Mr. Scorsese

Our team was thrilled to work on Mr. Scorsese, a five-part biographical documentary for Apple TV exploring the life and career of Martin Scorsese. Over the course of a year, we crafted a vast array of shots, collaborating closely with director Rebecca Miller and editor David Bartner from their NY based edit. We delivered over ninety shots across the five episodes, and it was an absolute pleasure to work on.

Newspaper Headlines

One of our key challenges was unifying the newspaper headline shots while anchoring them within the documentary’s various time periods. To achieve this, we integrated fullscreen archival photos, allowing the newspaper text to float above in Z-space. This technique not only emphasised the text but also created a distinct visual language that remained consistent across all five episodes.

Graphics Reel: Title, Animated Storyboards, Newspapers, Posters, Photos

Photos

For the photo archive, we took a straightforward approach, presenting the images as authentically as possible, without embellishments, effects, or filters. Our goal was to create a faithful, unaltered representation of Scorsese’s life, allowing the photos to speak for themselves.

Animated Storyboards

Some of the most fascinating shots involved bringing Martin Scorsese’s early storyboards to life. Using high-resolution scans of his raw, hand drawn illustrations, we carefully cut out characters, articulated their limbs, and placed them in Z-space. This allowed us to simulate his intended camera movements, offering a dynamic glimpse into his creative vision.

Titlecard, Documents, Posters and more

Our work on Mr. Scorsese was eclectic in terms of the range of graphics we created across the project. We also designed the title card, evoking the look of a vintage school film reel with subtle burn and texture. Throughout the film, we used diptych and triptych compositions to present movie posters and archival documents, which helped create a visual rhythm to assist the storytelling.

Titles and Motion Design: Past Curfew

Design Director: Allison Brownmoore

Production Manager: Mark Hughes

Lead Designer: John Quinn

Animators:   Kevin Smy, Sylvain Doussa, Callum Welch