Trace Motion Titles

When the Font Becomes the Frame

Trace Films produces documentary features with a distinct visual commitment — they wanted an opening title sequence that felt earned, not decorative. We designed a four-minute kinetic typography system where the type itself carries the narrative tension: stacked faces of condensed grotesque distorting under chromatic aberration, paced with the score rather than imposed on it.

The system was built in After Effects and Resolve, with a modular approach allowing the title treatment to be adapted for each film in the slate. Every character was hand-kerned. Color grading was tied to the documentary’s existing color language — gritty, slightly blown-out, truthful.

Output

Main title sequence, chapter cards, lower-third system, end credits, and an adaptable motion identity for 3 upcoming films in the series.