Short of the Week: Saul Bass investigates human creativity
Although the names of directors and actors inevitably dominate the discourse surrounding film history, graphic design has also been a huge contributor to the evolution of the cinematic medium. When it comes to the history of design in Hollywood, Saul Bass will always be remembered as one of its most significant pioneers. Having collaborated with an impressively wide range of directors – from Alfred Hitchcock to Martin Scorsese, Bass’ influence is omnipresent.
Widely known for his innovative approach to the design of title sequences, Bass developed a reputation in the industry after working on The Man With the Golden Gun. Including Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus, Bass’ intuitive eye for design played a critical role in the production of many great masterpieces over the years. It was his experience in design that also inspired him to make cinematic projects of his own.
During a conversation about his career, Bass opened up about his beginnings in the industry. He said (via Medium): “I began as a graphic designer. As part of my work, I created film symbols for ad campaigns. I happened to be working on the symbols for Otto Preminger’s Carmen Jones and The Man With The Golden Arm, and at some point, Otto and I just looked at each other and said, ‘Why not make it move?’ It was as simple as that.”
Bass added: “My work on titles was a marvellous opportunity to learn about filmmaking. I think I touched on just about every aspect of the process, both creative and technical. And I worked with many wonderful people. But there are always new challenges — new mountains to climb. I’ve since directed interior sequences for features, short films, commercials, a feature film. But it’s all film, and film is wonderful. I’m a filmmaker, and I intend to continue making films of all kinds, in any manner, shape, or form — short or long.”
One of the most interesting projects helmed by Bass was the 1968 short documentary Why Man Creates, featuring a fascinating breakdown of the history of human civilisation. Sporting a satirical undercurrent, Bass starts with the invention of hunting tools and the wheel while charting the unimaginable progress that our species has made. It attempts to understand the concept of human creativity, a subject so abstract that it’s almost impossible to find objective statements about it.
Human creativity occupied Bass’ mind during the mid-1950s, after attending a conference where it was discussed extensively. It ultimately resulted in Why Man Creates, a funny episodic piece about the power of creation as well as its inevitable association with excess and destruction. It’s a commendable short that demonstrates Bass’ formidable command over visual art, which inevitably helped it win an Oscar for ‘Best Documentary Short Subject’.
Watch the film below.
