You probably know title designer Richard Morrison’s work for movies such as “Batman”, “Brazil”, “Enemy at the Gates”, and “Sweeney Todd”. Richard is one of the 9 interviewed title designers from the DVD “Forget the Film, Watch the Titles!” Movie Mikes had a chance to ask Richard a few quick questions about his work.
Mike Gencarelli: When you are working on a title design, what is your first process?
Richard Morrison: Scribble and doodle out my first impressions – fast
MG: Do you have a lot of influence from the film’s score when working on a title?
RM: No, because I start with no music.
MG: “Brazil” is one of my favorite films. Tell us about working with Terry Gilliams on this film?
RM: Terry has passion and is very engaging – as do I, so we all jump on the same ride
MG: You worked with Tim Burton on “Batman”, tell us about your collaboration?
RM: In short, it is the same as working with Terry, since we all share the same vision. I will be working with Tim again later this year on “Dark Shadows”.
MG: You have worked on two of my favorite horror films, “Hellraiser” & “Event Horizon”, tell us about working on these?
RM: Horror films, in general, my approach is to show less in visual terms and more in sound because the less you see, can be more disturbing than what you think you can see.
MG: The titles on “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” are just amazing, they blend so well with music, tell us about working on this film and your inspiration?
RM: I decided to set the narrative up as a metaphor for what was going to happen when Johnny Depp arrives back to London after his exile.
MG: I love the end credits of “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”, tell us about your process for creating them?
RM: In one word RUSH…with lots of late nights on the phone to Universal in LA.
MG: How do you feel working in your field has changed since you started in the late 70’s?
RM: From analog to digital is the same for me because my hard drive is in my head not in machines.
MG: What do you have planned next?
RM: Working on “Day of the Flowers” and then like I said “Dark Shadows” with Tim Burton”.
Click here to visit the website for “Forget The Film, Watch the Titles!”
