Office of Climate Facts

"The Office of Climate Facts" title sequence was a personal project that I undertook as a motion designer, representing the opening for a hypothetical TV series produced based on the short story of the same name by Mitch Sullivan.

The Office of Climate Facts is a dystopian story that aims to warn us of an unlikely yet plausible future in which a government department is created to covertly downplay, dismiss or outright censor troubling news about climate change and associated natural disasters. It's deeply unsettling for the same reasons as Black Mirror - it’s not all that far from the world we already live in today. To represent this future, monochromatic and heavily distressed imagery conveys catastrophe, censorship, and paranoia. The audio produced for this piece is a layering of soundbites from Donald Trump and John F. Kennedy, as well as storm sounds. The backing track is Oxbow B, produced by Lorn.

The production process involved several stages, including brainstorming, creating style frames, and storyboarding.

During the brainstorming stage, I defined the goals, message, and target audience of the project. I then created a list of ideas and concepts that I wanted to explore further in the title sequence, such as the dystopian future, censorship, and climate change.

Next, I created several style frames to experiment with different visual styles and moods. The style frames included various colour schemes, typography, and a variety of imagery to help me visualize the final product. I reviewed the style frames and selected the one that best represented the mood and tone of the story.

After finalizing the style frames, I created a detailed storyboard that mapped out the sequence of shots, camera angles, and transitions for the title sequence. I included notes on the visual effects, such as motion graphics and compositing, to guide my work and ensure a cohesive final product.

Once the storyboard was done, I began creating the actual visuals and animations for the title sequence. I used a combination of 2D and 3D animation techniques to bring the storyboard to life, and added sound effects and music to enhance the impact of the visuals. Overall, producing "The Office of Climate Facts" title sequence was a personal and iterative process that required careful planning, attention to detail, and creative problem-solving. The result is a powerful and thought-provoking visual story that effectively conveys the message of the dangers of downplaying climate change.

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