Emmy Magazine Explores the Art of Main Title Sequences

Executive Creative Director John Likens—director of the main title sequence for Apple TV+’s Your Friends & Neighbors—joined four other industry professionals in a conversation with Emmy Magazine to explore the evolving art of main title sequences. As these sequences grow more cinematic, they increasingly set the tone through theme, visual storytelling, intricate design, and even hidden Easter eggs. 

About the Process

Likens: Our process starts with research and figuring out the subject matter. My job as a designer and a director is to distill it down to the core DNA of the show. What is the fingerprint of this show? How do we visually communicate that through a sequence?

Latest Project

Likens: Your Friends & Neighbors’ title sequence is designed so that every shot has a lot to take in. A viewer may see something new each episode or notice little things. They may pick up meaning in the visuals that maybe they didn’t catch the first or second time. The main sequence uses live-action filmmaking, as well as design, visual effects and compositing. The opening shots in the sequence where Jon Hamm is walking are all cut together. It was all shot on blue screen, and we had Jon on a treadmill, but we changed his outfit every time and filmed it again. And then we shot the environments in the plates separately. The end shot, which is probably my favorite in the sequence, is of Jon at the table, and that was all shot in camera, minus all the visual effects of the plates and glasses coming up and exploding out. There was so much work that had to be applied to every single shot to get those effects looking right and behaving the way we wanted them to!

Skip Intro?!

Likens: It’s an interesting time with title design, isn’t it? Because of that button, if you don’t have a sequence that’s truly captivating, it’s over. Audiences want to pick up something new every single time.

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John will further discuss crafting the Your Friends & Neighbors main title sequence at the Think Apple TV+ Emmy House Title Design Panel on Sunday, May 18. RSVP here. 

*Sequence created under Method Studios.