Diapositiva 1

PSYCHOPSYCHOPSYCHO PROJECT

Alfred HitchcockAlfred Hitchcock is an English film director and producer. He was born in England in 1899, when cinema was just invented and it wasnt as we know it nowadays. He died in 1980.After a successful career in British cinema in both, silent movies and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood in 1935 and became a U.S. citizen in 1955.

He is considered the master of suspense because he pioneered many cinematographic techniques in suspenseand psychological thriller genres. For example, he was the first film director using the camera as if it was the eyes of the spectator, forcing viewers to engage much more in the film and increasing tension. He was also a pioneer in the plots he developed.Suspense refers to keep the interest of the viewers, make the spectators take part in the film, draw their attention... It depends on the information that viewers receive. The director must decide what information gives and what doesnt and when to give it in order to keep the interest and tension.For example, a man taking a taxi doesnt create any suspense. However, if we know that he must be at the airport in 5 minutes because his lover is taking a flight or that he has to deactivate a bomb, then suspense is created.Some of his most famous films are: Rear Window (La ventana indiscreta, 1954), Dial M for a Murder (Crimen perfecto, 1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (Con la muerte en los talones, 1959), Psycho (Psicosis, 1960) and The Birds (Los Pjaros, 1963).

PsychoPsycho was based on a book inspired in a serial killer.It was a risk to film it because it was a very unusual plot at that time. It was unpredictable to know if it would be a success or a failure.The cinematographic studios (especially in Hollywood) were the producers and the distributors of the films. They were the owners of the movies and established the rules despite the directors. They controlled what directors made and showed in the movies. Despite the studio system Hitchcock achieved to be the author of his films (making the most important decisions in his movies).

By that time (1969), Hitchcock had a contract with Paramount studios. Hitchcock wanted to film Psycho, but Paramount rejected because it considered that the book it was based on was disgusting and it was impossible to adapt it for a movie. They thought it was going to be a failure and they denied the usual budget, so Hitchcock had to look for additional ways of financing it.Paramount established their rules: No nudes, no truculence, etc. (Censorship).Even so, Hitchcock managed to create a masterpiece of suspense, being able to create tension, psychological fear and horror, showing that not seeing and not knowing what you fear makes it more frightening.

THE PROJECT

You must create an illustration for the poster of Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho.First of all we are going to watch the film. Pay attention to: The scenes, shots and elements that you consider emblematic, specially frightening or that represent the soul of the film in order to use them later for your poster. The typography in the title sequence. Is there any relationship between the typography and the story? Maybe you want to use and design typography in your poster too. The elements Hitchcock uses to create suspense: What shows and doesnt, what tells us and what doesnt, camera positions (viewers eyes, etc.). The soundtrack.

The project: Create an illustration for the poster of Alfred Hitchcocks film Psycho.

The illustration has to represent the spirit of the story. You must choose colours according to symbology of colour, colour contrast and in order to draw viewers attention. You must apply the principles of composition that we have studied. Choose the appropriate support (vertical, horizontal, square, round). Create balance taking into account the size, placement, colour, texture and form of the shapes that you are using. Apply composition diagrams and composition rules. Use rhythm to create tension and movement. You must use a minimalist design. Minimalism is an art based on simplest shapes and few colours. Less is more is its motto. Minimalists try to show only the most important elements in order to focus on the content. They simplify shapes to the abstraction.Lets see some examples of minimalist posters.

Instructions:You can only use shapes (no lines). You must simplify the shapes that you use. You can only use three colors plus white (including the background). Environment must add tension to the scene. Start by drawing some sketches in a white sheet of paper. Try horizontal and vertical supports and the colours and shapes that you are going to use. The final illustration must be created using only pieces of colored paper, (no markers, crayons, etc.). You will have to draw the shapes on the colored papers, cut them out and glue them onto the support.Material: Scissors, glue stick, white sheets of paper, pencil, ruler and set squares. The size of the support will be half A4 colour card. (I will give them to you). Colour cards and colour papers for the different shapes. (I will give them to you).