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12 Years A Slave Original Opening Title Signed Artwork

Currency:USD Category:Memorabilia / Movie - Memorabilia Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:100.00 - 200.00 USD
12 Years A Slave Original Opening Title Signed Artwork
ew Good Men
12 Years A Slave Original Opening Title Signed Artwork A film is many times defined by its special logo design. Special fonts like "Star Wars", "Indiana Jones", and "Pirates of the Caribbean", are instantly recognizable by their iconic title lettering. Virtually all title designs are now created digitally. However for many years, "title cards" were created, and then photographed. Because they were rarely saved, and the process has not been used much in many years, they have become extremely rare and collectable. Last year, Award- Winning graphic designer Antony Buonomo (www.vertigo.co.uk) was asked by Film Editor Joe Walker to create special hand drawn title cards for the multi- Award Winning "12 Years A Slave", (including the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor, plus the Golden Globe for Best Picture, Actor and Supporting Actor). He was to present these variations on a theme to director Steve McQueen. While researching the story Buonomo found a scan of the original slave ship’s manifest that took Solomon Northup, the lead character (Chiwetel Ejiofor), down to Louisiana, and so decided to work with a design that was based on that original typography. He then combined that with the hand-written numeral (the iconic “12”), that evokes the scene in the film where Solomon uses juice from a berry to write a vital letter. Looking to emphasize the authenticity of the story, Steve McQueen and Buonomo were adamant that the final design should not be made digitally but rather completely by hand, using calligraphy and original antique rare metal type hand presses. Using these two design elements; calligraphy for the number, old-fashioned metal type for the wording, and printing onto rough old-processed paper, Buonomo created, by hand, many variations of the design. Of these many variations, McQueen selected his favorite. This chosen design was then filmed by the motion picture’s Director of Photography, Sean Bobbitt, using a special lens and only actual candle light to photograph it for the title sequence. This title and the iconic hand-written "12" quickly became an instantly recognizable and powerful symbol of not only the emotionally charged masterpiece, but of a reformation of the horrors of the dark days of American slavery. These are original designs personally designed and hand-written by Buonomo for the title, and selected by Buonomo to show the range of variations he crafted to come up with the now famous “12 Years A Slave” title and logo. These prints are therefore absolutely one-of-a-kind. There are seven on the special paper and one early original variation on artist paper. Antony Buonomo has signed all eight original motion picture prints. This rare collection also comes with a personal Letter of Provenience from Antony Buonomo. Original artwork is 17.5"x12.5".