Welcome, To ME!!!! all Me aka Mari

This personal project is a cinematic title sequence inspired by Dark Souls, combining 3D modeling in Cinema 4D with motion graphics in After Effects. The goal was to capture the game's dark, atmospheric tone through detailed skull models, dramatic lighting, and haunting visual effects. It served as both a creative tribute and a technical challenge to sharpen my skills in storytelling, animation, and environmental design.

This project was done by: Me

Market Analysis: The Dark Souls series has a massive following, with countless fan-made tributes across various mediums. However, I wanted to carve out my own space by combining cinematic motion design with atmospheric 3D elements. My focus was on deepening my skills in both After Effects and Cinema 4D while paying homage to a game world known for its bleak beauty, haunting architecture, and cryptic storytelling.

Brand Strategy: As a personal project, this was about pushing my boundaries as a designer. I was inspired by the melancholic, almost sacred tone of Dark Souls, and aimed to translate that into a visual piece that felt both ominous and epic. I envisioned a title sequence that could open a fan film or game trailer—one that evokes the forgotten age of fire, death, and resurrection. The goal was to create an immersive narrative moment using motion, texture, and sound.

Design Process: I began by modeling skulls in Cinema 4D to set the tone—symbolic of the game's themes of death and decay. These skulls were textured with grime, cracks, and wear to create a sense of age and mystery. Lighting was crucial: I used moody, directional light to cast dramatic shadows and highlight the details. After exporting the 3D elements, I transitioned into After Effects to construct the title sequence. The animation featured slow camera pushes, flickering embers, ash particles, and a layered soundscape—all designed to immerse the viewer into a Dark Souls-inspired world. Typography was handled with care, using serif fonts that echoed the medieval elegance of the game’s menus and title cards. I also experimented with ink reveals and parallax effects to deepen the sense of space.

Challenges: One major challenge was creating assets that felt true to the Dark Souls universe while maintaining originality. Cinema 4D’s learning curve with texturing and lighting pushed me to explore new workflows. In After Effects, syncing visual transitions with audio cues was a test of timing and narrative clarity.

Conclusion and learnings: This project reinforced the power of personal work as a learning tool. I walked away with a stronger grasp of 3D modeling, motion design, and atmospheric storytelling. It also taught me how important it is to anchor design decisions in tone and theme—especially when drawing inspiration from iconic franchises. Next steps include adding animation to the skulls themselves and possibly expanding the scene into a full cinematic teaser.