Portfolio
Citadel: Diana
Italian chapter of the Citadel universe, the groundbreaking global-event series from the Russo Brothers.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
For the Italian chapter of the Citadel universe, we crafted a cinematic sequence that immerses the viewer in the world of Citadel and Diana’s double life as an undercover agent behind enemy lines.
Our goal was to create a title sequence that audiences would want to watch repeatedly. To achieve this, we designed six unique versions of the sequence, each concluding with an episode-specific Easter egg.
SCENE BREAKDOWNS
DESIGN CONCEPTS & PITCH
Ignition brought me on board to assist with the main titles pitch for their project. I led the creative direction alongside the talented team at Ignition, and together we developed four concepts. You can see the original pitch boards below.
CONCEPT 01 - OPTICS
Cinematic visuals and deep shadows create a dark mood for this sequence that acts as a spiritual continuation from the original Citadel series, picking up in the final moments of the US title sequence. Optics offers a unique view of the Citadel universe and focuses on Diana’s double life. As the viewer rewatches the sequence throughout the series, they will piece together key narrative points and thematic elements. Each viewing builds a deeper story.
CONCEPT 02 - HISTORY
History uses the title sequence to introduce Manticore and their position in the wider Citadel universe. It starts with the creation of Citadel and follows their rise and fall across the decades. Each major shift in time is then accompanied by a visual shift in technology as the graphic treatment becomes more advanced, ultimately catching up to the look and feel of the show.
The timeline approach also creates a wider foundation for Diana’s place in the world, years of historical events feel like they’ve all been leading to her. Rather than Diana being just another page in the story, she becomes the next big event. A culmination of historic moments that have all been leading to her.
CONCEPT 03 - UNCOVER
Uncover focuses on the interconnected mysteries of Citadel: Diana, using the interactive displays found in the show as a visual base. Visually this sequence appears from the viewpoint of an agent, searching through the secret files of a Manticore computer. Each new thread takes them deeper into the rabbit hole as connections are formed and discoveries made. The ‘data’ driven visuals in this route also allow for an evolving sequence as relationships change and stories develop.
This route focuses on the themes of duality, as Diana’s place in both Manticore and Citadel is explored. Family, and the relationships between characters. Secrets, with withheld information. Rivalry, the battles for control and power between factions and the people in them. Lies and betrayal as we uncover more about characters true intentions.
CONCEPT 04 - SPLIT
Diana is a show about sides; positive, negative and the spaces in between. Split uses this concept as its core anchor, representing stories, locations, characters and their relationships in a highly stylised visual language. The rivalry of Citadel and Manticore feels black and white at first glance, but the characters in the series show us there are grey areas within. This emphasises the duality not only via contrast, but also the details in relationships and the actions taken to protect them.
WINNING CONCEPT - AMENDED FRAMES
The winning concept chosen by the client was Optics. Amazon provided some feedback, mainly suggesting that the lighting and grading be adjusted to a lighter and bluer tone, rather than dark and gloomy. Additionally, they requested that the character frames feature more full-body shots instead of close-ups, which they felt resembled 90s movie posters. We revised the style frames accordingly, as shown below, and the client was very pleased with the final result.
TITLE SEQUENCE CREDITS