Game of Thrones

        The title sequence for Game of Thrones (Elastic) caught my attention, as it uses this opportunity to introduce the audience to the complex network of fictional realms and kingdoms in which the narrative takes place. The concept for a map was brought in after the pilot episode, when it was discovered that audiences had been confused as to where the story was set, but was initially used as a bookmark for when the location changed within the show. Eventually, however, the map became the title sequence, with 4 different variations created to cover the varying content of each episode.

      

        The complicated background to The Sunne in Splendour may require a similarly descriptive approach in a title sequence. Unless the audience was familiar with the Wars of the Roses, the intricate web of characters and family feuds which make up the narrative of the book would undoubtedly prove confusing. However, the title sequence should not be burdened with characterisation, but provide enough background information that the viewer is not lost. To avoid presenting a parade of characters within the map, Elastic does not include any figures within the 3D maps. Instead the main character groups are represented by their heraldic animals.

The show's characters are introduced through their heraldic animals.

       
        Another thing to note is that there is a lot of information conveyed in a short space of time; the camera pans through the cartographic landscape at a great pace, and the astrolabe (on which the animal symbols are seen) is seen only in brief snatches. However, as this sequence is for a series, and will be viewed multiple times, Angus Wall (Creative Director at Elastic) says that it was the intention for the viewer not to be able to absorb all the nuances that are shown at first, but for them to notice new details with each viewing. This would not be the case for a film title sequence, when the audience may only see it once.

        Despite the fact that the Game of Thrones title sequence uses comparatively modern 3D CG animation, the style of the map and the realms it shows roots it in the fictitious medieval time period. The sequence's art director, Rob Feng, referenced the designs of Leonardo Da Vinci, which reflect the 'technically unsophisticated' yet industrious world created by author George R. R. Martin. The use of a computer generated model allows it to feel like a physical object, made of wood and stone, and the sweeping camera movements, which encompass both extreme long shots and intimate close up as each Kingdom emerges from the landscape, further enhance the idea that the map is a living breathing place.

        It seems that the use of maps in adaptations of fantasy novels is becoming quite commonplace, perhaps due to the fact that they are such useful devices for introducing the uninitiated into the detailed worlds created by authors. Perhaps the most famous example is the map of Middle Earth from The Lord of the Rings films, which has been recently revived for The Hobbit, but is also mirrored in the sweeping aerial shots used in films such as Stardust, which establish the proximity between various locations and can demonstrate how long and arduous a journey between them would be in just a few seconds. Yet I have also noticed their use in various historical films, notably Luc Besson's Joan of Arc and the 2011 adaptation of The Three Musketeers, which use the maps to quickly and clearly demonstrate historical conflicts and the positions of opposing armies and characters.

        While I don't have the knowledge or ability to create as dynamic a 3D CG animation for my title sequence, what I can  bear in mind during my own project is how the creators at Elastic used their allotted time to inform and educate their viewers. The titles had a purpose aside from entertainment, which may be important to remember.