In the post-apocalyptic world of I Am Legend, Will Smith is the last surviving human after a deadly virus decimates the population and nature reclaims its territory. Our team set out to create a title sequence that captures the eerie juxtaposition of abandoned buildings and the haunting beauty of nature. We also aimed to convey the rapid and uncontrollable spread of the virus, which can overtake a human cell in the blink of an eye. With stunning visuals and a sense of urgency, our title sequence invites viewers to enter this captivating and terrifying world.
The footage we captured for our project was all shot by us using a DSLR camera. To achieve the desired effect of the virus deteriorating over cells, we experimented with different setups using a macro lens until we found the perfect one.
Our final setup involved placing a raspberry stuffed with black gel, strawberry seeds, and cut-up blackberries between two clear sheets of acrylic. To light the setup from below, we used an iPhone with a bright green/white screen, which resulted in stunning footage. As we added more black gel, the red blood cells appeared increasingly infected.
Raspberry stuffed with black gel and cut up strawberries on a phone screen.
The berry is smushed between two acrylic panels.
Everything was recorded on a macro lens.
The results looked like blood cells.
For the title, we decided to create a stencil using Illustrator and printed it on thick black cardboard. We then added tape over the cutouts, which created a unique glow effect.
Blackboard with a stencil made in Illustrator.
It was then cut out.
The cut out.
A led light was added behind and moved around until the right look was found.