Illicit Trade

Titles for TV series

TITLE: Illicit Trade

ROLE: Title Designer

AGENCY: Glaciar Films

CLIENT: Consejo Nacionale de Television La Red

BRIEF:

Diego reached out to us some time ago via Vimeo, impressed by our portfolio and eager to introduce himself. He expressed a strong interest in collaborating on a project, and when this opportunity arose, we were thrilled to dive in. Diego's vision was straightforward: he was creating a series exploring illegal trades, which would delve into fascinating cases of theft involving fossils, mummies, meteorites, endangered trees, and animals. These items often traverse continents, landing in the hands of affluent collectors, scientific institutions, and esteemed museums. His brief was simple, make it look filmic and cool.

PROCESS:

Diego supplied shots from the episode, including cutaways and b-roll featured in the series. As he continued filming, he sent additional footage our way. We curated this footage, sifting through it to uncover a structural foundation for our title design. During the development phase, we explored an intriguing concept: elements gradually disappearing from the imagery, which ultimately became the central motif of our design. Utilising tracking techniques and visual effects, we crafted shots, removing items, as if stolen, such as animals, trucks, and cargo containers.

SonoSanctus provided the music, offering a glitching beat that served as inspiration for the tempo and editing style of the titles. To complement this auditory backdrop, we fragmented the screen, crafting alternative imagery from the original footage. This technique mirrored the deceptive practices employed by traders, who often distort the products they sell for personal gain.