Imaginary Forces Co-Directors Dan Gregoras and Jeremy Cox paint a portrait of the mystery and perilous intrigue of bomb-making and social planning in the opening title sequence for WGN’s new series Manhattan. Amidst the construction of the world’s first atomic bomb, Manhattan follows the brilliant-but-flawed scientists and their families as they attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.
After honing in on a minimal, architecture-inspired design, Gregoras and Cox led a team of artists and animators to execute the sequence, creating a simple, defined and consistent style of motion throughout the piece. To help inform the design, they delved into the historical planning and layout of the city of Los Alamos, where the show takes place. They looked at the city’s archival photography and buildings to grasp a better sense of how best to portray its citizens.
The concept explores not only the creation of the nuclear bomb, but also the town of Los Alamos itself, revealing the lives of those behind the monumental deed. Notes Director Gregoras, “While this was happening, people were trying to live their lives: have dinner with their families, do chores, have get-togethers. There is a certain level of irony that these individuals experienced in trying to live out their lives while, simultaneously, trying to create one of the most powerful weapons in the history of mankind.” As the creative concept was being fleshed out, IF designer Griffin Frazen developed a visual style that was minimal, elegant, and sophisticated, allowing for the rest of the team to conceptualize the contrasting moments of irony throughout the flow of the sequence.
Adds Art Director Cox, “The concept came out of the idea of diagrammatically showing the juxtapositions between home and science that were being smashed together in Los Alamos. Hundreds of the smartest scientists in the country and their families were all suddenly living together in a city that was built for this sole purpose.”
The piece was edited in Final Cut Pro. All animation was created in After Effects and Maxon Cinema4D. Certain elements were shot by the team in their New York Office, including the cracking egg and the holding hands. For the silhouetted figures and their shadows, IF staff members were photographed on a city street from a 5th floor window, and cel animated into the sequence.
Credits:
Designed and Produced by: Imaginary Forces (IF)
Creative Director: Dan Gregoras
Art Director: Jeremy Cox
Executive Producer: Gabriel Marquez
Producer: Jon Hassell
Designer: Griffin Frazen
Animator: Sekani Solomon
Cel Animator: Peter Ahern
Editor: Kari Amdal
Additional Design: Audrey Davis, Tim Haldeen
Client: WGN
Production Company: Lionsgate/Atom Productions
Writer/Director/Show Runner: Sam Shaw
Executive Producer: Thomas Schlamme
Co-Producer: Rebecca Moline
Composers: Sigur Ros’ Jónsi, Alex Somers
A Product of Imaginary Forces
Top entertainment studios, global brands and A-list agencies tap Imaginary Forces (IF) to find new ways to engage and inspire audiences. IF’s diverse talent pool of artists and creative professionals bring elite conceptual design solutions to projects in commercial, digital media, feature films and film marketing, television and architectural spaces.
Underlying each endeavor is their passionate belief that no project is too large, too small or too complex to benefit from beautiful and inventive design.
The innovative studio has garnered numerous advertising industry awards as well as multiple Emmy Awards including an Emmy for their iconic titles work on AMC’s smash drama series Mad Men.