Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age and Prehistoric Planet. Under Ice.
Framestore’s Creative Director, Sharon Lock collaborated with BBC Studios Natural History Unit to create over thirty explanatory graphics sequences for Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age and Prehistoric Planet. Under the Ice.
“From Ice Age survival strategies to the intricate details of a mammoth’s tusk, we created a
unified visual language to tell the complex stories of prehistoric migration and glacial
erosion.” said Sharon Lock.
Importantly the team had the creative freedom to create sequences that were more visually
immersive than perhaps expected. They also worked closely with BBC Studios Natural History Production Team to ensure that even the more stylized elements were scientifically grounded.
“As Framestore was already responsible for VFX on the series itself, we were able to borrow
and share CG assets from the film team which we rendered in a more graphic style for some
of our shots,” added Sharon Lock. “Working in C4D and After Effects, these shared assets
let us push the design further than we would have been able to otherwise - utilising 3D
cameras and bringing life into shots which could have been quite flat and diagrammatic.”
Continuing a long-standing creative relationship with BBC Studios Producer Nigel Walk, the
team injected beauty and elegance, pushing the boundaries of what graphic sequences for a
natural history documentary could look like.
Further responsibilities included giving the main title sequence a refresh and creating a 3D
version of the logo which was concealed within thick layers of ice.