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Requesting details on opening titles for recreation

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Hello,

I'm trying to get as much details on the opening titles, starting with "A long time ago" and extending through the end of the crawl. I need to recreate this sequence for a fanfilm project, and I want to make it as match exactly with the original.

So, my basic needs are the fonts and color forumulas used for the "A long time ago" and the crawl. It appears to me that there are different colors used for the OT and the PT... but I'd like to get as much info as possible on this if anyone knows the true colors used.

Also, I'm looking for the best way to recreate the crawl. So far, I'm not pleased with the results AE 6.5 Pro yields, and I'm thinking of trying it in 3dsmax. Does anyone know the best way to recreate the crawl? Also, do we know any details about the crawl? What is the angle? What speed does the text crawl at? etc.

The more information I can get, the better. And, if anyone knows the exact fonts used, and where I could get them for free (using them for non-profit project)?

Thanks,
Sledgeweb
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This link should have all the info you need to replicate the opening crawl in Adobe After Effects. It also has info regarding font, size, color, etc...


Opening Crawl Tutorial

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Unfortunately, that site doesn't give the real fonts and I doubt the real color information as well. I'm also not pleased with the results of the AE tutorial. I had already found that site before I made my first post, perhaps I should have mentioned that. I'm looking for the true details, not a close approximation.

For example, they use the Franklin Gothic fonts on the site you link to. However, if you look at the "g" in "Along time ago", you'll realize it isn't the right font. I've heard the crawl uses "NEWS GOTHIC BOLD", but I'm not sure. If that is true, then the site you link also has the crawl text wrong - which they indicate is Franklin Gothic.

Thanks,
Sledge
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Originally posted by: sledgeweb
For example, they use the Franklin Gothic fonts on the site you link to. However, if you look at the "g" in "Along time ago", you'll realize it isn't the right font. I've heard the crawl uses "NEWS GOTHIC BOLD", but I'm not sure. If that is true, then the site you link also has the crawl text wrong - which they indicate is Franklin Gothic.

Thanks,
Sledge

They have the wrong font on their example. The "A long time ago" font is, however, Franklin Gothic Book.

News Gothic Bold and Univers Light Ultra Condensed are used in the crawl. News Gothic Bold is used for the crawl body and episode number. Univers Light Ultra Condensed is used for the film title.
Greedo shoots first? Not in my DVD player.
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Hrm, I think Franklin Gothic Book is really close, but it doesn't appear to be correct. I've created a comparison image here:



If you examine it closely, you'll notice the N's, M's, A's and especially the little tail sticking out of the top of the "g" are all slightly different. The white text is Franklin Gothic Book, the blue is a screen capture.

Thoughts?

Sledge
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It looks okay but could be slightly improved.
"A Jedi can feel the force flow through him".
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Yeah, what is odd, is to get it to match up, the tracking is different on the first line than the second. I thought that was odd. Perhaps it is because it is the wrong font.

I also had to compress the scale of the fonts horizontally and vertically to fit (90% and 85%), another hint that Franklin Gothic Book isn't the right font. Anyone else know what font it may be? Tips for improvement?

This is Franklin Gothic Book with a 1 pixel glow of the same color around it (basically thickening the font a bit):



Thanks,
Sledge
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Well, like I said, Franklin Gothic Book is the correct font. Fonts can change over time. You're using a screen grab from the original release. Try it with a screen grab from one of the DVDs.

I don't know what tracking or kerning they use. I used 25 tracking and adjusted a couple of characters manually. The top one is the screen capture.

Greedo shoots first? Not in my DVD player.
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That's also either a PT or a SE-DVD capture, not an O-OT capture.
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I had another look at the original version and I believe it's from the News Gothic family. The new version is definitely Franklin Gothic, but I agree that the old version is not.

I did this with News Gothic Medium, 90% vertically scaled and various tracking settings. It's close.

Greedo shoots first? Not in my DVD player.
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AH! That does look closer! Would you be willing to share the font? Would only be using for this one project for non-profit usage. Let me know.
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Sledge, go to your profile and enable your Private Messages. For whatever reason the default setting is off on this forum.
Greedo shoots first? Not in my DVD player.
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As you wish... and yes, that is a bit odd, isn't it.