LEGEND. Directed by: Ridley Scott



I met Ridley Scott (later to be Sir Ridley in 2003) in 1985 when LEGEND was in post production here in the UK. 
Peter Govey was commissioned for titles and optical visual effects. I was commissioned by Peter to design the title 
layout and typography.
 Ridley Scott was very involved in pursuing a typographic style that for me as a graphic designer was more in line
 with print display typography. Scott has a depth and understanding in typography that was somewhat apart
 from other directors I had worked with.



After a few preliminary meetings we had our style - the result as much the art direction of Scott directing me the 
way he wanted to go. I would say at the time that the eventual title sequence was a synthesis of the three
 of us together.

I do remember viewing Peter's initial optical title tests on the Steenbeck with the director - the deep red with an
 optically created casing was luxurious - red and black. The Albertus typeface was to become a favourite and I used
 it again on future work in television and film. The end credits were at this time the longest I had produced. The film negative was nearly ten foot long 
and a foot wide. All photographed very, very slowly one frame at a time under a rostrum camera. The film has gone on to become a cult classic.

Animating screens
About a year later I worked on the Barclays bank commercial produced by RSA Films. This time I was designing
 graphics for Ridley Scott (although I did not meet him on this production). The commission for the work came from
 Kent Houston of Peerless who was producing the animated screens featured in the commercial. Kent briefed me 
on behalf of the director and we produced the animation at Peerless.



Above: animations produced under a Peerless rostrum camera showing 'screen readouts' featured in the commercial. 
Lots of negatives, coloured gell and a stiff back bent over a hot rostrum camera with the cameraman finally produced
 what is on screen - very briefly. The commercial is somewhat an echo of Blade Runner in its dystopian style.



Above: original 'pmt' print artwork masters - before animation.