We were thrilled to be asked to join the team working on Amazon series 99, a captivating three part documentary series produced by Ventureland chronicling Manchester United’s historic treble triumph in 1999, and the decade leading up to it. Our involvement began early in the London based editing process, collaborating closely with director Sampson Collins, and producer Miles Coleman, whom we’d had the pleasure of working with previously on Netflix’s FIFA Uncovered.

At the outset of our discussions on 99, the focus was on establishing a visual identity that seamlessly melded with the documentary’s storytelling. Our creative exploration began with the aim of devising a distinctive typographic system. We sought to create a bold typographic approach that would not only signify the era of the narrative but also strike a delicate balance between evoking a sense of the 90s without veering into kitsch, while maintaining a sleek and refined identity.

Graphics Reel: Title, Time Devices, Newspapers, League Tables

Time Devices

In the series, the narrative effortlessly traverses between time periods, offering glimpses into contrasting eras of Manchester United’s journey. Netflix and the edit team were keen to find a time travel device which felt authentic to the era and aesthetic, while clearly navigating the viewer in the series.

While the exploits of Manchester United have been extensively chronicled in the media, this documentary presents a unique opportunity to delve into the personal narratives and inner struggles of the players, particularly as they grapple with the weight of expectation from a young age.

The archive footage is reinterpreted as the now older ex-players in the present day, recall their memories. To seamlessly transport viewers through time, we chose to employ archive footage as our primary tool.

We didn’t settle for archival inserts, instead, we gave them subtle yet effective rewind/fast-forward effect, inspired by the DigiBeta rewind functionality of the era. Studying the old tape effects brought back a lot of memories for our older team members (!)

This technique evokes a strong sense of nostalgia (while again avoiding excessive kitschiness). More importantly, it infuses the narrative with a personal touch, almost as if the players’ voiceovers are narrating their own home videos, inviting viewers into their intimate memories and experiences.

Titles and Motion Design: Past Curfew

Design Director: Allison Brownmoore

Production Coordinator: Mark Hughes

Lead Designer: John Quinn

Animators:   Kevin Smy, Sylvain Doussa, Callum Welch