ART DIRECTION • VIDEOGRAPHY • EDITING
For my cinematography class at SCAD, I was tasked with remaking a film opening title for my final project. I chose David Fincher’s 2007 film Zodiac, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr., believing that its opening title could be further enhanced. Inspired by Fincher’s earlier film Se7en, particularly its use of flash frames and jump cuts, I wanted to bring a similar intensity to my remake while maintaining a distinct feel that aligned with Zodiac's tone. I wanted to ensure that my remake of Zodiac captured the essence of the film, while keeping the music and overall tone distinct from Se7en to better fit the atmosphere of Zodiac.
The original Zodiac opening missed an opportunity in not showing the Zodiac Killer writing his infamous letters to the newspapers, which are central to the film’s premise. For my remake, I made this a focal point by depicting the Zodiac Killer composing one of his letters to the San Francisco Chronicle, alongside other unsettling tasks. I chose Albert King’s 1967 blues classic Born Under a Bad Sign as the soundtrack, feeling its somber tone and astrological references were a perfect match for the film’s time period and eerie subject matter.
