Project

I'll be gone in the dark — Title Design 20-1

showing the creeping of danger with poetic lighting and shadows.

Info

The series explores one woman’s obsessive search into the world of the Golden State Killer, a predator who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s. Based on the book, “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” refers to the words he would say to his victims.

We created the title sequence that takes the viewer through a distinctively suburban neighborhood, shadow and light sweep through the frames, the audience begins to feel the sinister sense of being watched. The turning corners and light appears through a door ajar, we begin to question whose perspective we are seeing through the eyes of – a violent, unrelenting predator, or the mind of Michelle McNamara herself?

Role

CONCEPT DEVELOPING
Design
Motion

Client

creative director: karin fong designers/animators: merrill hall, henry chang designer: kathy liang editor: lexi gunvaldson design intern: ailis o’reilly, eryn hsu producer: rachael cohen production coordinator: jake kirk

↓ STYLEFRAMES

A few of the designs that I contributed. I was aiming to quickly sketch out simple scenes that not only show the characteristics of light, but also show the progression of the light creeping from the streets to the inside of suburban houses.

↓ EARLY STYLEFRAMES

My 1st round sketches for this project. Already you can see how the play of light and shadow was the priority in the designs even in the early stage.

BEHIND
THE
SCENES™
A Collection of project
insights.

Animating with lights and shadows, Yin and Yang.

Although the concept of light and shadow was always there throughout the process. It did start as more of a graphic visual style and then later evolved to a much more realistic look. The decision to shift was mainly due to the documentary nature of the film. So here in the BTS you can study how it evolved from one style to another.

↓ BEGINNING INSPIRATION

The initial direction I went for was heavily inspired by stylish light/shadow photography. Also leaned towards a more graphical look. I really liked how the lights and shadows naturally create lines that can be used as a device to communicate emotions. The relationship between white and black is a perfect device to form shapes and movements through the traveling light. Here are some of the references I was fond of.

↓ FINAL TONAL INSPIRATIONS

↓ EARLY ANIMATION R&D

Here is an earlier version of the edit done by Lexi Gunvaldson.

↓ EARLY BOARD-O-MATIC

This is a very early version of boardomatic. This shows the beginning stage of us trying to piece together our designs with ambient music to grasp the overall tone of the piece.

I work remotely and often travel between New York City and TAIPEI. Right now I'm currently in:

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