Credit Titles: Typography and Cinema
A course by José Luis Coyotl MixcoatlGraphic designer and Art Director
A course by José Luis Coyotl Mixcoatl, Graphic designer and Art Director
Learn the theoretical bases and a methodology to design impressive initial titles
For many, a film begins in the first scene but for others it starts in the credits, where the theme and the tone of the piece can be glimpsed to sow expectation in the audience, something to which José Luis Coyotl, graphic designer and director of art, he dedicates his professional life with details as functional and powerful as typography, working for studios such as Warner Brothers, Walt Disney, ESPN, Universal, among others.
In this course you will learn the creative process to create credit titles in film, television and video projects.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 28 downloads
Basic principles
4 minutes, 7 seconds
Formats, Aspect Ratio and Letterbox
9 minutes, 48 seconds
Title Safe, Action Safe and Framing chart
5 minutes, 38 seconds
The language of the credit titles
4 minutes, 10 seconds
Application variants
4 minutes, 52 seconds
Typography and cinema
9 minutes, 44 seconds
What's included in this course?
You will begin by getting to know the work of José Luis Coyotl, his personal history, his passion for design and typography and his main influences.
Next, you will learn the most important technical and narrative concepts for the creation of credit titles, such as the script, time, structure, motion design, formats and display ranges.
You will see the importance of the image in the design of credits as a generator of graphic language in audiovisual pieces, typography and how it can be applied in sequences for film and television.
Afterwards, you will choose a movie to work on your own credit titles, José Luis will choose Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho", but you can choose the one you like the most. You will analyze its theme, narrative elements and technical aspects.
José will show you his process to define a concept and create a moodboard, to then develop compositions in a set of styleframes, which will allow you to visualize the final sequence and the elements that comprise it: the color, the setting, the type of shots and the Graphic treatment of the elements.
Once the concept is closed, in the production stage, you will learn about José Luis' process to develop it and, subsequently, you will see how to bring all this to a final motion test.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
You will design the sequence of credits of an iconic film; the teacher will perform the "Pshycho" by Alfred Hitchcock but you can choose the one you want.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
To designers, animators of motion graphics and to all those people interested in the creation of credits for film and television.
Requirements and materials
To complete the course, you will need basic knowledge of typography, design and animation, and intermediate Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects.
On the materials, you will need a computer with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and After Effects installed.
Reviews
- 1 year ago
Muy bueno el curso, me gusto como recopilo la hisotria de las técnica de hacer titulos de credito.
- 2 years ago
It's a nice, short intro course for title designs. There's some basic technical knowledge (eg. aspect ratios, title space) but the focus is more on the general design process. I wish there would be more about working with AE, motion design and good practices (how long should a title be visible, where to find the fonts) and practical tips, rather than a more generic ones (eg. make a moodboard) but it can still be valuable for folks with zero experience with visual design process.
- 2 years ago
I´m enjoying this course. Great teacher with experience in the field. A lot to learn!
- 2 years ago
Amazing course so far, and a wonderful teacher!
- 2 years ago
Curso maravilhoso, instruções eficientes, referências importantes.
He has devoted a large part of his professional life to teaching, as a design professor in different universities. Currently, he works independently as a designer and art director, mainly developing projects in Mexico and the United States.
He has been designing for print media, such as books and magazines, for more than 18 years; branding, motion design, illustration and design of typographic fonts, as well as custom type. He has also given conferences and workshops in Mexico and South America.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
Technical and narrative principles for credit titles
- Basic principles
- Formats, Aspect Ratio and Letterbox
- Title Safe, Action Safe and Framing chart
- U3
The design of titles for credits
- The language of the credit titles
- Application variants
- Typography and cinema
- U4
Designing our titles
- Analysis of the project
- Concept development, moodboards and references
- Styleframes and proposals
- U5
Production and final postproduction
- Production
- Postproduction
- FP
Final project
- Credit and typography titles
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
This course covers designing titles and credits for film, magazines, and editorial projects, blending typography, motion graphics, and graphic experimentation techniques to create striking and expressive visual sequences.
The course is intermediate level. Basic graphic design knowledge or prior experience is recommended to get the most out of the content and practical exercises.
You’ll learn to create dynamic credit sequences for film and publications, master typography principles, motion graphics, adapting to various screen formats, and develop your own creative process for audiovisual projects.
You’ll need access to a computer with graphic design software (like Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, or similar), plus basic sketching materials and digital resources to experiment with typography and animated graphics.
The course covers original typography, editorial design, animated credit creation, art direction for magazines, integration of Mexican graphics, motion graphics, video format adaptation, and optimization for different platforms.
Yes, the course walks you through conceptualizing, designing, and animating credit sequences step-by-step, including integrating motion, sound, and custom typographic elements.
Throughout the course, you’ll create hands-on projects to showcase in your portfolio, demonstrating your skills in title design, motion graphics, and art direction for film and publications.