The latest film title work of design-driven production company Sarofsky Corp. can be seen in the staccato 60-second main titles of the new family crime TV series, “Animal Kingdom,” that premiered on TNT June 14.
The series, adapted from the 2010 Australian heist film, stars Ellen Barkin as the matriarch of a dysfunctional California-based family, who rules her four sons with a frightening mix of menace and devotion.
“The main title for ‘Animal Kingdom’ prepares the audience for the violent, amoral and virile world they will encounter in this show,” says John Wells, co-EP with Jonathan Lisco of the new series.
Wells and Sarofsky worked together earlier when Sarofsky created the titles for Showtime’s long-running “Shameless” series.
Sarofsky led the team of 30 that included Duarte Elvas, co-director(with Sarofsky) and lead artist, EP Steven Anderson, line producer Stefanie Spiegel and DP Michael Bove. Gathering everything on their extensive live action shot list required a total of seven days in LA, Miami and Chicago.
The Sarofsky crew also shot in the company’s West Loop studio space, in Sarofsky’s home and other locales. “The prop list was also the most bizarre thing of beauty you ever saw,” says Sarofsky. “Fishing hook, meat grinder, handcuffs, road flares, crib with round bars, red popsicles, Ducati, etc.”
Josh Bodner of Whitehouse Post edited the nearly 20 hours of original footage into the 60-second opener.
Music was composed and produced by Oscar-winning Atticus Ross. “We worked hand-in-hand with Atticus and Sarofsky,” says Wells, “to make certain that the music and visuals were in sync, and delivering on the premise and emotional tenor of the show.”
Over the past four years, the Sarofsky team has created and produced titles Marvel Movie’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Ant-Man.”
Recent staff additions were creative director Patrick Coleman, a former freelance senior designer and creative director, who had spent almost a decade as part of Optimus’ design team and producer Sam Clark, whose experience includes being a VFX data manager for many features, including the Wachowskis’ TV series “Sense8” and their feature “Jupiter Ascending.”
