In honor of Sir Ridley Scott I’ve updated my Gladiator title graphic I created last year and crafted two new ones restyled for Gladiator II pushing more fire and a bit more carnage. I’m including a few frames showing aspects of the compositing process as well. My 30 handcrafted blood splatters will be available soon for free. I was going to release them as a font, but time got away from me. I’m going to save them as high quality PNGs. Feel free to use them in any project both personal and commercial. I’ll drop a post when they’re ready.
“Maximus The Farmer + Gladiator” & “Lucius V Exiled Son + Gladiator.”
“Then listen to me. Learn from me. I wasn’t the best because I killed quickly. I was the best because the crowd loved me. Win the crowd, and you will win your freedom.”
Antonius Proximo as played by the late Oliver Reed (2/13/1938–5/2/1999), Gladiator, 2000
The following scene between Proximo and Maximus rings true for me when it comes to my outlook for 2025. Let’s make it an incredible year and win the crowd!
Proximo : “The Coliseum…(long, deep breath inwards). Oh you should see the Coliseum Spaniard. 50,000 Romans, watching…every movement of your sword, willing you to make that killer blow. The silence before you strike, and the noise afterwards, it rises…rises up like…like, like a storm…as if you were the Thunder God himself.
Maximus : “You were a gladiator?”
Proximo : “Yes I was.”
Maximus : “You won your freedom?”
Proximo : “A long time ago The Emperor presented me with a Rudis, it’s just a…a wooden sword. A symbol of your freedom. He touched me on the shoulder and I was free.”
Maximus : (laughing) “You knew Marcus Aurelius?”
Proximo : “I did not say I knew him. I said he touched me on the shoulder once.”
Maximus : “You asked me what I want. I too want to stand in front of the Emperor, as you did.”
Proximo : “Then listen to me. Learn from me. I wasn’t the best because I killed quickly. I was the best because the crowd loved me. Win the crowd, and you will win your freedom.”
Maximus : “I will win the crowd. I will give them something they’ve never seen before.”
