Studio’s hybrid filmmaking merges two different storyboard concepts to illustrate composite portrait of lead character’s background.
Imaginary Forces Design Studio has just shared with AWN their work on the opening title sequence of the Prime Video series, Jack Ryan Season 2. The layered, montage-like work is anchored by two related but different storyboard concepts that then merge into the final piece. One, entitled “Duality,” features split screen images; the second is dubbed “Pattern Recognition,” as if a supercomputer were pulling up all Jack’s data, and trying to make sense of it.
“The title has a lot of different layers because Jack Ryan is a complex personality,” explained Imaginary Forces Emmy Award-winning founding member, director and designer, Karin Fong. “We combined photography, footage, 2D and 3D elements to make a composite portrait of the man.” Fong has helmed numerous projects in film, television, gaming and advertising, finding inspiration in everything from surrealism to pop culture. Her work expresses a love of compelling storytelling, strong concepts and striking imagery. So the Jack Ryan title sequence was right in her artistic wheelhouse.
Jack Ryan Season 2 title sequence:
Fong relied on metaphor and symbol to represent the many often oppositional facets of Jack Ryan; for example, an ordinary overhead fan morphs into the rotors of a helicopter. Benign turns sinister in a second. One of the more complicated shots – a ship becomes the medals on his Marine uniform – also marries analog and digital technology; in this case, footage of a real ship combines with CG elements.
The main creative challenge was how to illustrate the multitudes of Jack’s background and personality into one sequence. Fong emphasized the duality of his character and personal history: on one hand, he is a civilian who has lived a life on Wall Street, has a doctorate and resides in the DC area; on the other hand, he is a reluctant hero and military CIA man who has a tragic history from his past as a Marine. The goal was to synthesize all these parts that collectively define the man.
Speical Inside the Title Sequence breakdown:
Almost a Rauschenberg-like, mixed media collage, Fong describes her approach as hybrid filmmaking, combining typography, animation, graphic design, live-action, and different styles and treatments into one seamless whole. According to the director, it was important to the show’s creators for everything to feel grounded in the real world; they wanted all the different aspects to come together in a way that was visually new but also felt very real.
Source: Imaginary Forces Design Studio
