design at the Art Students League in Manhattan.
After apprenticeships with Manhattan design firms, Bass worked as a freelance graphic designer.
Saul Bass: Early Career
6. In 1952 he moved to Los Angeles and opened his own Studio, named Saul Bass and Associates.
He got his break when film director Otto Preminger invited him to design the poster for his 1954 movie, Carmen Jones.
7. Preminger, along with many other talented directorswere so impressed by the result, that Bass was commissioned to design a multitude of projects.
Over the next decade he honed his skill by creatingmanyposters and logos for film andthroughout the rest of his career he became famous for his uniquestyle.
8. Basss posters had an uncanny ability to capture the mood of a film with simple shapes and images. This was his preferred method as opposed to using a boring photograph of a film star.
9. These shapes, as well as type, were often hand drawn by Bass to create a casual appearance, always packed with a sophisticated message. Used to great effect in someof his most well known film posters,
10. Animated paper cut-out of a heroin addict's arm for the film The Man with the Golden Arm, -(1955)
The bold, simple geometric shapes and literal interpretation of the subject matter (in this case, heroin addiction) would become the hallmarks of Basss personal style.
11. All of Bass's posters had a distinctive style
His work spanned five decades and inspired numerous other designers.
12. Thanks to his collaborations with great directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrickand Martin Scorsese, Bass would go on to design not only the film posters, but also animate and direct the openingtitle credit sequences to over sixty motion pictures,,,,
13. He revolutionized the way that people viewed title credit sequencesby using the time not just to display the information but give a short visual metaphor or story that intrigued the viewer.
Often times it was a synopsis or reference to the movie itself.
14. The Man With The Golden Arm (1955)
Bass turns the opening title sequence into a pivotal part of the movie experience. It may look out-dated by todays standards but before this(1955), they were a boring experience that projectionists often skipped over.
Here, they become an art form.The arty, impressionistic lines represent not only Frank Sinatras main talent, but also his addiction to heroin. Simple but beautiful.Restrained, gorgeous and accomplished, the credits easily set audiences up for the similarly polished drama that is to follow.
15. His list of title credit sequences include films such as,,,,
16. In addition to his work for Hollywood, Saul Bass has created the corporate image of numerous companies,
17. He had alarge involvement in Airline logos overhislifetime.
18. Between 1991 and 1996 Saul Bass also designed the posters for the Oscar Awards ceremony
19. Saul Bass died in 1996, in Los Angeles, leaving behind a flourishing design empire and a heritage which will continues to inspire creative designers and film-makers.
20. Saul Bass work influenced generations
of graphic designers to follow and transformed the pedestrian movie title sequence into an art form in itself.
21. Power Point slideshow design:
Barry Morey
Presentation:
Stephen Hickey
Research:
Barry Morey, Stephen Hickey
22. References/ Bibliography
http://www.digitalmediafx.com/Features/saulbass.html
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm?contentalias=saulbass
http://www.saulbass.net/articles/saulbass.html
http://www.thelooniverse.com/movies/west/saulbass/saulbass.html
http://www.learnaboutmovieposters.co
NewSite/INDEX/ARTISTS/bassbio.asp http://hitchcock.tv/people/bass.html