Knives Out (2019), the critically acclaimed “whodunnit” film by writer and director Rian Johnson, brings a delightful twist to the classic murder mystery genre. Characterized by satirical humour, eccentric characters, and a heart-pounding storyline, the film is best described with the following keywords: charming, witty, dynamic, sardonic, and foreboding.

The title sequence is designed to capture these qualities through a minimalist yet impactful visual system. The system consists of flat graphics and a palette of three colours: black, off-white, and a pop of mustard yellow. The crude, “handmade” illustrative style, which draws inspiration from the motion works of Saul Bass, reflects the fast-paced, unpredictable charm of the film. All graphics were produced in Adobe Illustrator and animated in Adobe After Effects.

In her book, Design is Storytelling, Ellen Lupton emphasizes the importance of emotional journeys. Using symbolism as the primary narrative technique, this title sequence engages audiences through emotional storytelling. The frames depict key themes, events, and significant imagery from the film, using specific objects to represent characters and important scenes. In this regard, foreshadowing runs throughout the entire design. When assembling the sequence, I matched the pacing of the graphics with the lively soundtrack — it begins with a dramatic entrance, then builds into “rising action”, then finally concludes with a climactic finale. These narrative techniques ultimately drive the emotional impact of the title sequence, creating anticipation for the film to come.