Matt Lawrence - Dead Man Running // Main Titles

AP Design’s Matt Curtis asked Rushes to work with him to create the opening title sequence for ‘Dead Man Running’, a new feature with Curtis ‘50cent’ Jackson.

In a two pronged approach, the task was split into two parts: shot footage and graphical overlays. The live action shoot required physical effects in the form of fake blood splatters, created using a recipe consisting mainly of ink and hair gel. In true method actor style, we had to become gangsters ourselves scanning and printing a wedge of fake notes to use in a counting machine, to be spliced into the sequence.

The sequence involved laying elements and textures lifted from the various denominations of bank note onto the live action sequence to provide a subtle but effective graphical element to lift the footage and bed in the animated title cards.

Once the graphical elements were laid over, knocked back, colour graded, tracked on and generally manipulated in After Effects the end look was a simple, highly stylised opening sequence for the film with the large scans really picking out the nuances of the note’s textures and the animation hitting the highs and lows of the music.

Title: "Dead Man Running"
Product: Feature Film Titles
Director: Alek De Rakoff
Producer: Piki Fearon
Supervising Producer: Thomas Mattison
Production Company: AP Design / P&T Productions
Written By: Alex De Rakoff
Screenplay by: John Luton
Post Production Producer: Stephen Barker
Designer: Matt Curtis
Post Facility: MGFX Studio @ Rushes
Rushes Producer: Louise Hussey
Rushes Assistant Producer: Warwick Hewitt
Lead Animator & Compositor: Matt Lawrence
Photoshop: Matt Lawrence / Brad Le Riche
Editor: Alan Strachan

With special thanks to:
Claire Umbers @ Scan Coin Ltd.