Brightest Young Things

There are few true originators in the land of Hollywood, but the iconic Kyle Cooper, designer of innovative titles for everything from Sherlock Holmes to Spiderman and Speed Racer to Se7en is the very definition. His breathtaking work has brought the first few minutes of a film back to the forefront of creativity after a long slumber, and made staying to the very end a newfound requirement. Not since Saul Bass has someone's work been so analyzed and enjoyed in this respect. As one of Fast Company's  "100 Most Creative People in Business," he transcends film and has become part of our creative fabric.

The Art Director's Club of Metropolitan Washington (full disclosure, I am the President of ADCMW this year) is bringing Mr. Cooper to DC to inspire and enthrall. I can't stress enough how amazing this should be. This is the man who raised a pile of black widows to star in the the title sequence for Spiderman after all! To be honest, his work is so intense that writing about it in order to get you excited seems like the wrong path. With that in mind, I will share some visual joys. Before that happens, here is a few important nuggets. This event WILL SELL OUT, so be sure to register in advance.

Register here (and you can see his full reel as well!)

Film Burn by Design: Kyle Cooper of Prologue Films
Tuesday February 23
Doors at 6:30pm
Penn Quarter Conference Center
(right on the metro at the US Navy Memorial)

All in attendance will get a program featuring an exclusive interview between Kyle and myself (including everything from his current pets to his typographical heroes) and I couldn't leave you without a little taste. So here is one of the questions:

JF: If you had the opportunity - what movie or TV show (at anytime in entertainment history) would you most like to do the titles for and why?

KC: I would do the titles for Chariots of Fire. The two characters, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams personify the two aspects of my character - which are constantly at war with each other inside my head. A close second would be Kenneth Branagh's “Henry V.” Much of my approach to leadership is taken from Henry V (the names Imaginary Forces and Prologue not withstanding) and I love the Character of King Harry because he inspires me to continue to grow. His past, not unlike my own, suggested that he was unprepared to lead, but he excelled in that capacity regardless. Restoration came as a flood. "You'll find a difference as we his subjects have in wonder found from the promise of his greener days to those he masters now".

This is where his career really took off and he never looked back:

See you Tuesday!