Zodiac Main Title Design TRT :60 — AI-Assisted Title Sequence
I knew I wanted to build the sequence around a mystery. My first concept was a fictitious film called “Crossword,” but that felt a little too on the nose. My thinking drifted toward true crime, and Zodiac came to mind: coded messages, an unresolved mystery, and the possibility of a new chapter. What if someone returned under that identity—or a copycat emerged?
That premise gave me a direction. I knew the visual elements and atmosphere I wanted; this project gave me a chance to explore how AI could support my creative process and help me execute that vision.
I used ChatGPT to generate the newspaper imagery and other visual elements, then worked with Codex alongside Adobe After Effects to develop the motion graphics, animated titles, newspaper clippings, and transitions. Runway helped create the final San Francisco shot and the film-grain texture, which I layered into the sequence in Premiere Pro for a worn, archival feel. I used ElevenLabs solely for the female reporter’s voice heard at the end. The other voices came from original recordings released at the time.
I then brought the final render into Adobe Premiere Pro, where I built the sound design, incorporated the music and voices, and completed the final edit and mix. I also handled the color correction, added light leaks, shutter transitions, and a video transition.
I hope you enjoy it.
Tools: ChatGPT • Codex • After Effects • Runway • Premiere Pro • ElevenLabs
Title Design - REEL
My fascination with title design started while I was in college studying editing. That’s when I discovered Adobe After Effects, which immediately opened up another creative world for me. I had always loved great title sequences—from the iconic work of Saul Bass for Alfred Hitchcock to the darker, more modern sequences of films like Se7en. David Fincher continued to use memorable title sequences throughout many of his films, often using them to establish mood and pull you into the world of the story before it even really began. The best titles did more than put names on the screen—they helped establish the tone, gave you a sense of the world you were entering, and sometimes even foreshadowed what was about to happen.
I started incorporating title design into my student films, and that interest followed me to Hollywood. While assistant editing on a feature, I created a title treatment that was included in an edit screening. The filmmakers liked it enough that they ended up purchasing the design from me, which encouraged me to keep exploring that side of post-production.
At one point, I was even offered an assistant graphics position that could have taken me further down the title-design path. I had to decide whether I wanted to pursue motion design or stay focused on editing—the reason I went to film school in the first place. I chose editing, and I’m glad I did.
What I eventually realized is that the two disciplines don't have to be separate. Knowing After Effects and understanding title design has made me a stronger editor. I can develop titles, graphics, and motion treatments during the offline that aren't simply placeholders—they help establish tone, communicate the idea, and make the edit stronger.
Editing is still my first love, but title design has remained another creative tool I can bring to the storytelling process.