top of page

201129173 | Moving Image PROJECT | COMM3801

Untitled design (21).png

SCORPIUS

Final Project Video:

Untitled design (21).png

Introduction to Project:

Welcome to my blog, which will demonstrate the making of my final year Moving Image dissertation project, entitled Scorpius. My project aim is to create an animated opening title sequence for a new Bond film, but atypically, I am portraying the role of James Bond as a female lead.

​

I chose to animate the title sequence by keeping a similar style to the previous Bond films, however, whilst picking this project, I did not realise how challenging it would be to create ideas and maintain styles throughout. This difficulty with being creative is portrayed well by Meyer & Meyer, who state, “After Effects can be thought of as a blank canvas – a canvas that comes with hundreds of brushes and tools to create images with. The problem with too many tools is that it can be hard to know where to start” (2010, p.2), although I knew that research on the Bond franchise would help with this challenge.

​

I wanted to challenge myself with this project, as I know that strong knowledge of animation will be necessary for my graduate role and my future career in the film/creative industry. The word ‘animation’ derives “from the Latin verb, animare, which means ‘to give life to’, and within the context of the animated film, this largely means the artificial creation of the illusion of movement in inanimate lines and forms” (Wells, 1998, p.10). Therefore, I aim to create a clear, strong, and enticing professional-looking title sequence to give life to the female Bond story of Scorpius, as “the one enduring element that renders every movie unmistakably a James Bond movie are those sumptuous, spectacular, exhilarating and unashamedly overblown openers [which] all share the ability to place an audience immediately on Planet Bond” (Brown, 2017, p.3).

​

After studying the Bond film, Skyfall (2012), directed by Sam Mendes, at A-level, I have since been drawn to the title sequences in the Bond film series. I thought that animating a whole 3 and a half minute sequence of this for my final project would be fun as I enjoy the action genre in films, and also believe that because Bond films have such a high production value, trying to create something by myself that could look as if it were actually from a Bond film, would help me gain lots of new skills on After Effects to help me in a graduate role after University.

​

The James Bond “film’s opening title sequences are a fundamental aspect of the beginning of Bond films” (Brown, 2017, p.19), and they are not just famous for the animation skill, but also the popular songs which accompany them, the typical mise-en-scene, such as dancing Bond girls, guns, weapons, blood, fire, and of course, casino scenery, and also, the sneak peak of the film’s narrative from these few minutes of credits. This popularity of the title sequences for each Bond film is reiterated by Brown, who explains that the “Bond audiences expect a dramatic, yet familiar, opening credit sequence that functions as a transition into the film’s narrative” (2017, p.20), meaning that this initial sequence builds suspense for the audience, drawing them into the narrative already, and hopefully fulfilling some audience expectations too.

​

My choice to produce a title sequence with a female actress as the 007 spy was mainly down to the commonly associated misogynistic and stereotypical roles that women play in the Bond franchise. The Bond films clearly portray “the Bond girl [as] an erotic accessory for Bond. If Bond is the man every male viewer wants to be, then the Bond Girl is the women every male viewer wants to bed” (Brown, 2011, p.3). This needs to change, as this development of the female representation in this franchise is incredibly outdated, which is why I have chosen to adapt the Scorpius story to star a female Bond.

​

During research about the possibility of a female James Bond, I discovered the feminist author, Pryce, who explains how:

Untitled design (20).png
Untitled design (20).png

“During 2019, news came that the next 007 will be a woman – but Daniel Craig is still to appear as James Bond, with the black British actress Lashana Lynch inheriting no more than a codename. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, brought in to liven up the new film’s script, has sparked controversy in her seeming defence of James Bond’s misogynistic behaviour as run of the mill stuff, saying:

​

“There’s been a lot of talk about whether or not [the Bond franchise] is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women … I think that’s absolute bollocks. I think he’s absolutely relevant now. It has just got to grow. It has just got to evolve, and the important thing is that the film treats the women properly. He doesn’t have to. He needs to be true to his character.”” (Pryce, 2019, p.196)

Ironically, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s statement goes against her typical role as feminist in the TV and film industry, and shows that “with very few films available which provide a strong female character to identify with, women have learned to masochistically enjoy seeing women ridiculed on film” (Smith, 1972, p.16). This shows how the more media women consume, “the more traditional are their attitudes and aspirations” (Tuchman, 1979, p.539), meaning that more female role models are needed in the Hollywood.

​

However, Waller-Bridge’s statement goes against many scholars’ beliefs, even Pryce’s, that “the media offer a deleterious portrait of women because few women hold positions of responsibility within the media” (Tuchman, 1979, p.534). Phoebe Waller-Bridge was given a huge opportunity to present women as equal to men, but she failed to make an impact with her feminist beliefs within the new Bond film. Although, perhaps if she wasn’t only a co-writer, along with three male writers, there would have been a better female representation, as “if women can’t earn as much or control the processes of production and creative decision-making, then their role in the industry remains subservient” (Pryce, 2019, p.199).

​

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s statement also shows that:

“There might be an argument post-#MeToo that James Bond’s misogyny is not remotely outdated, and perfectly in keeping with our times – but does this mean we need to keep making room for such characters? And how will a Bond film manage to ‘treat women properly’ while continuing to shine a heroic, glamorous light on a protagonist who doesn’t? Maybe it’s about time to have heroes who treat all people with respect” (Pryce, 2019, p.196).

And this is my aim during this project.

Untitled design (20).png
Untitled design (20).png
Untitled design (22).png

Introduction to the Bond Franchise:

2.png
Untitled design (22).png

As my project is based around the Bond franchise, “the most successful film franchise ever” (Quay, 2016, p.48), I decided to complete research based around the history of the franchise, the production of Bond films, and more specifically, the mise-en-scene related to the film series, the production of the title sequences, the history of the Bond character, and his original creator.

​

The Bond films are originally based off the popular spy novels by Ian Fleming, who “had always wanted his James Bond novels to be filmed. He understood that commercially more books were sold as a result of films being made from them – cinema reached larger audiences than libraries” (Chowdhury & Field, 2015, no pagination), and of course, he himself became more popular because of this. It has also often been thought that Ian Fleming based his character off himself; “Regardless of a particular woman’s sexual preferences, evidence suggests that Fleming did not hold the women with whom he engaged in sexual relations in high regard” (Caplen, 2010, p.33). However, “ultimately, when it comes to the ideology of Bond movies, the bottom line [was] always profit” (Quay. 2016. p.53) for Fleming, and this has continued to this day for the modern filmmakers of the franchise.

​

After Fleming’s death, Bond’s legacy was sustained by a number of other authors who continued to write stories about the well-known, fictional, British spy, including Scorpius, which was actually a book written by John Gardner. Furthermore, of course, the films have continued, with “twenty-four films span more than half a century on our cinema screens” (Quay. 2016. p.48), and I’m certain they will continue for years to come. The films started being produced in 1962, with the release of Dr. No. This movie started off the franchise “with its winning formula of danger, beautiful ‘Bond Girls’, exotic travel and inventive gadgetry, initiated the most-profitable and longest-running film series in history” (Quay. 2016. p.50).

​

Multiple actors over the years have played the character of James Bond, “from the original Sean Connery (1962-1971, with a final reprise in 1983), to the wonderful Daniel Craig (2006-2015)” (Grahame, 2016, p.56). But James Bond’s character stays continuously as “a British icon. The Bond film franchise is known worldwide for the fast cars, the action, the villains and of course, the romances. The character of Bond, himself, is central to the success of the films, and is inseparable from the actors playing him at different times” (Grahame, 2016, p.56). This shows how the role of Bond is cast based a lot on conventional attractiveness in society to hold the status he owns over both women and men in the audience.

Untitled design (22).png
3.png
Untitled design (22).png

Mise-En-Scene & Britishness

Untitled design (21).png
DSC02717.JPG

These memorable title sequences utilise “stunning visuals coupled with an equally stunning theme song, [making] Bond film title sequences [their] own subgenre. Always extravagant, filled with abstract visuals, colours, and dancing women, no Bond film seems complete without its opening credit sequence” (Brown, 2017, p.1). However, one of the main mise-en-scene themes in the Bond title sequences and films includes the use of Britishness.

​

A lot of the secondary research I came across persisted the idea that “since the 1950s no fictional character has embodied Britishness to the same degree as James Bond” (McMillan, 2012, p.1). It’s interesting to analyse the history behind why Bond became such a popular British ideal, especially as the majority of films are not solely based in the UK, but appeal to international audiences because of the international locations used.

​

Scholars believe that “no character symbolises Britain and British identity more than Bond” (McMillan. 2012. p.1), proved through the British culture presented strongly in the franchise, even today. Skyfall is perhaps one of the most patriotic films in the franchise, as “the royal and Olympic events undoubtedly influenced the film's success, allowing it to become the highest grossing British movie ever and the first of the Bond franchise to win a Bafta” (McMillan, 2012, p.2), although as well as its great distribution timing, it is an outstanding film, and should be, for the huge budget it consumed.

​

The film Skyfall is particularly patriotic, as “in 2012 the franchise celebrated its fiftieth birthday, sharing its anniversary with the Queen's Jubilee. This is a poignant coincidence given that Bond has spent the last 50 years despatching villains and seducing women in the defence of queen and country” (McMillan, 2012, p.2). The film features a huge amount of British mise-en-scene, such as “iconic British locations, institutions, brands and symbols: the London Underground, Westminster, Whitehall, Range Rover, Aston Martin and the indomitable British bulldog” (McMillan, 2012, p.3). These symbols of Britain reinforce Bond’s role as a country-saving hero, and the bulldog in particular, represents “the dogged determination of British people” (Quay, 2016, p.53), and even the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, was associated with the bulldog during his efforts in WWII.

​

Other Bond films used similar distribution tactics to Skyfall to appeal to the British audience. Casino Royale, the first Bond novel, “shared its birthday (1953) with the Coronation of that other paragon of Britishness, Elizabeth II” (McMillan, 2012, p.2), during Britain’s “post-war decline and loss of Empire” (McMillan, 2012, p.2). This obvious portrayal of Britishness conveys how “Bond, particularly in the early novels and films, can be interpreted as a reassertion of Englishness or Britishness in a world where Britain was suddenly losing its empire and struggling to find a new role” (Quay, 2016, p.50). Understanding the context in which Britain is in the foreground of this franchise is essential to show why Bond is such a popular British icon in contemporary society.

​

London often features as one of the main settings of Bond films, as this is where HQ resides, and also to reinforce the patriarchal elements of Bond, such as “the red double-decker buses in Octopussy (1983) and the mounted horse guard in A View to a Kill (1985)” (McMillan. 2012. p.3). The Union flag is also a reused mise-en-scene throughout the Bond movies, “most famously in the parachute stunt in The Spy Who Loved Me and also in the title sequence for On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)” (McMillan. 2012. p.3). Therefore, as the Union Jack is such a prevalent symbol in these title sequences to the British audience and reminder of the birth location of the Bond franchise, I aim to utilise this imagery in my own animation.

​

bulldog_skyfall_dench.jpg
Untitled design (21).png

The Importance of Title Sequences:

Spectre 2.png
Spectre 1.png

Bond films are known for their incredible animated title sequences. However, most “title sequences are an often-overlooked part of films, often ignored because they can be quite boring if simply text” (Brown, 2017, p.4), which is why I admire the creativeness of the Bond franchise's openings. The Bond opening sequences in particular are special because they “follow an in medias res pattern” (Brown, 2017, p.3), which means that the films start “with an action-packed sequence featuring Bond in a perilous situation, offering little context as to how Bond ended up in the situation” (Brown, 2017, p.4), transitioning swiftly into the opening credit sequence once this situation has been resolved. The start of the title sequences for Skyfall (right) and Spectre (left), convey the smooth transition from in media res as Bond completes his first mission, to the animated title sequence.

​

Even more clever, is the reason for the title sequence placed roughly fifteen minutes into the film. This is so that the “title sequence can act as the boundary that allows for the audience to prepare for the story and transition from their reality to that of the film’s diegesis” (Brown, 2017, p.4). This is because the Bond title sequences “play a critical role in the overall narrative” (Brown, 2017, p.5), as they “notify the audience of key plot elements through a mixture of mise-en-scene and rhetorical devices” (Brown, 2017, p.5). This means that not only are the title sequences a significant part of this high concept film franchise, but they are necessary to show the audience the previews of what the film could entail in order to peak their excitement and intrigue.

​

The importance of the Bond title sequences to the franchise emphasise my desire and excitement to create an animation for the 'next' Bond film for my dissertation project. I aim to add a short 'in media res' section at the start to transition smoothly into the title sequence, and subtly give context of the film's characters and narrative to the audience throughout.

​

​

​

​

​

​

Skyfall 1.png
Spectre 3.png
Spectre 4.png
Spectre 6.png
Spectre 5.png

Feminism & Bond:

There has been a huge amount of criticism to the Bond films over time for their lack of portraying female characters as anything more than a primary function “to be fetishized by the camera” (Brown, 2011, p.8). Even though women are a prevalent part of the Bond franchise, staring as Bond Girls, M, and Miss Moneypenny, “the female body is on display and is made pleasurable for the approval of the male surveyor” (Stacey, 1994, p.8), and of course, does not portray women as capable, strong, or anything but objects.

​

Even in the title sequences, “women’s curvaceous bodies highlight traditional conceptions of beauty and femininity and permit the audience to see more skin, thereby highlighting titillation and tease” (Caplen, 2010, p.354). These opening sequences have “become more sexually charged over the course of time, particularly during the Post-Feminist Bond Woman Era. This trend suggests that the franchise utilises the title sequence to balance the portrayal of increasingly assertive and independent female characters that appear throughout the film while preserving the Bondian formula without having to resort to undermining the characters” (Caplen, 2010, p.354). The images of women from the Spectre title sequence (on the left) convey Caplen's point very clearly. The women are all naked, with the use of mirrored long shots to emphasise their beauty and sexualised bodies. The use of silhouettes teases the male audience, as they cannot view the whole naked woman, but only the outline, leading them to believe that the film will incur some objectification later on. However, the women in Spectre are all fairly active, rather than in earlier Bond films, where they will be used purely for male satisfaction and the damsel in distress stereotype.

​

Similarly, in the Skyfall title sequence (on the right), women are mirrored in silhouettes, but utilising close-ups to cover the top of the women's breasts, again to tease the male audience and entice them to continue viewing the movie. The seductive look back over the shoulder with direct eye contact to the audience in Naomie Harris' introduction continues the seductive visuals to tease the male audience and hint at further sexualisation throughout the film. Her introduction in the nude also positions her character from the start as purely a sexual interest for Bond, even though she is atypically a very physically active agent within the film. The sexual dance moves used in many title sequences for the women throughout the years convey how women in Bond do not have any role except to please the male audience with their sexuality and presence of their body. These dances are exaggerated by the use of slow motion, which again, teases the audience and leaves them wanting more. Therefore, with my female Bond character, I aim to portray an equal gender representation in order to reconsider the sexualised active women in the franchise.

​

Of course, it is not only Bond films that use women as both an “erotic object for the characters within the screen story, and as erotic object for the spectator within the auditorium” (Mulvey, 1999, p.838). This occurs in most media, although this sexism is slowly getting better in most cultures. Shaw believes that “over its 50-year history, the films have shifted from portraying Bond Girls as damsels in distress and sexualised objects to strong and independent women” (2015, p.176). However, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that men and women are portrayed equally in the Bond franchise, even in the most recent films.

​

In an analysis of films completed by Criado-Perez, she found that “men don’t just have more roles, they also spend twice as much time on screen – this rises to nearly three times as much when, as most films do, the film has a male lead” (2019, p.10). She also noted that “men also get more lines, speaking twice as much as women overall; three times as much in films with male leads; and almost twice as much in films with male and female co-leads” (Criado-Perez, 2019, p.10). This is sexism presented in the film industry, and conveys strongly how in most movies, contemporary and older, including Bond movies, “patriarchal and heterosexist conventions that persist in popular culture and continue to undermine the validity of heroic femininity” (Brown, 2011, p.8). This undermining is also conveyed through Bond’s interaction with women in all the films; “while some of them are named, others are not, which puts them into a position of being anonymous objects of desire” (Wagner, 2015, p.153), and undermines any positive representations of their gender.

​

This undermining of women in films is examined by Mulvey; “In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female” (1999, p.837). Even when women represented in action films, they rarely possess the abilities to be physically successful in their role, and end up “in their traditional exhibitionist role” (Mulvey, 1999, p.837), where they are “coded for strong visual and erotic impact” (Mulvey, 1999, p.837). Therefore, in the Bond films, men are active, and women stand on the by-lines, to look appealing to the character and the audience.

​

Another use of this female role in movies consists of “the mating games she plays with the male characters” (Smith, 1972, p.14), in order to entice and attract them, creating erotic tension for the audience. Overall, it is obvious to see that in films, “when a female’s body is the focus of attention the action is aimed at male viewers” (Smith, 1972, p.17). Therefore, by creating a female Bond in my animation, I will be able to avert the typical male audience expectations of appealing women, and give girls an actively successful role model to look up to.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Skyfall 3.png
Skyfall 2.png
Skyfall 4.png

Bond Research & Conclusions:

1.png
2.png

In my research analysis on the previous Bond title sequences, I have come to some conclusions about what I will include in my final moving image project for the title sequence of the Bond film, Scorpius. Above, you will see my main inspirations for visuals.

​

Nearly all of the previous Bond franchise title sequences I analysed used “computer created graphics, with only minor instances of camera-based images” (Brown, 2017, p.8), including use of green screen to introduce the movies characters. The title sequences often use mise-en-scene based off key words in the opening song, movie, or theme of the book, adding to the narrative of the credit sequence, and anticipating the plot of the film. This use of specific Bond-related mise-en-scene is due to “the narrative [driving] the needs of the film, meaning that every Bond film’s opening credit sequence may in fact play a different role” (Brown, 2017, p.20). This may “involve being a part of the film’s overall narrative or it may involve being an abstract series of images to maintain the tradition of interesting Bond opening sequences” (Brown, 2017, p.20).

​

My favourite two title sequences include Skyfall and Spectre. This is because technical quality has improved since the more dated films, and these sequences really come to life with the use of 3D, particle effects, and green screen. However, creating my own title sequence which keeps up with these technology-oriented openings will be challenging, especially due to the pandemic, meaning less access to needed equipment and help from staff. In these films, I also like the use of the “hybrid of live-action and computed animated graphics” (Brown, 2017, p.7), and hope to utilise this method within my own project through the use of green screen, to show the film’s characters in realism.

​

Analysing these previous title sequences thoroughly was challenging, and although I managed to pick out certain motifs, techniques, styles, and mise-en-scene features, the “sequences are incredibly complex visually, making it difficult to note and examine each individual visual element of each sequence” (Brown, 2017, p.7-8). As well as the visually complex aspect, aided by the use of fast-paced editing, these opening sequences rely on their own narrative, meaning that images and scenes from the actual film are not used in the titles, and all the visuals are created separately, meaning a lot of hard work is coming my way.

Untitled design (21).png

Setting Up My Project & Music:

I set up my Scorpius project on After Effects, creating a composition of 3 minutes 30 seconds in length to fit with the timing of the music for the project. I will be using the song Holy Grail, by Jay Z and Justin Timberlake, however, I am purely using Justin Timberlake’s versus as his segments are closer to the style of the music used in previous Bond films, and his lyrics fit with the atmosphere I am trying to create with the Scorpius narrative. More specifically, I chose this song because of the dark tone of music and unsettling lyrics.

​

The usual audio for the title sequence “represents the sound of Bond himself, and is a crucial tool in promoting his particular brand of masculinity” (Haworth, 2015, p.158). However, even though I am using a female Bond to promote femininity in Hollywood, music is still “a core component of any James Bond film” (Haworth, 2015, p.157), and needs to be fairly familiar for the audience, as this music is used as “a vital tool for synergic marketing and cross-promotion” (Haworth, 2015, p.157).  The music, therefore, is a strong signifier of the Bond character and franchise.

​

I used Premiere Pro to cut the music together. Using Premiere rather than After Effects as the audio transitions are a huge amount easier to use, meaning I can connect the exact verses and choruses I want together to make Justin Timberlake’s parts sound like a song in their own. After perfecting the constant gain transitions, connecting the separate pieces of track together, I exported the audio and placed this on my timeline in the After Effects project.

​

From past experience of editing films and motion graphics projects, placing the main audio track in first before starting any animation means that I can use cut-to-the-beat editing techniques to enhance the atmosphere of the final piece.

Next Steps:

Over the past couple of weeks, I have created a rough storyboard of the elements and narrative of the title sequence. I have also been practising on After Effects, reminding myself of certain techniques, such as keying, particle effects, trim paths, and creating 3D shapes in a project. This practice will aid me when perfecting my animated title sequence, hopefully making it look well thought out through use of these techniques in transitions and elements of the narrative.

​

Completing the first rough draft of my title sequence took a very long time, and a lot of hard work, but I felt relieved to have finished a 3-and-a-half-minute sequence, if it not all of it was perfect, or going to be used in the final project.

​

I realise that my first draft does not look as I would have hoped, and there is some definite room for improvement in order for it to look like it could belong to a professional, contemporary Bond film. However, getting my main ideas and elements I wanted to include into After Effects, even if they are rough and not tidy, means that it will be less of a challenge to change and develop to look how I need it to look in the final project version.

Untitled design (21).png

Midway feedback – Feb 2021:

After sending the first draft of my animation to my dissertation tutor, I received a lot of very useful feedback to help me develop my project and make it look more professional by utilising key skills suc as simplicity and continuity of style.

​

My main tips to improve included the following:

​

  • Make it obvious that it is a female Bond

  • More research into the book Scorpius

  • Work in sections – set up a timeline, layer in new compositions

  • Use images and videos from Pexels and free/uncopyrighted platforms

  • Continuity of style

  • Skull imagery and the bubbles look good

  • Avoid particle effects

  • Include elements of the narrative from the book

  • Use masks and masks within masks

  • Use characters from the book/narrative

  • Clean transitions between scenes and images

  • Inspo – use: True Detective, Dexter, Six Feet Under title sequences

  • Digital Kitchen

  • SIMPLICITY

Untitled design (21).png
Untitled design (21).png
Untitled design (21).png

Closing Feedback – March 2021:

Since the last set of feedback, I have worked on continuity, simplicity, and the greenscreen part of my project a lot to get it looking more professional and more in the style of the typical Bond title sequences. I have utilised the free images and videos from Pexels in my project, as of course, filming during Covid is impossible due to not being able to access equipment and actors. Therefore, the suggestion of using uncopyrighted content was perfect for my project, and has made my animation look a lot cleaner.

​

I also practiced using masks within my project, utilising the green screen footage I filmed. The footage was challenging to edit as I didn’t have access to a green screen, and had to use my knowledge and skills of Adobe to make this look acceptable within the title sequence.

​

In this final feedback on my project, the module leader picked out four key points for me to work on. These were the following:

​

  • Use matte chokers for green screen neatness

  • Fit to pace of music

  • Develop rain

  • Better transitions/ blend shots together

Untitled design (21).png

Reflections of Project Outcome:

Overall, I am very pleased with my project development. I was worried whilst mid-way through the animation process that my final outcome would not look clean and professional, however, I put a lot of effort into making it so, and therefore, the final project is good.

​

If I were to create a similar project again, I would hopefully have access to an actual green screen and proper camera equipment so that this looked better in the final outcome, and was easier and quicker to edit. I would also plan my project better, creating a more accurate, drawn-out storyline, so I knew that my ideas would work with the timings of the project and music.

​

I would also practise certain elements of animation more, as this would have helped make my project look tighter from the start of the production process, and I would have had to spend less time editing certain scenes towards the end of the development. It would also have saved me a huge amount of time if I were able to use the computers within the University, as it took hours to export my animation every time I needed to view it. However, due to the pandemic, I understand that this was not an option.

​

I now know that it is vital to double check that my project and assets are all backed up after every edit, as this was a huge problem the week before my project was due as my external hard drive became corrupt and I lost the final version of my project. This meant that I had to spend a lot of time in the last week re-editing my green screen videos drawing illustrations again, and also editing.

​

On a positive note, I carried out enough research into the Bond franchise, which helped immensely with my animation's narrative, characters, mise-en-scene, colour scheme, and themes, including Britishness, gender equality, and Bond visuals. I also learnt how to utilise chokers, masks, and different transition techniques to make animations run smoothly.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

There is a great (free) student Adobe competition which are taking practical final year projects. The deadline is at the end of May 2021, and I am planning on entering this with my Scorpius project.

​

I also plan to utilise my developed animation skills in my future Marketing career for content creation to stand out from business competitors. My graduate role is in Marketing for a Private Equity Executive Search firm, and I feel that bringing this unique skill to the role can aid the company in gaining clients and candidates, as well as internal talent acquisition.

​

Making this project was challenging at times, but overall, I enjoyed expanding my skills with After Effects, and learning a lot more about the Bond franchise, feminism, and precision and simplicity within animation. I hope in the future I can learn more about techniques on After Effects that will aid the professionalism of my work, and will therefore be able to animate for more corporate clients. The more I use After Effects, the stronger my skills will get, so in this case, practise makes perfect, and continuing to use the software will develop current techniques, and I will also learn how to use more effects in order to aid my future work.

My Future Aims:

Bond green 1.png
Bond london 1.png
Bond fem 2.png
Bond london 2.png
Bond fem 1.png
Bond in media 1.png
Bond masks 1.png
Bond london 3.png

Below are the parts of my project I am most proud of in relation to representing the Bond franchise.

​

On the right, I have used the theme of Britishness, such as the Union Jack flag and a time-lapse of London, to appeal to the British audience and to maintain the original conception of Bond within the UK.

​

To the left, this is a screenshot from the start of my project, which is my supposed short 'in media res' transition into the titles.

​

Below that image, are the typical Bond title sequences looking through the barrel of a gun to introduce Bond, and in my case, that Bond is a woman. I use centre frame positioning and these typical visuals to exaggerate that I am not using a typical male Bond actor.

​

Directly below this text is some green screen editing that I am proud of, and use of masks of videos within images, which is a skill I have thoroughly developed throughout this project.

​

1.png

  1. ​Brinkmann, R. 2008. The Art and Science of Digital Compositing. Massachusetts: Elsevier. 2nd ed.

  2. Brown, J. A. 2011. Dangerous Curves: Action Heroines, Gender, Fetishism, and Popular Culture. Mississippi: The University Press of Mississippi. 1st ed.

  3. Brown, K. 2017. ‘The Start of Bond: Narrative Analysis of Opening Credit Sequences in Four Bond Films’. Communication Studies Graduate Publications and Presentations. 1st ed.

  4. Caplen, R. A. 2010. Shaken & Stirred: The Feminism of James Bond. New York: Xlibris. 1st ed.

  5. Chowdhury, A. and Field, M. 2015. Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films. Gloucestershire: The History Press. 1st ed.

  6. Christiansen, M., 2013. Adobe After Effects CC Visual Effects and Compositing Studio Techniques. Adobe Press.

  7. Criado-Perez, C. 2019. Invisible Women. London: Chatto & Windus. 1st ed.

  8. Gardner, J. 1988. Scorpius. London: Hodder & Stoughton. 1st ed.

  9. Grahame, J. 2016. How to Fly Like Bond. MediaMagazine. (58). P.56-59.

  10. Haworth, C. 2015. ‘Pussy Galore: Women and Music in Goldfinger’. For His Eyes Only: The Women of James Bond. New York: Columbia University Press. 1st ed.

  11. McMillan, C. 2012. “Broken Bond: Skyfall and the British Identity Crisis”. Journal of British Cinema and Television. Vol 5 (1).

  12. Meyer, T. and Meyer, C. 2010. Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects. Oxford: Elsevler Inc. Vol 5.

  13. Mulvey, Laura. 1999. ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’. Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. New York: Oxford UP. Pp. 833-44.

  14. Pexels. 2021. The best free stock photos & videos shared by talented creators. [Accessed from March 2021 - May 2021]. Available at: https://www.pexels.com/

  15. Pryce, V. 2019. Women Vs Capitalism. C. Hurst & Co. (Publishers) Ltd. London. 1st ed.

  16. Quay, S. 2016. Reading James Bond Movies in the 21st Century. MediaMagazine. (57). P.48-53.

  17. Shaw, K. 2015. ‘The Politics Representation: Disciplining and Domesticating Miss Moneypenny in Skyfall’. For His Eyes Only: The Women of James Bond. New York: Columbia University Press. 1st ed.

  18. Skyfall. 2012. [Film]. Dir: Sam Mendes. UK/USA: Eon Productions.

  19. Smith, S. 1972. ‘The Image of Women in Film: Some Suggestions for Future Research’. Women and Film. Vol 1. Pp. 13-21.

  20. Spectre. 2015. [Film]. Dir: Sam Mendes. UK/USA: Eon Productions.

  21. Stacey, J. 1994. Star Gazing: Hollywood Cinema and Female Spectatorship. New York: Routledge. 1st ed.

  22. Thornham, S. 1999. Feminist Film Theory: A Reader. NYU Press. 1st ed.

  23. Tuchman, G. 1979. ‘Women’s Depiction by the Mass Media’. Signs. The University of Chicago Press. Vol 4 (3). Pp. 528-542.

  24. Wells, P. 1998. Understanding Animation. London: Routledge. 1st ed.

  25. Z, J., & Timberlake, J. 2013. 'Holy Grail'. Magna Carta Holy Grail. [Song]. New York: The-Dream.

bottom of page